Collecting Information about museum visitors

Mark Walhimer Interactive Exhibit Philosophy, Museum Visitor Leave a Comment

Survey Monkey is a great tool for collecting quick information from museum visitors, potential donors or get feedback on potential exhibition ideas.  Survey Monkey is free for a basic account or $19.95 for a premium account. As a sample we have created a simple 3 question sample survey regarding the Museum Planner Blog.  The survey will be active for the …

Generations of Museums / Science Centers

Mark Walhimer Museum Planning Leave a Comment

Museum 1.0 First Generation Museum / Science Center Collection cases, static displays, object centered •    Mutter Museum Museum 2.0 Second Generation Museum / Science Center Collection cases with push buttons and cranks •    Museum of Science, Boston Museum 3.0 Third Generation Museum / Science Center Open ended, multi-layered and visitor centric •    Exploratorium

Mickey’s Ten Commandments

Mark Walhimer Museum Planning Leave a Comment

By Marty Sklar President, Walt Disney Imagineering I.    Know your audience. II.   Wear your guests’ shoes. III.  Organize the flow of people and ideas. IV.  Create a “weenie” (visual magnet). V.   Communicate with visual literacy. VI.  Avoid overload – create turn-ons. VII. Tell one story at a time. VIII. Avoid contradictions – maintain identity. IX.  “Ounce of treatment – ton …

$24 Per Person!, California Academy of Science

Mark Walhimer Exhibition Budgeting, Exhibition Costs, Exhibition Reviews, Museum Governance, Museum Planning, Natural History Museum, Science Center, Starting A Museum

At $24 per person, the California Academy of Science is setting a tone before you enter the door, two adults and two children, $78 dollars!  for a public institution.  This is a violation of the trust between a learning institution and the public.  That is before we even discuss if the experience is worth it and I would say it …

Context over Content in LA

Mark Walhimer Museum Planning Leave a Comment

By HOLLAND COTTER, Published: August 26, 2008, New York Times NEW YORK TIMES LINK LOS ANGELES — The Latin American collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is back on view after three years’ absence. And the reinstallation opens with a piquant flourish in a display of ancient pre-Columbian art that doubles as a solo show for a …