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Opportunities to Make Science Museum Visits More Meaningful:
Results from a Real Time Earthquake Exhibition Summative Evaluation
Meagan SmithMasters of Museum Studies, University of Toronto
2005 Candidate
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
The IRIS/USGS Earthquake Display
1) 51-inch plasma monitor that displays the
locations of earthquakes
2) Computer monitor that lists the times,
magnitudes, and geographic locations of the
displayed earthquakes
3) Mechanical triple drum – records four days of
continuous ground motion at three remote
locations
4) Associated text and visuals (varies by museum)
Evaluation Methodology
Museums
1) Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
Plate Tectonics Gallery (PTG)
2) American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)
Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth (HoPE)
Method
Phase 1 – Gallery & IRIS/USGS Display
Tracking & timing (n=100)
Sweeps (n=100)
Open-ended exit interviews (n=34) (PTG only)
Phase 2 – IRIS/USGS Display
Focused observations (n=100)
Open-ended post experience interviews (n=50)
Gallery Space
NMNH Plate Tectonics Gallery AMNH Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth
IRIS/ USGS
display
46 elements 32 elements
Quantitative Evaluation Results
Attracting Power – Tracking and TimingNMNH - 38% of visitors stopped (1 of 46 elements) AMNH - 41% of visitors stopped (1 of 32 elements)
Holding Power – Tracking and TimingNMNH - 0:46 or 0.8 minutes median stop time/visitor (6 of 46)AMNH - 1:23 or 1.4 minutes median stop time/visitor (1 of 32)
Cumulative Stop Time – Tracking and TimingNMNH - 30.8 minutes (1 of 46 by 5+ minutes)AMNH - 64.2 minutes (1 of 32 by 22 minutes)
Total Number of Stopped Visitors – SweepsNMNH - 210 visitors or 11% of all stops (1 of 46)AMNH - 283 visitors or 15% of all stops (1 of 32)
Most Liked or Interesting Part of the PTG – Exit Interviews NMNH - 27% of all responses (1 of 46)
Understanding the Display’s Success:Real Time Information
Interview Results
What attracted you to the display?
Plasma monitor (22% at both the NMNH & AMNH)
Interest in earthquakes
Triple drumReal time information (11% at the NMNH & 20% at the AMNH)
Other
Location of home
Understanding the Display’s Success:Real Time Information
Interview Results
What did you like best about this display?
Real time / up to date information (31% at both the NMNH & AMNH)
31%
20%10%
9%
7%
3%
2%2%
9%6%
Map of recent earthquakes/ (plasma monitor)
Small monitor with updated list
Overall presentation
Triple drum
Interactive
Easy to understand
Global information
Make your own earthquake*
Other
* Only present in the PTG at the NMNH
Understanding the Display’s Success:Real Time Information
Examples of Visitor Responses
“[It was] very interesting to see what just happened only a few minutes ago.”
“I recognized [the drum, but had] never seen one actively working.”
“[I like that it is] up to date, and I heard in the news this morning that there was in earthquake in Illinois this morning and there it was.”
“[The] way they were able to bring [the information] to you in real time.”
“I was surprised at the number of earthquakes it showed, and how it was able to show all the locations”
Understanding the Display’s Success:Real Time Information
Interview Results
What information did you find the most interesting or surprising?
Frequency of earthquakes
Particular event(s)
Real time / up to date
Other
Where earthquakes occur
“[That the] Earth is moving even though we don’t notice it.”
“That there are so many minor earthquakes every day.”
“That they had earthquakes clear across the United States.”
What Makes Science Interesting?
• Practicing Scientist
Cloning
Stem Cell Research
Euthanasia
Space Exploration
Herbal Medicines
Climate Change
Genetically ModifiedFoods
• Current / Hot Topic
• Sexy / Popular Culture
• Science in action
Relevant to our lives
Relevance and Museum Displays
“Most important, the link between the museum and the visitor’s life needs to be made clear.” (Csikszentmihalyi and Hermanson, 1995)
“In order to make meaning of our experience, we need to be able to connect it with what we already know.” (Hein, 1999)
“…we must find ways to reach visitors, building bridges to their past experiences and knowledge.” (Jeffrey, 1998)
Do real time displays offer more opportunities for connections between visitors and the display? Do they increase relevance for visitors?
Didactic Earthquake Displays
Did You Know?
Earthquakes are the geological forces of the Earth that build mountains and create ocean. They are nature’s reminder that we are living on the thin outer crust of a planet that is cooling.
Each year, approximately 800,000 earthquakes are recorded worldwide. Most are too small to be felt, but typically at least one is a great earthquake.
The Earth’s outer crust is divided into plates. Earthquakes occur when plates move under over, or slide past each other.
Earthquakes typically occur along plate boundaries
Interactive / Hands-On Earthquake Displays
Activities:
Shake a city in a pan of sand and water
Watch video footage of the Great Alaskan Earthquake, 1964
Use a slinky to visualize how seismic waves travel through the Earth
Use a computer to simulate an earthquake. Choose the magnitude and epicentre
Record your own seismic waves by jumping in front of a seismograph
Earthquake Displays
Didactic Interactive/Hands-On
Real Time
Transmission
Visual learning
Museum as authority
Discovery and constructivist
Visual / auditory / tactile / social learning
Museum as discovery center / edutainment
Discovery and constructivist
Visual / social learning
Museums providing current science information
Increases relevance / connection to the visitor
BEST RESULTS: Combine all three
Learning Theories
Falk & Dierking’sContextual Model of Learning
Piaget’s Learning Theory
Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Experience
Learning as an integrated experience• Personal, sociocultural, and physical contexts• Time
Accommodation and Assimilation
Hook
Opportunities for involvement• sensory, intellectual, emotional
Conditions for flow• clear goals• challenges that match a wide variety of visitor skill levels• choice• a supportive environment
Growth of complexity in consciousness
• sensory, intellectual emotional
Challenges Facing Real Time Exhibits
Technology
Cost ($ and staff resources)
Maintenance
Need scientific expertise
Need dynamic subjects
Possible Topics:
Weather
Population clock
Deforestation clock
Live video feeds
Exhibits Must:
Be active / change continually
Present new or interesting ideas to visitors “a-ha”
Allow visitors of all skill levels to understand content
Provide on-going learning opportunities inside and outside of the museum
Acknowledgements
Ellen Giusti Coordinator of Exhibit Evaluation, American Museum of Natural History
Paul Kimberly Computer Specialist – Global Volcanism Program, NMNH
Dr. James Luhr Geologist & Mineral Sciences Department Chairman, AMNH
Dr. Ed Mathez Chairman, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences & Curator, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, AMNH
Barbara Soren Graduate Coordinator, Museum Studies, University of Toronto
John Taber Education & Outreach Program Manager, IRIS
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