Multimedia That Matters: Technology in the Galleries and the Visitor Experience

Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios Inc.

Museums and Technology - Tainan National College of the Arts November 6, 2004

Multimedia That Matters:

Technology in the Galleries and the Visitor Experience

Multimedia That Matters:

Technology in the Galleries and the Visitor Experience

Scott SayreSandbox Studios, Inc.

A Short HistoryA Short History

Late 1980’s• Early Adopters

– Art Gallery of Ontario– J. Paul Getty Museum– The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

• Expensive, specialized equipment– Video disc– Proprietary software– Low resolution images

Early 1990’s• Resistance by most museums

– Curatorial objections– Costs of technology– Lack of understanding of applications

• Distractions from in-gallery focus– CD-ROM publication popular– Emergence of Internet

A Short HistoryA Short HistoryLate 1990’s• Technology continues to mature

– Inexpensive, powerful, off-shelf equipment – High resolution scanning and display– Networking prevalent– Image compression and vector-based authoring

• Internet becomes focus– Web sites standard for museums– Interactive media groups formed– Collection digitization common

Early 2000’s• Less Resistance to Technology

– Web sites proven power

• Advanced equipment– Micro PC’s– Flat screen LCDs (large and small)– Wireless networking

Multimedia in the GalleriesMultimedia in the Galleries

Objections/Obstacles to Integration

• Limited physical space• Distraction from works of art• Conflicts with gallery aesthetics

Four Museum StudiesFour Museum Studies

Traditional Museums• Victoria and Albert: British Galleries• The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Contemporary Art Museums• Walker Art Center• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

V&A British GalleriesV&A British Galleries

Newly Designed Galleries

• Opened November 2001• Most comprehensive collection of British art on view

in the world• $57 million galleries• 3000 square feet of gallery space• 3000 objects on view• Makes up 10% of V&A

20 New Media-based programs

• Address themes of galleries (style, fashion,etc.)• Installed in close proximity to works of art

– Embedded in wall– Mounted in pedestals– Mounted on counters– Seating and separate rooms for longer programs

• Technology – Small LCD displays– Limited use of audio– Large plasma displays with audio

Passive Video Loops Creative Interactives

Game-based InteractivesCollection Database Interactives

• Also included:– Large topic video programs– Audio access points

Social Interactives

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Research/Evaluation

• Pre-production surveys and focus groups

• Definition of target audiences

• Formative evaluation and usability testing

• Post installation observationand surveys

Pre-Redesign Findings

• 50% of visitors spent lessthan 11 minutes in theGalleries

• Visitors were apprehensiveabout integration oftechnology

• Interest in human storiesrelated to the works of art

V&A British GalleriesV&A British GalleriesPost-Redesign Findings

• 83% spent over an hour inthe galleries

• 26% reported using one ormore interactive program

• 44% reported watching oneor more video program

• 94% of users felt the media program increased their understanding of the objectson display.

Post-Redesign Findings

• Overall, visitors respondedvery positively to the integration of technology

• Visitors using media weremore inclined to engagein conversation andinformation sharing

Minneapolis Institute of ArtsMinneapolis Institute of Arts

Overview• Largest museum in upper mid-western US• Over 100,000 objects• Early adopter of media as an interpretive tool• Formed in-house media staff in 1970’s • Formed interactive media group in early 90’s

By 2001 the Museum had produced and installed over two dozen permanent Interactive Learning Stations

Installation Challenges• Gallery Aesthetics• Gallery Acoustics• Accessibility

Minneapolis Institute of ArtsMinneapolis Institute of ArtsResearch/Evaluation

2000 “What Clicks?” grant• Assess Visitor

– Awareness– Use– Satisfaction

• Range of programs– Gallery Interactives– Video Loops– Museum Directories– Web site

• Two phase approach• Significant sample sizes 100 to 500

Phase 1 Findings

• 43% of visitors reportedawareness of the programs

• 33% of visitors reported using one or more program

• Average reported use 5 to 14 minutes

• 78% desired programs incloser proximity to objects

Phase 2 Findings

• 53% of visitors reportedawareness of the programs

• 85% desired programs incloser proximity to objects

• 76% reported high level of satisfaction with use and level of information

• Majority of users preferred object specific information

Phase 2 - LCD Findings• Temporarily installed 6 LCD

video loops• 3 focus groups conducted

– Visitors felt the LCD’s enhanced the exhibit even when in very close proximity to objects

– 6 inch displays too small10 inch about right

– Ambient audio preferred where appropriate

– Time should be indicated (45 seconds to 5 minutes best)

Walker Art CenterWalker Art Center

Overview• Internationally recognized multidisciplinary arts

organization

• Focus on contemporary arts: visual, performing, film and video while building a permanent collection

• 1996 formed New Media Initiatives department

• Developed international reputation for artist and educational online projects: Gallery 9, ArtsConnectEd

• Very limited use of interpretive media

Overview• Currently constructing a $90 million building

expansion scheduled to reopen in 2005

• Expansion will nearly double museum size

• Numerous spaces will be dedicated to educational media

Dialog Table• Conducted International

design competition for aninterpretive table

• Commissioned winningdesign “Dialog Table”

• Designed to promotesocial interactions between visitors while exploring WAC collections

Dialog Table

• Gesture recognition interface using video-based tracking

• Allows for multiplesimultaneous users

Dialog Table• Floating pool of

artwork

• Tools provide object information, allow for exploration of relationships, and creation of virtual postcards

Dialog Table interface

Prototype Research• Temporarily installed in

four month exhibition

• Five day evaluationvia user observation and exit interviews

• 109 users observed

• 34 users interviewed

Walker Art CenterWalker Art CenterResearch Findings• 63% of users were

groups of two or more

• 94% said they enjoyed using the table

• Most found “shadowinterface” fascinating

• 69% of observed had difficulty with the interface

• 72% had difficulty using the tools

Walker Art CenterWalker Art CenterResearch Findings• 89% used one or more

• Virtual postcard toolwas most popular (40%)

• 75% of users creating apostcard took the ticket

• 76% recognized images of the collection and 72% expressed interest in finding those works in gallery

Walker Art CenterWalker Art CenterResearch Findings• What was the installation?

– 34% saw as learning tool– 3% saw it as a work of art– 21% saw it as both– 41% saw it as something else

• Users expressed much moreinterest in the table itself thanthe its content

• Technical and usability problems hampered usage

• Walker is currently working on a redesign of the table for2005 opening

San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Overview

• First museum on US west coast dedicated to 20th-century art

• Renown as one of the world’s most innovative art museums

• Collections of paintings, sculpture, architecture, design, media arts and photography

• Explores intersection of art and technology

Overview

• 1994 formed in-house Interactive Educational Technology team

• 1995 opened new building with three collection-based programs installed between galleries

• Produced a number of educational CD-ROM and Web-based programs

• Recently opened Koret Visitor Education center which contains a wide range of media programs

Points of Departure Exhibition, 2001• Goal was to investigate and better understand the

interaction of museum visitors with various forms of interpretation

• Incorporated four prototypetechnology installations– Smart tables– IPAQ Gallery Explorer– Gallery kiosk– Make your own gallery

• Each incorporated in six themed galleries

Smart Table IPAQ Gallery Guide

Making Sense of Modern Art Make Your Own Gallery

Prototype Research• Range of summative

evaluations conducted

• Tools included– Interviews– Surveys– Observation– Tracking

• Programs were not fullyassessed in similar ways

FindingsSmart Tables

• 3000 visitors observed

• Usage varied from gallery to gallery from 8.7% to 44%with an average of 27%

• 26% read gallery intro text

• 15% read wall labels

FindingsSmart Tables• Visitors using the tables

spent more time in thegalleries than those whodid not

• Average time in exhibition19 minutes

• Average Smart Table use 3.25 minutes

• Most table users looked at works before and after use

• Majority of users spent at least as much time looking at art as non-users

FindingsIPAQ Gallery Explorer• 6,800 visitors used IPAQ

• 125 users surveyed

• 70% felt it was easy touse

• Average use was 35 minutes

• Majority of users favored hearing artists talk about their work

FindingsIPAQ Gallery Explorer

• 35% expressed frustration with unit malfunctioning

• 16% felt it to be antisocial

• 54% wanted it to contain more information

• Overall 83% felt it improved their exhibition experience

Conclusions

• Majority of visitors show some degree of interest ininterpretive media programs

• Most feel it can enhance or extend a gallery experience rather than compete with it

• Visitors express an interest close integration of media to the objects it relates to

Conclusions

• Interpretive media often increases the amount of time visitors spend in the related gallery

• The integration of interpretive media does not tend to reduce the amount of time visitors spend with objects

• More research is needed to better understand the impact of interpretive media on other traditional didactics

Conclusions

• New and experimental designs should make their purpose clear to encourage visitor investment

• Cutting edge programs are often plagued by technical and usability problems and require a much greater investment in development and testing

• Use of audio remains problematic for most in-gallery installations since speakers are often impractical and many visitors opt to not use available wands or headphones

Conclusions

• Simple, short, intuitive programs are the most oftensuccessful, particularly when bringing previously mundane or incomprehensible content to life for the first time

Multimedia That Matters: Technology in the Galleries and the Visitor Experience

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