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

Display Layout

NMNH Plate Tectonics Gallery AMNH Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth

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

Real Time Earthquake Displays

Watch Earthquakes Occur

Real Time Earthquake Displays

Watch Earthquakes Occur

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