Open Forum

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


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I am not an expert in audience surveys but had done two.  One, when I was director of the Bennington Museum in Vermont was quite passive, but informative.  We always had a notebook near out admission area where people could write in how they heard of us, what they liked or did not like and what they would like to see us do in the way of exhibits.  Entering addresses, including email, was optional.  We did not make it too long otherwise people would not participate.  Thus, we did not get into demographics, education and other information.  What I regularly learned was that 30% of our visitors said they were made aware of the museum by driving by it.  The only new exhibit they wanted was on some aspect of local or regional Native Americans.  Most people noted positive experiences. The drive-by drop-in (my term) statistic was terribly important when a by-pass was constructed and traffic in town was reduced by at least 50%.  As I projected our attendance went down 30%.  This was made up with a new wing and reconfigured public spaces to do more programming of a community nature.

At Boscobel house and gardens in Garrison, where I am now director, we are doing a formal visitor survey.  It is something I have always wanted to do.  Marist College is right up the river and is famous for its polling work.  We hired them to structure a poll that is being administered here by volunteers (not staff).  We did one in the fall and will do another this spring (we are closed Jan- Mar.).  It has about 20 questions which visitors volunteer to answer on a pad.  

Steven Miller

Executive Director

Boscobel House & Gardens

Garrison, NY 

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Steven Miller
Executive Director
Boscobel House and Gardens
Garrison NY

Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2016 10:54 PM
From: Vicki Northey
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


Sent from my iPad

Hi Stephen,

Would you be willing to share the 20 questions you'll be asking your visitors?  

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Sonia Rae
Director of Audience and Community Engagement
Clyfford Still Museum
Denver CO

Original Message:
Sent: 04-22-2016 10:20 AM
From: Steven Miller
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I am not an expert in audience surveys but had done two.  One, when I was director of the Bennington Museum in Vermont was quite passive, but informative.  We always had a notebook near out admission area where people could write in how they heard of us, what they liked or did not like and what they would like to see us do in the way of exhibits.  Entering addresses, including email, was optional.  We did not make it too long otherwise people would not participate.  Thus, we did not get into demographics, education and other information.  What I regularly learned was that 30% of our visitors said they were made aware of the museum by driving by it.  The only new exhibit they wanted was on some aspect of local or regional Native Americans.  Most people noted positive experiences. The drive-by drop-in (my term) statistic was terribly important when a by-pass was constructed and traffic in town was reduced by at least 50%.  As I projected our attendance went down 30%.  This was made up with a new wing and reconfigured public spaces to do more programming of a community nature.

At Boscobel house and gardens in Garrison, where I am now director, we are doing a formal visitor survey.  It is something I have always wanted to do.  Marist College is right up the river and is famous for its polling work.  We hired them to structure a poll that is being administered here by volunteers (not staff).  We did one in the fall and will do another this spring (we are closed Jan- Mar.).  It has about 20 questions which visitors volunteer to answer on a pad.  

Steven Miller

Executive Director

Boscobel House & Gardens

Garrison, NY 

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Steven Miller
Executive Director
Boscobel House and Gardens
Garrison NY

Hi,

At the Asian Art Museum, we have one full-time evaluator (me) and about 6 part-time, as-needed data collectors. We conduct quarter exit surveys, front-end evaluation for special exhibitions (approx 3-4 times a year), and a variety of other evaluation projects (public programs, school programs, formative testing of interpretive approaches, etc.) on an as-needed basis. We occasionally contract out larger projects. For example, in 2013-2014, we did a whole visit study that followed 150 visitors through their whole visit to the museum. This was conducted by an outside consultant. Please feel free to contact me with other questions: mwerneravidon@asianart.org.

Maia

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Maia Werner-Avidon
Manager, Research & Evaluation
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
San Francisco CA

Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2016 10:54 PM
From: Vicki Northey
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


Sent from my iPad

Hi Vicki. At Conner Prairie, we have been and continue to do various evaluation/museum studies and market research. It is the purview of Marketing here to gather focus groups and get data from non-visitors through contractors, while Evaluation collects data on visitors' experiences. There is an Evaluation Coordinator carrying out data collection, developing instruments and protocols, and writing reports, with my oversight. The Evaluation Coordinator works with all sectors of Conner Prairie, like school programs, special events and membership, and yes, she is crazy busy. Some departments manage their own surveys, typically using Survey Monkey, with the Evaluation Coordinator’s input. Among the many projects, we are currently collecting data from teachers on field trips, visitors post-experience surveys and a timing/tracking study in a new exhibit, front-end surveys regarding an area we want to redevelop, formative evaluation on projects that are underway, and post-visit guest online surveys. The Exhibits department often conducts their own formative evaluation when they have the capacity. We have also done collaborative evaluation projects with outside evaluation groups, like the Science Museum of Minnesota. I hope that contributes to your request. All the best, Catherine.

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Catherine Hughes PhD
Director of Interpretation and Evaluation
Conner Prairie Museum
Fishers IN

Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2016 10:54 PM
From: Vicki Northey
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


Sent from my iPad

Hi Vicki,

For what purpose are you needing this information? For example, are you looking for approaches that are manageable given the scope of your staff size and budget, or approaches that best target your evaluation and research questions? I can then hopefully give you a useful response that can speak on behalf of the Committee on Audience Research and Evaluation (CARE), a professional network of AAM, as well as what we do here at Denver Zoo.

Feel free to email, me, too - msteeleinama@denverzoo.org

Cheers,

Marley

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Marley Steele-Inama
Director of Audience Research and Evaluation
Denver Zoo
Denver CO

Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2016 10:54 PM
From: Vicki Northey
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


Sent from my iPad

Kia ora Vicki, hello from New Zealand

Museums Aotearoa (NZ's museums association) has developed a standardised visitor survey that we facilitate in February/March each year. This enables participating museums and galleries to undertake a 'snapshot' survey using robust methodology towards the end of the busy summer season. Each museum administers it, mostly using volunteer interviewers, and enter the data either from paper questionnaires or directly into a web portal via iPad or laptop. We have just completed the aggregated analysis for the 2016 data and will be posting it online in a couple of weeks. There is information about our survey and the 2016 summary infographic can be downloaded here. I can send you the survey questions if you are interested.

The survey was developed by a working group form larger museums, galleries and university academics. It has the advantage of being aggregated nationally as well as giving participating institutions their own data to work with. We hope re-develop the back-end tech so we can make it available for use at any time of year - resources permitting!

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Phillipa Tocker
Executive Director
Wellington

Original Message:
Sent: 04-21-2016 10:54 PM
From: Vicki Northey
Subject: Benchmarking information on audience research

I have to compile information on the approaches to audience research used in different cultural institutions. I would appreciate any basic information people are able to share, principally frequency of large scale research that provides information on audience segments, visitor motivations and expectations; ongoing surveying and research strategies; number of staff who manage or undertake the research; overall amount of consultancy work contracted. Thanks Vicki Northey


Sent from my iPad