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  • 1.  Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-22-2019 10:48 AM

    For a free museum, how can we go about tracking the amount of public visitors we have on a daily basis? A chunk of our funding comes from our city's tourist attraction budget and we want to make sure we report our numbers as accurately as possible. We have multiple buildings, meaning multiple access points for foot traffic. Any ideas would be appreciated.

    L. Meador



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    Lacey Meador
    Public Relations & Marketing Specialist
    Museum of Aviation Foundation
    Warner Robins GA
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 08:40 AM

    Hi Lacey, I used to work for the Saint Louis Science Center-also a free museum, with multiple buildings/entry points), and funded significantly by city/county tax dollars.  For this reason, and because SLSC is one of the busiest science museums in the US, it has a need for accurate reporting on attendance.  Not sure if they track this forum but if not, consider reaching out directly to their head of Visitor Experience.

     

    Best,

     

    Brad Nuccio

    Director of Entertainment Venues

    Ungerboeck Software

     




    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 3.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 09:06 AM
    Lacey,
    We have proprietary equipment and software that uses Ai to track pedestrian traffic (and other items such as bikes, strollers, etc. if desired).  We have deployed the system in several locations, where entry is essentially free and comes from many directions, n Lower Manhattan including Brookfield Place and Westfield World Trade Center (see example at http://audienceresearch.com/2019/06/11/intelligent-digital-counting-at-the-reopened-wtc-cortlandt-street-no-1-subway-station/ ; please also read more at audienceresearch.com/category/services.
    It is not a simple counter but a sophisticated digital that does not rely on facial recognition- so it is safe and anonymous unlike other mass counting systems that rely on a visitor's cell phone.  Our Intelligent Digital Counting (IDC powered by Exteros) is truly cutting-edge and not expensive.
    We have worked with many museums including the open space at the 9/11 Memorial.  This may be an ideal situation for IDC.
    [I noticed your 5k on January 18.  FYI, we are conducted a survey and economic impact assessment for the TCS NYC Marathon on Nov. 3!)
    Please be in touch either by email at george@audienceresearch.com of 212-472-2154.
    All the best,
    George Wachtel

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    George Wachtel
    President
    Audience Research & Analysis INC
    New York NY
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 4.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 09:52 AM
    Lacey,

    I've previously worked with Texas Memorial Museum (was free until 2014), and they used an old-school mechanical tally counter-- but their daily foot traffic was not heavy. A free museum (doing very well) with heavy foot traffic that you might reach out to is the Dallas Museum of Art. I imagine they use a motion sensitive counter at the entrances.

    Mackenzie Finklea
    Website | LinkedIn

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    Mackenzie Finklea
    Executive Assistant
    The Bryan Museum
    Galveston TX
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 5.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 09:58 AM

    Motion sensors are limited in range unfortunately. And they do not use AI to provide additional information such as gender, age range and other descriptors (which, through machine language) our IDC (intelligent digital counting powered by EXTEROS) can supply.  I encourage anyone interested in counting plus information to consider it. 

     

    George A. Wachtel

     




    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 6.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 11:35 AM
    Hi Lacey,

    I recommend calling a few peers that have the same issue and discuss with them to see if anything they do might be applicable for you. A few free museums that i can think of includes St. Louis Science Center, California Science Center, Dallas Art Museum (Then Director changed to free, not sure it still is but might give you good before and after experiences) and National Gallery of Art.

    I realize your annual attendance is probably much smaller than most and if you can also locate 2-3 smaller (attendance) museums that would/could be helpful.

    Good luck,
    Art

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    Art Manask
    Principal
    Art Manask Consulting, Inc.
    artmanask@gmail.com
    818 358-3588
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 7.  RE: Tracking Amount of Visitors at Free Museum

    Posted 10-23-2019 02:17 PM
    Thank you all for your suggestions and leads in regards to counting foot traffic at a free museum. You all were very helpful. On to checking out these resources!

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    Lacey Meador
    Public Relations & Marketing Specialist
    Museum of Aviation Foundation
    Warner Robins GA
    ------------------------------

    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more