Open Forum

 View Only

  • 1.  Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-16-2018 06:19 PM
    We are a fairly small museum.  We are frequently asked where our guests come from, and while we have tried collecting zip codes from our guests, we do not have a consistent program set up to collect this information.  We have "free" days on a regular basis, and the visitors are not necessary "checking in", or several people come at the same time, and it is not possible for the receptionist to collect this information accurately. 

    We are curious how other museums collect this data - please let us know what you are using or what recommendations you may have!
    Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Leslie Whitaker
    Gallery Receptionist
    Hallie Ford Museum of Art - Willamette University
    Salem OR
    ------------------------------
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-18-2018 05:52 AM

    Hi Leslie, 

    In our work at Dexibit we work with lots of museums of different shapes and sizes in the area of data analytics and have found there are lots of ways different museums are solving for this problem.

    Most commonly, if the venue has ticketed admission, this is asked at the time of ticketing (either at the time of booking, or at the time of redemption); if the venue is not ticketed and visitors just walk in, this is usually asked to a sample set through visitor evaluation intercept (surveys) along with other information, often including demographics, satisfaction and qualitative information.

    Some museums use postcodes, some museums use 'local / domestic / international' or similar. The choice really depends on what level of information they find useful or manageable to analyze. For example, postcodes are usually used to look at where membership advertising should be targeted, or to compare to census results to draw conclusions about the population coming into the museum (such as socio economic status); where as the more simple type of location helps for visitor experience programming, advertising, etc or to compare to the local region's tourism statistics on the same to see which audiences are under or over serviced.

    Of note, if you're using postcodes, it is important any capture fields on any system allow for an international option (perhaps with a country selection) and watch out for overuse of the museum's own postcode becoming the default entry if the visitor does not respond, both of which can impact data integrity. 

    Also, you might like to take a look at digital analytics, such as social, web or app, which should give similar information on where online audiences are coming from.

    Hope it helps,
    Angie



    ------------------------------
    Angie Judge
    CEO @ Dexibit
    www.dexibit.com
    ------------------------------

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


  • 3.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-18-2018 09:51 AM
    Hi Lesie,

    If your not able to capture zip code data in your POS system, you can grab it through onsite surveying.  You can sign up for Survey Monkey for free and create a short survey to capture visitation and guest information.  Its a good way of capturing data during free events.

    ------------------------------
    Conor Hepp
    Director of Visitor Services
    Barnes Foundation
    Philadelphia PA
    ------------------------------

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


  • 4.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-18-2018 10:46 AM
    Hi Leslie,
    I was asked to do something very similar at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. We built a database that simply runs on an iPad and offloads to a computer in the museum, we utilized a prefabricated stand and it was very inexpensive. The museum had us build 3. Later on we retrofitted them with rechargeable batteries and they could place them anywhere in the museum without nothing to have to be by a power outlet. Perfect For special events as well where they could bring them even outdoors.

    ------------------------------
    Reek Havok
    Sound Designer and Interactive
    Long Beach CA
    Havok@SoundsAmazing.com(714) 453-9975
    ------------------------------

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


  • 5.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-18-2018 12:34 PM
    Hi Leslie,

    My museum struggles with the same thing. Because of a grant we receive for out-of-area marketing, we work hard to capture zip code data on our patrons, but it can be very challenging for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm looking forward to seeing what other museums are doing to capture this type of data and what their experience has been so we can work to improve our collection efforts.

    Kelly

    ------------------------------
    Kelly Harms
    Grant Writer
    World of Speed
    Wilsonville OR
    ------------------------------

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


  • 6.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-18-2018 07:51 PM
    Our company LizenUp (lizenup.com) provides an audio guide platform which comes with a free and universal app(works in any museum) that tracks the user info when they use it at a museum even if they don't specifically register at the museum...

    ------------------------------
    Bhaskar Gandavabi
    ------------------------------

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


  • 7.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-19-2018 08:34 AM

    Greetings,

    When travelling in the US and visiting museums there, I regularly get asked for my 'zip code' when I buy a ticket. I guess there is a reason for doing so, but, frankly, I would rather not be asked. Then, when I explain I have a 'postal code' or just cite our letter/number combination for the postal code, the clerks usually get all friendly about me being Canadian, which I assume it supposed to be an effort to be nice, but it seems impertinent, especially when they start asking personal questions or saying stupid things like 'it must be cold up there' even when I am visiting a museum close to the border. I also have noticed that tour guides often ask people on casual visitor tours where they are from, and some people seem to be uncomfortable, but others seem to glory in identifying their 'home towns' and acting like the tour guide is their new best friend, which strikes me as odd. (I might sound like a big fat grump or have weird habits to hide from prying museum staff, but I'm not a grump and I am about as ordinary and boring a person as ever walked through a museum door. I am polite, smile, and am well behaved when I visit museums and don't give anyone a hard time.) I guess being asked identity questions must happen here in some places, but I haven't encountered it on this side of the border or in British and European museums. So ... perhaps you don't really need to know what people's zip or postal codes are, or you could give visitors a little paper questionnaire that they could fill in or not fill in depending upon their perspectives (which might have extra questions of use about their views of the exhibits, etc.) rather than shaking them down for information in order to get into the museum when all they want to do is enjoy the displays, have a snack in the cafe, buy a souvenir in the gift shop, and be left in peace.

    Cheers,

    Carl



    ------------------------------
    Carl Benn PhD
    Professor
    Ryerson University
    Toronto ON
    ------------------------------

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


  • 8.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-20-2018 05:39 PM
    Hi Leslie,

    I am also from a small museum. We capture zip codes by having each group of people sign in upon entry. We use a Qualtrics survey on <g class="gr_ gr_269 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del multiReplace" id="269" data-gr-id="269">ipads</g> at our front desk. Occasionally when we are busy, we do get a bit of a line for signing in, but it is very quick and never takes too long. We do not have an entry fee to our museum, so asking people to sign in first (We do not ask for names or any personal info) does not seem like too much to ask for free entry to our museum. 

    Feel free to reach out via email.

    ------------------------------
    Hunter Klingensmith
    Visitor Experience coordinator
    Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter
    Park City UT
    ------------------------------

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


  • 9.  RE: Tracking Where Guests are from

    Posted 06-22-2018 08:20 AM
    We are a small museum and depend partially on local and state tax grants for funding. Our admission is also free. Funding from several of our sources is dependent on being able to "prove" our tourism traffic. We receive grants based on those percentages. So I appreciate guests from other countries who may not want to be recognized as tourists while in the U.S., but by definition, they are (as are people from a different state in the U.S. who visit us) and collecting that info allows us to operate many of our museums. So upon arrival, guests are asked to sign in with name, email, zip code, and # In party. If they dont want to give email, it's optional. Many do because they want updates of future events and exhibits. If they dont have a zip code, they automatically default to writing the name of their country. It is never a problem for us, and if someone chooses not to sign in, no big deal... it happens.
    ​

    ------------------------------
    Shelby H.
    Bertha Lee Strickland Cultural Museum
    Seneca SC
    ------------------------------

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


Related Content