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  • 1.  ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-09-2017 09:16 PM

    We have been showing a 14-minute orientation film as part of the interpretive experience that was widely-acclaimed by visitors. We closed for 14 months to replace our exhibits and our 2016 attendance increased significantly from 2014. We are planning a new 10-minute orientation film and as we seeking funds, some grant sources ask the following question: Is there industry data, or data from your experience, that shows how a film enhances the museum/attraction by providing a return on investment, such as increased visitors, increased revenues, tourism, or a higher percentage of repeat visitors?

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  • 2.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-10-2017 08:30 AM
    I wager there is no such information available because: a.) it would be virtually impossible to get in any meanignful manner, and b.) what museum would/could/should spend the money trying?  On the other hand, if I am missing something I look forward to learning.

    Steve  

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    Steven Miller
    Executive Director
    Boscobel House and Gardens
    Garrison NY
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  • 3.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-13-2017 08:21 AM
    Alan, your real challenge will be explaining to the grant maker that such data is, as others have pointed out, difficult to collect and assess. You yourself said that your attendance increased significantly after being closed for 14 months, but apparently without having changed the film. And once you have a new film in place, you'll probably never be able to say for sure that the film alone was responsible for any changes in audience demographics. Perhaps you can find a way to explain to the funder that making a new film is your perfect opportunity to begin exploring the kind of questions that Paul Hammond posed, and perhaps the grant funds could be used in part to start that work, and disseminate your results widely.



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  • 4.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-10-2017 12:26 PM
    This is a long shot, but you might check with someone at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan, Alaska. They have a dedicated theater space at the entrance to their museum, and they show changing films on the half-hour, orienting visitors to various topics in SE Alaska life. (The Discovery Center is also the entry point to the Tongass National Forest.) The films are all really excellent, and since the facility is part of the National Park system, they may have the wherewithal to find out how the films affect visitors' actions.  I'm sorry I don't have a contact there, but it might be worth a phone call.

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    Elizabeth Stewart PhD
    Director
    Renton History Museum
    Renton WA
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  • 5.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-10-2017 12:51 PM
    I agree that you probably won't find useful data out there, at least in terms of what you seem to be asking. Having led an institution that featured a 20-minute orientation film as part of its offerings, I would suggest perhaps asking a different set of questions. First, since your museum previously offered an orientation film, were any surveys ever done to determine how many guests took advantage of it (perhaps on a percentage basis compared to overall visitation), and/or saw it as a not-to-be-missed part of the museum? What does the addition of a film add (or hope to add) to the visitor experience at your museum? Would the film appeal to all age groups, or (as is often the case) will familes with young children tend to bypass it because of the high energy levels kids often have when visiting a museum? Is there an opportunity for the film to create a "wow moment" that engages visitors at a level or in a manner that cannot be matched by any other kind of exhibit or interactive? (My previous institution offered a film that had a surprise ending, one that started with an historic review of a transformative industry (railroads) and ended by mentally depositing the guest into the museum, ready to explore the concepts that had been touched upon. The film and projection equipment, theaters, screens and so forth were expensive to maintain and operate, but we determined that it was an important part of the experience for a large part of the audience.) If the answer is no or we're not really sure, there may be other, more pressing interpretive needs at your museum that could benefit from grant funding. I hope these thoughts help...good luck!

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    Paul Hammond
    Executive Director
    March Field Air Museum
    Riverside, California
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  • 6.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-10-2017 02:13 PM
    Alan, I am sorry to say I cannot help you with your questions, however, I am interested to know what your video orientation covered? It is something I've seen at other museums and have thought about doing something similar at my institution. Would you be willing to share your video or brief overview of the content it included? 

    Thanks! 

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    Megan O'Kon
    Coordinator of Interpretation
    Kalamazoo Valley Museum
    Kalamazoo, MI
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  • 7.  RE: ROI for films in museums

    Posted 02-13-2017 08:30 AM
    Although I haven't yet read the whole article, I am currently looking for information about "best practice" for length of time for video watching-and I came across this article that you might find helpful: Are They Watching? Visitors and Videos in Exhibitions by Beverly Serrell from Curator January 2002. Many of your questions aren't covered-but you might still find it helpful-lots of data!

    While slightly related-does anyone have any data about how long a video should be? In my case I'm looking more at artistic films /interviews/documentary type add ons to exhibits as opposed to introductions or interactive type videos. I would swear I read somewhere that a specific best practice amount of time, but now can't seem to find any good sources. 

    Good luck on your research!

    Meg Brown

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    Margaret Brown
    Exhibits Librarian
    Duke University Libraries
    Durham NC
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