Heritage Interpretation Training Center
Planning and Evaluating Interpretive Exhibits
Just about everybody has/uses exhibits in their museums, interpretive centers, visitor centers or other visitor contact points. But here is the question. Do they work? By “work” I mean do they accomplish their objectives. From past course participants, I’ve learned that
- Many exhibits are not planned – they just sort of “happen” based on stuff you have.
- Many (most?) exhibits did not have objectives that the exhibits were to accomplish
(learn, feel, do).
- Most exhibits were not designed to help illustrate a main interpretive theme.
- None of the exhibits were evaluated (pre-post test evaluation) to see if the exhibits work
functionally or had their interpretive objectives accomplished.
From a month-long exhibit evaluation project for new exhibits for the Kirby Science Center, we found that 15% of the exhibits tested created Negative Learning! That means that the visitor had a “correct” understanding of the text or concept, but after seeing and interacting with the exhibit (in a post-test questionnaire) now left with the “wrong” answer or concept understanding. I have an article on negative learning I would be happy to share about this evaluation project.
So if you’re planning on updating or developing new exhibits, here are some courses that you might find useful. You can start the course at any time and complete the course at your own pace. You can use “actual exhibits projects” as part of your course assignments.
All these courses could be designed for a “group” or “team” presentation too with a tuition discount.
John Veverka
Director, HITC