The absolute best museum-made CD I have seen was done by the National
Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh for an exhibit on the Lewis Chess set.  In
my opinion it is better than almost everything "educational" coming out of
larger publishing houses.  The CD was not only stunning (you could turn the
chess pieces around, it was multi-lingual, it had great music) but they had
an area near the exhibit where people could sit down and use the CD.  The
area was very basic -- card tables and chairs -- nothing designer.  The CD
was also incorporated into a stand-up-and-use series of kiosks within the
exhibit.  I spent 2 hours observing the visitors' use of the CD in both the
exhibit and the sit-down area.  Amazingly, young children (video game age),
older people (grandparents ages), adults who didn't look computer savvy,
etc. averaged about 10-14 minutes in the sit-down area.  Given that most
people in a museum won't pause for 1 minute to read a label, I think this is
says a lot about the quality of this product. They also had a book on a
string for user comments and people just raved about it.  It's available for
about £10-15 I think through their Museum's shop.  

The person responsible for the CD is their IT person, Sandy Buchanan.  He
can be reached at [log in to unmask]  They are also planning I think a whole
bunch of things for their new museum.

>
>Date:    Sat, 30 Nov 1996 22:47:25 -0500
>From:    "Mark K. Friedman" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Leonardo Exhibit - and CDROM
>
>The Mariners' Museum is still contemplating how to actually produce a
>short run, WIN/MAC hybrid CDROM that could actually break even without
>having to tie up $10,000 or more in start up costs and inventory. If
>anyone has any experience with making a premiere CDROM, based on a
>collection or an exhibit, please reply, on the list or direct via email.
>
>Mark
>
>
>--
> Mark Friedman                       "The fights are so vicious
> Manager of Information Systems       because the stakes are so
> The Mariners' Museum                 low."
> (757) 591-7756 VOICE                 (757) 591-7312 FAX
> personal email: [log in to unmask]      http://www.mariner.org
>
>