I am working on an article about the influence of visitors.
Museums have to be more and more self supporting forced by political and
economical trends. Because visitors can generate a lot of income many
museums concentrate on customer satisfaction. The first step is that museums
listen seriously to their visitors by doing visitor research. The next step
is that visitors play the role of consultant. Museums invite visitors to
talk with the responsible managers about exhibition policy, design,
education, etc. Here in the Netherlands some museums have created
consultation groups. As focus group they advise the museum staff.
Unfamiliair in Holland is the third step: museums collaborate with
communities: exhibitions and programmes are curated by community groups.
Maybe even a fouth step exists: the visitor as director. I like to know how
far do museums allow visitors to involve in their policy and programmes?
What is the power of the visitor? I am NOT interested in personal or
philosophical ideas about this subject. I am looking for examples from the
daily museum practice.
Thank you for your help. Please respond off list.
===
Jan Sas
Senior Lecturer Museum Communications and Visitor Studies
Reinwardt Academy
315, Dapperstraat
NL-1093 BS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
voice:     + 31 20 69 22 111
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