Eric Siegel wrote:

> At least in our case, we are thinking about movies, malls, and anything
> else that motivates our potential audience to get out of the apt on a
> weekend afternoon.  We certainly don't want to think of ourselves as
> competitors with clothes shopping, let alone disney.  But the hard fact is
> that we are trying to get people to come to the Hall of Science, and family
> entertainment is our "competition."  So, what is it they do well that we
> can learn from?  We probably can't undercut Old Army on jeans, but we can
> learn from the fact that all of their salespeople, besides wearing those
> cool headset microphones, smile and greet you when you come to the store
> (not all in unison, though that would be an interesting effect.)

What motivates someone to go to the library? What motivates someone to take an
evening or weekend class at the community college? For the most part these
people have a perceived need for some kind of information, a lack of knowledge
about a particular subject they wish to fulfill. I believe that this type of
need is different from the desire to be entertained or to purchase and consume
a product or service. I realize that many people read or take classes for pure
enjoyment, and they often visit museums for the very same reason, and that's
great. However, our primary mission is not to persuade people to come to
museums instead of going to the mall or the amusement park. Our mission is to
provide people the resources they may need to learn, resources that aren't
available anywhere else. That's not to say we can't do it an enjoyable way,
but if we aren't primarily about informal education -- as far as our visitors
are concerned -- then we are in direct competition with professional
entertainers, and in this town that's serious business. Maybe that's why I
can't get a grant from Disney?!


--
Daniel C. Danzig
Coordinator, Grants & Government Funding
Natural History Museum Foundation
of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA  90007
Phone: (213) 763-3309
Fax: (213) 746-2249
Email: [log in to unmask]

http://www.nhm.org