Helen Glazer wrote:
[SNIP]
 The aspect of marketing that I am thinking about is
> exhibit
> evaluation and visitor studies--spending more time and effort finding
> out from the visitors why they are at the museum, what they are
> getting
> out of the experience and what would bring them back for more, rather
> than *thinking* we know the answers to those questions.  Even a very
> modest visitor evaluation that I conducted on a project yielded some
> suprising information that defied the conventional wisdom of seasoned
> museum professionals.  This leads back to my first question--can
> visitor
> surveys help us to expand upon and perhaps redefine what success
> is--not
> just looking at the tangible aspects like new buildings and bigger
> budgets, but what people are learning and what the museum adds to
> their
> "quality of life"?
>
> --Helen Glazer, Exhibitions Director
> Goucher College
> Baltimore, Maryland USA
> [log in to unmask]

Marketing research has real limits. And I'm afraid you've moving beyond
them here.

I'm not certain how you evaluate what a visitor has learned from an
exhibit----do you conduct a pre-test and post-test?

And, do you ask a visitor "How much was your quality of life improved by
today's visit?"

And then how does the museum director include this information on his
resume? "Quality of life of visitors to my museum was imporved by an
average of 20%!"

Visitor evaluation is a worthy project. Find out what is attracting
people to your museum and create exhibitions in response to their
interests and needs---this should lead to improved attendance and kudos,
promotions and new jobs for all, eh?

Robb Hyde
Canton Museum of Art
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