I agree. I am curious why a single male visitor would pose a problem to women staffers.

As a male museum visitor who is more frequently alone than not, I am on the verge of being offended by your assertion. I am reserving my umbrage for a more complete explanation. I am sure there is a simple, innocent explanation.

But to answer your question, yes. I have noticed male visitors are more likely alone. But then I have tradtionally worked in museums of industry and technology, so I am hardly a representative sample. My current institution is currently crunching just those numbers, so  I will get back to you. I am sure someone has done a study to determine if this is true and if so why. I would start with a work of popular social science called "Bowling Alone," and move on from there.

Matthew White
Director, Hands On Science Center
National Museum of American History
Smithsonian Institution



-----Original Message-----
>From: Candace Perry <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Dec 11, 2006 5:12 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Men on walk-in tours
>
>Forgive me for being dense, but are you asking this from a security
>standpoint, or something else?
>Candace Perry
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
>Behalf Of Rizzo, Mary
>Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 4:41 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Men on walk-in tours
>
>
>Dear List Members:
>
>I'm curious about your experiences.. At all the museums I've worked at
>(all in New Jersey) I can only think of one instance where a solitary
>woman came for a 'walk-in' or unreserved tour. Women come in pairs or
>groups, but hardly ever alone. Men, however, come in regularly by
>themselves, which can pose an interesting problem as a great deal of
>museum staffers are women. I can pose some possible reasons for this,
>but I was wondering if all of you have had the same experiences or
>whether a study has been done about single male v. single female
>visitation.
>
>Just curious!
>
>Mary Rizzo
>
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