>>> Melissa A Washburn <[log in to unmask]> 04/02 8:13 AM >>>
>Regarding the whole discussion about getting Gen-X into the museum:
>
> I have two distinct opinions on the subject; one being that it's
>probably more effective to give younger kids museum experiences,
[snip]
This sounds good to me.
[snip]
> (although Gen-X is, I
>believe, defined as ages 14-25. Try pinning that one down!),
Actually, Gen-X are the people born between the years 1967 (or is it 1965) and 1979 (or is it 1976) and are now in their twenties and early thirties. (Copland's book came out in 1992 describing the generation just out of college).
I am also curious as to which people the original poster is trying to attract. All my friends who are also Gen-X, who cover a wide variety of occupations, enjoy attending museums of all types (some more than others, but that gets into personal likes and dislikes). As we age and decide that we need to start giving away large sums of our money, we will most probably be giving it to museums, educational programs, PBS, etc. The only Gen-Xer I know who doesn't really like attending musuems is my brother. To get him to attend you would have to turn the museum into an amusement park/sporting complex/computer game arcade. If that were done, I and my friends would not show up.
Now if it were special exhibits that the poster wanted ideas about, a wider audience might be attracted if the exhibit focused on the things that the Gen-Xers grew up with, i.e., a bit of nostolgia for us. Yes, we aren't that old, but somehow it seems that I keep overhearing groups waxing about how much they miss the things of their youth - the music, the television shows, the toys (yes, consumerism started young). (The play (series of plays?) "The Real Live Brady Bunch," with different episodes every week, seemed to do really well - and friends who attended really enjoyed it). Just don't over do it - you'll chase everyone else away.
My two cents,
angela putney
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