Greetings--- in response to Jay Hueman's inquiry, I asked the museum ed
list for help recovering this document that Judy Rand wrote and presented
at the 1995 Visitor Studies Association Annual Conference in Estes Park,
Colorado. Many thanks to Linda Wilson at the Shedd Aquarium for finding
this. It may be a good addition to the conversation about "visitor
charters."
Jan
>The Visitors' Bill of Rights
>A list of important human needs, seen from the visitors' point of view
>
>* Comfort
>" Meet my basic needs"
>Visitors need fast, easy, obvious access to clean, safe, barrier-free
>restrooms, fountains, food, baby-changing tables and plenty of seating.
>They also need full access to exhibits.
>
>* Orientation
>"Make it easy for me to find my way around."
>Visitors need to make sense of their surroundings. Clear signs and
>well-planned spaces help them know what to expect, where to go, how to get
>there and what to expect.
>
>* Welcome/belonging
>"Make me feel welcome."
>Friendly staff make visitors feel more at ease. If visitors see themselves
>represented in exhibits and programs and on the staff, they'll feel more
>like they belong.
>
>* Enjoyment
>"I want to have fun."
>Visitors want to have a good time. If they run into barriers (like broken
>exhibits, activities they cant relate to, intimidating labels) they can
>feel frustrated, bored or confused.
>
>* Socializing
>"I came to spend time with my family and friends."
>Visitors come for a social outing with family and friends (or to connect
>with society at large). They expect to talk interact and share the
>experience; exhibits can set the stage for this.
>
>* Respect
>"Accept me for who I am and what I know."
>Visitors want to be accepted at their own level of knowledge and interest.
>They don't want exhibits, labels or staff to exclude them, patronize them
>or make them feel dumb.
>
>* Communication
>"Help me understand and let me talk too."
>Visitors need accuracy, honesty and clear communication from labels,
>programs, staff and volunteers. They want to ask questions and express
>differing points of view.
>
>* Learning
>"I want to learn something new."
>Visitors come (and bring the kids) "to learn something new," but they learn
>it different ways. It's important to learn how visitors learn, and access
>their knowledge and interests. Controlling distractions (like crowds, noise
>and information overload) helps them too.
>
>* Choice and Control
>"Let me choose; give me some control."
>Visitors need some autonomy: freedom to choose, and exert some control,
>touching and getting close to whatever they can. They need to use their
>bodies and move around freely.
>
>* Challenge and confidence
>"Give me a challenge I know I can handle."
>Visitors want to succeed. A task that's too easy bores them; too hard makes
>them anxious.
>Providing a wide variety of experiences will match their wide range of
>skills.
>
>* Revitalization
>"Help me leave refreshed, restored."
>When visitors are focused, fully engaged, and enjoying themselves, time
>flies and they feel refreshed: a "flow" experience that exhibits can aim to
>create.
>
>Author: Judy Rand
Presented at the 1995 Visitor Studies Association Conference, Estes Park,
Colorado
>
Jan V. Larson
Director of Museum Education
MYSTIC SEAPORT
The Museum of America and the Sea
PO Box 6000
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic CT 06355-0990 USA
tel: 860.572.0711 ext 5036
fax: 860.572.5395
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http://www.mysticseaport.org
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