Linda:
You could contact the staff at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farmstead in
Olathe, KS.  They are very close to opening their new Visitors Center.

Jean Svadlenak

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Linda Norris
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 11:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] historic site visitor centers and attendance

Hello--

I'm working with a project for a historic site that is building a new  
visitor center and creating a new interpretation for the historic  
building itself.   As we plan both finances and content, I'd be very  
interested in hearing about sites, particularly historic houses, that  
have undertaken similar projects.   We'd like to know the following:

        what elements (gift shop, orientation, classroom space, etc.)  
are contained in your visitor center?   After the fact, are there  
ways you might have configured the building differently?
        has a visitor center and new interpretation increased your  
attendance?  in walk-in visitors? school groups?   If so, what do you  
attribute it to?  What sorts of marketing efforts did you do to  
attract new visitation? If attendance did not increase, what do you  
think the reasons were?
        and of course, what do you wish you knew when you started the  
project? and other perspectives you might wish to share.

Thanks for any suggestions.   I look forward to hearing from staff at  
similar sites, or from readers who can suggest similar sites.

Linda Norris
Riverhill
www.riverhillpartners.com

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