Hello, on a more fundamental level, has anyone done any evaluation
about the use of handheld guides?  There is clearly a trend in museums
to use handheld players to add a layer of interpretation to their
exhibitions and activities.  I have a gut skepticism that visitors are
looking for more text to add to their engagement with exhibitions, or
that the kind of images/multiimedia that are available on handhelds
are preferable to what you might be able to do with location-specific
kiosks.

Audio tours have been pretty well studied in different contexts, and
seem to have some benefit for some visitors in some settings, but I
have not seen any similar studies for handhelds.

It has the feel of a solution looking for an answer, but I would be
glad to hear otherwise.

Eric Siegel
Executive VP
Programs and Planning
New York Hall of Science

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