How about...

A VIDEO BOOTH

• Visitors can enter a small "video booth" and be asked a series of pre-recorded (or "live" if you have the staff to do it) questions like:
• What are the 3 best exhibits here?
• What 3 things could be removed and no one would care?
• What improvements would you make to exhibit X?
• What did you learn here today?
• What do you think you'll remember years from now about this visit?
• What was frustrating for you?
• Tell them they're being recorded so that the people in charge can hear from them, and that perhaps they'll be used in future ads.
• People would not consider this too hard and many would probably enjoy it.

and/or

PHONE SURVEYS

• Have a free drawing that offers small raffle prizes (like a museum T-shirt or free admission on next visit).  This gets the people who enter the raffle-drawing to leave their phone numbers.  Then select as many as you wish.  Call them and tell them they've won, oh, and by the way would they mind answering some "satisfaction" questions to make the museum even better.  I think most all would say yes.

 

>From: John Martinson <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Ways to determine the success of a museum program or exhibit... >Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 13:17:40 -0600 > >Ways to tell the success of our programs/exhibits: > >1.  comments from visitor(s) to staff >2.  comments to other organizations in the community about the >exhibit/museum >3.  correspondence / letters to the museum from previous visitors about >the exhibit >4.  return visitors to see the same exhibit or recommendations to see >it from prior visitor(s). >5.  Chamber of Commerce / Visitor Centers receives comments >6.  newspaper or other community/local newsletters articles on your >exhibit/museum >7.  donation box located near the exhibit or leaving the museum or by >mail commenting on the exhibit. > >However, as mentioned, surveys, comment boxes are the best or logs when >people >leave the museum are the best. > >John >Boise, ID > > >>> [log in to unmask] 4/25/2006 11:04:56 AM >>> >Hello- > >My museum is trying to implement more accurate ways to determine the >success of our programs and exhibits.  We realize the importance of >our "comments" box and teacher evaluations, but sometimes feel that the >= > >comments given are too vague to determine what we need to change to >becom= >e >a more effective educational institution.  We also don't want to corner >= > >people with long surveys.  Does anyone know of creative ways to find >out = > >what impact a museum is having on visitors? > >Thanks- > >Andy > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed >information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail >message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should >read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message >to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > >========================================================= >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). >