Anya,

While at the Soudan Mine Underground State Park I instituted interpretive carts.  They were very well received by the public, especially those over 50, or those with children. Those in between oddly just weren't that interested as a rule. The hardest part was getting my interpretive staff to buy into the concept because it was something they did not usually do. Those who did felt it was a rewarding experience, while those who did not like the concept found it a burden and not productive. No surprise there.

 

I took the cart to the Minnesota State Fair where I was placed in an exhibit area that used to hold live animals, but no longer did (the DNR stopped displaying live animals at the fair). From this I learned two things. The first was the public has certain expectations at the state fair, and live animals was one of them. The second was if you are where the live animals used to be, no one is interested in your interpretive cart, but they will ask where the animals are, and then express disappointment. The point is, where the cart is utilized is as important as how it is presented.

 

Minnesota had a fantastic naturalist who developed multiple programs for her park. They had names like "paws and claws" or "poop, vomit and spittle: or something like that. Hers were very clever and drew the kids in. (the poop and vomit presentation looked at animal droppings and owl packets, and how you could identify animals and what they ate. The kids thought it was great.) Her multiple presentations meant that you had a good chance of not having experienced it before, and her clever presentations kept them very interesting.

 

Overall, the carts are very effective when used at the right place by the right people. Try and use them where people tend to wait, and don't try to turn a non-people person into one. If public speaking skills are not the presenters strength, the presentation will usually not go very well. The bright side is usually only a few people at at time interact, so it becomes more conversational then prepared presentation. At your museum, you have a strong chance of success. People tend to linger, you have the chance for multiple presentations (gee, an atlatl, what's that?), and a natural tendency for visitors to want to know more about the subject in a personal manner.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Rick Fields