I did a web search for "Pasadena Museum of History exhibit hours" and the second item was a page that is still on your server about an old exhibition that open at 10 o'clock. Yes, it had dates on it, but it the most prominent item was the hours and you cannot expect someone skimming to find your hours to notice. I'd recommend editing web pages of old exhibits to remove outdated information that does not explain what it was.
On the technical side, you can prevent Google from caching temporary information and returning old data. Here is the appropriate page from Google:
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35301
- Paul Koenig=========================================================
On Aug 13, 2009, at 12:22 PM, Katie Brandon wrote:
Hello,
I want to know what other institutions' responses are to visitors who have seen out-of-date and incorrect information on cached and old pages and assume they are still current.
I know we aren't the only institution who disappoint visitors who have come to see an exhibition that closed more than two years ago but Google still churns up old pages. Or that once in 2007 we opened early for only a two week period and still people are clutching web printouts (which clearly state August 2007) visibly angry when they find out we don't open until Noon.
We are careful to add dates with years to all event, exhibit, and other web listings but people don't read or don't notice.
Attempting to explain how nothing really can be removed from the internet doesn't take away these visitors' disappointments which seem to manifest themselves in anger more often than not. We are reaching out to you, the Museum community, for tried and true responses. How are you handling these visitors? Are there particular phrases you use?
Since we can't be the only one with this reoccurring issue I think posting to the list would make sense or you can email me directly. Thank you so much for sharing your PR expertise.
--
Katie Brandon
Retail & Operations Manager
Pasadena Museum of History
470 West Walnut Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
626.577.1660, ext. 10
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