Text item: Text_1 I've been follwing the label-reading thread and note what people have been saying about the TOTAL experience offered - ie, an exhibition is more than just objects and labels - many other factors come into play, such as interactives, dioramas, activities, things to touch, people to talk to, etc. One thing I'm researching at the moment is the "competition" for visitor's attention from different elements of an exhibition. We may want them to read some vital piece of information, but if this is placed near say a computer interactive, then the attractiveness of the computer wins out in obseravtion studies that I have done here at the Australian Museum. Has anyone else done any work on this and found the same thing? I'm building a case for arguing that as museums are places where we have real and interesting objects, that some of the computer interactives can draw attention AWAY from these. This has implications if we're looking at putting in hypertext, or more layered text in exhibitions via a computer. I have some readings on this (Serrell/Raphling, Screven, etc) that say the opposite of what I'm suggesting. Any thoughts??