This message is being posted with several lists. Please forgive any cross-posting. Engaging Adult Audiences in Children's Museums Topic inquiry for an upcoming issue of Hand to Hand (a quarterly publication of the Association of Youth Museums. We've heard a lot lately on Museum-L, Museum-Ed and elsewhere about efforts traditional museums are (or are not) making to engage their young audiences. I'm wondering how much effort children's museums make to engage adult audiences. Many children's museums' missions target children AND families as their audience. There are very few children's museums where children wouldn't have a good time but I wonder how many adults leave these places having had a satisfying visit of their own. Aside from watching their children have fun--or even getting right down on the floor and playing along with them, both of which work for awhile-- how do your exhibits and programs appeal to the "drivers" of your young audience? Do you have a wall of benches where adults sit with that glazed look on their faces waiting for their kids to wear out? 1. In planning exhibits, how do you appeal to adults or even older children? Layering of information in the exhibit? Interesting label copy? Sophisticated design which satisfies aesthetic appetites? Collections which may have historic or some kind of nostalgic appeal to adults? 2. Do you have any programs for adults? Lecture series? Films? Social gatherings? 3. Do adults feel comfortable "playing" in your museum? Do they learn new things? Do you allow adults to visit without children? Do many do that? 4. Does your marketing department consciously try to attract adult audiences? How? On a personal note, when I was visiting children's museums with my three young children awhile back, I found that we almost never returned to a museum which held no appeal on any level for me. My parenting style is not really that dictatorial - I just seem to expect more from a "museum" than just seeing my kids have fun. Any thoughts? Mary Maher, editor Hand to Hand 609 East Market Street, Suite 102A Charlottesville, VA 22902 804 295-7603