Jennifer Lanning from the Minnesota Historical Society presented a poster
session at the 2000 Visitor Studies Association Conference called "What's in
a Name?" They surveyed local visitors regarging their perceptions of
different names for types of venues including historic site, history museum,
discovery center, heritage center, history center, and visitor center. They
found that the word "heritage" was perceioved as "subjective and personal"
and that respondents expected a heritage center to present material on
people, culture and ethnicity.

At the conference, she distributed a nice booklet summarizing the findings.
I think it is a great example of audience research, done at just the right
time (before naming their new museum). My own institution went through
several name changes before arriving that the current version. I'll never
forget the time I was describing our museum to a colleague at the
conference. She replied, "I have never been to your museum, but there is
another museum in your area that is kind of similar. Do you ever collaborate
with The Garage?" In fact, that was one of our earlier monikers!

Contact information for Jennifer Lanning, Audience Research Specialist,
Minnesota Historical Society, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W, St. Paul, MN 55105.
651-297-3341. [log in to unmask]

Susan B.F. Wageman
Evaluation Manager                       [log in to unmask]
The Tech Museum of Innovation            408-795-6303
201 South Market Street                  fax: 408-279-7167
San Jose, California USA 95113           http://www.thetech.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Adriaan Linters
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2001 10:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: heritage centers
>
>
> Just to ask if anybody has a good definition of "heritage center" - as far
> as I understand a place where (local ? regional ?) heritage is interpreted
> to the public. Has the term somewhere been used or defined in an
> adminsitrative or legal text, or is there a fundamental publication which
> offers a definition.
>
> How do "heritage centers" relate to museums and historic buildings open to
> the public ?
>
> Thanks for your comments
>
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