Just a bit of observation on this topic from a middle aged person with
an anthropology background who read Gail Sheey years ago:

I suspect that every generation of youth (or Gen-Xers or whatever) is
essentially the same.  Few find museums an attraction.

My theory is that children are abundantly curious, are fascinated by
things they have never seen before, or have never seen in person.  My
most memorable real-life kid-in-museum remark was simple:  "I never knew
a moose was so big!!"  (You could see one on TV or in a book and never
really understand 'til you see a mount in a museum.)  Kids are soaking
up the wonder of the world. They tend to like museums a lot if they have
the ability to sort of explore and observe, and not get 'talked at' too
much.  (I personally got hooked at a large planetarium when I was about
8.)

Teens, however, reach a stage of life when they have seen and learned a
lot (and may think they have seen and learned every thing worth seeing
or learning).  Psychologically they are in a place of intensely looking
forward in their lives.  They live in an intense present which is
actually completely future oriented, and whether it really looks like it
or not, their entire being is focused on coming adulthood. (Like, 'I
gotta know how to relate to the opposite sex by practicing a lot because
it's gonna be critical soon.')

Museums, especially history museums, are just not that interesting for
them, unless you can really hook them with something  they can relate
to.  My most memorable teen-in-museum observation was during an exhibit
on the 1930's.  One case was devoted to the role of movie theatres and
the vicarious glamor amidst the depression.  On a gowned mannequin we
had put a fur stole  (remember the kind where the fox's mouth has a
little spring clasp which 'bites' the tail to keep the thing around
one's shoulders and the little beady eyes are looking out at the
world?)  This elicited an echoing shreik from a college freshman.  I
don't remember the exact words, something like "God, look at that!!!!
Did they really dooo that???"  (This is a town where someone could  get
seriously shamed or shunned for wearing even a speck of fur!!!)

Then, as life-stages progress, we begin to look back (maybe in our 30's
kor 40's) and museums become interesting again.  Someone once noted that
most people have a sudden happening in life when they suddenly become
aware of the past as important (the death of a parent, for instance).

I think museums need to recognize these life-stages, and not beat
themselves over the head for not attracting teens.  Though wouldn't it
be fun to work on some exhibits that have the kind of stuff that youth
would enjoy and find relevant. ("A Century of Dating"?)  How about a
teen panel to generate ideas for exhibit and program topics?

Lucy Skjelstad
Corvallis, Oregon