INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS – WHAT AND WHY? AMCV1550

(An Agenda for Museums in the 21 st Century) "Now is the time for the next great agenda of museum development in America. This agenda needs to take as its mission nothing less than to engage actively in the design and delivery of experiences that have the power to inspire and change the way people see the world and the possibility of their own lives.... This will not be an easy task. It will require changes in focus, organization, staffing, and funding for museums."

18,000-20,000 museums in U.S. today 3/4s of world’s museums created since 1945 From “being about something to being for somebody”

“the field has shifted from internally focused and collection-driven organizations to externally driven and market-driven organizations with greatly broadened stakeholders.”

Since WWII, in U.S. huge increase in #s of museums: – Growing audience (baby boom, increase in college education) – New sources of funding: 1960s creation of NEA and NEH Private foundations Growth in local arts councils – Increased professionalization of museum staff – “new” social history – new kinds of stories

Decline in government (federal) funding for museums: – 2008 study by IMLS – most museums receive 7%- 24% of funding from govt sources Support mostly for projects (e.g., exhibitions) Only 4% from NEA and 8% from NEH (nearly half through Congressional earmarks) – 2006, NEA distributed $12.3 million to museums

Sources of Support for All Museums in Sample, by Type, FY 2006 Source of SupportPrivate Earned Investment Government Art Museums 23.3% 46.1% 17.5% 13.1% Children’s Museums 24.4% 48.1% 20.5% 6.9% History Museums 32.9% 21.6% 13.2% 33.2% Natural History and Natural Science 29.5% 41.6% 5.7% 23.6% Science and Technology Museums 22.8% 42.8% 4.0% 30.4% Historical Societies 32.2% 21.5% 24.7% 21.6% Arboretums and Botanical Gardens 34.1% 28.9% 13.7% 23.3% Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies 17.4% 60.3% 4.2% 18.1% Hybrid and Other 27.2% 38.5% 9.6% 27.5% Overall 24.4% 43.7% 12.2% 19.7% Source: Urban Institute analysis, IMLS Museum Public Finance Survey, 2008.

Median Operating Income by Source and Type of Institution, FY 2006 Source of Support Private Earned Investment Government Art Museums $429,775 $190,393 $56,250 $144,802 Children’s Museums $357,550 $490,345 $600 $50,000 History Museums $46,187 $26,120 $695 $32,182 Natural History and Natural Science Museums $11 0,309 $408,321 $4,500 $86,465 Science and Technology Museums $350,000 $898,911 $12,602 $289,970 Historical Societies $32,727 $23,000 $3,023 $7,751 Arboretums and Botanical Gardens $251,355 $253,226 $14,128 $130,000 Zoos, Aquariums and Zoological Societies $437,706 $2,686,310 $15,277 $911,480 Hybrid and Other $59,171 $48,267 $1,000 $36,737

Measuring relevance – What impact can a museum claim? – Does impact require thinking about exhibits in new ways? – How can that impact be measured or demonstrated? – Who benefits?

Exhibit interactives Create new ways to engage with visitors Add ‘value’ without expanding collections Create immersive “experiences” Connect tangible/physical with virtual

CHALLENGES AND QUESTIONS

“Voice Piece for Soprano,” Yoko Ono (1961): Scream: 1.1. Against the wind 2.2. against the wall 3.3. against the sky

Nina Simon’s principles for participation Good projects: – create new value for the institution, participants, and non-participating audience members – Offer scaffolding to support people’s participation – Meet visitors needs – Convey that their participation matters Offer clear information about what to do (but with flexibility) Show respect Integrates products of participation back into the institution in a quick and respectful way