Author: National Research Center of the Arts

Publication Year: 1976

Media Type: Report

Summary:

This report represents the results of a year-long survey of attendance at The American Museum of Natural History. The survey represents one of the most extensive studies ever undertaken of the attendance at a single cultural institution. It was undertaken by the Museum to enable it to better understand who are its visitors and what are their motivations, actions and reactions in regard to their visit, so that it can better plan programs and policies to meet its public's needs and desires. The survey was conducted during a 52-week period from mid-July 1974 to mid-July 1975.

Abstract:

This report represents the results of a year-long survey of attendance at The American Museum of Natural History. The survey represents one of the most extensive studies ever undertaken of the attendance at a single cultural institution. It was undertaken by the Museum to enable it to better understand who are its visitors and what are their motivations, actions and reactions in regard to their visit, so that it can better plan programs and policies to meet its public's needs and desires. The survey was conducted during a 52-week period from mid-July 1974 to mid-July 1975.

In addition to the survey of the general adult attendance at the museum, leaders of school groups coming to the Museum were surveyed through a separate questionnaire.

In many ways this survey was a test of the services of the Museum from the point of view of the consumer of those services, i.e., the useum's attendance. The findings can thus prove valuable in assuring that the Museum's exhibitions, activities, etc. are designed to serve those consumers to the maximum extent possible. For example, visitors' preferences among exhibitions can provide insights into what types of exhibitions are likely to communicate to the public.

The extent and intensity of visitors' negative reactions to aspects of the Museum's physical facilities can aid in establishing priorities among renovation and remodeling needs. Reactions to Museum staff, particularly those that deal directly with the public, can help in setting personnel policies. The sources used by visitors can be a guide to improving the dissemination of information about the museum, a vital link in determining whether or not people come to the museum.

These are just a few indications of the variety of uses to which the findings can be put. Perhaps most important will be the testing of the validity of assumptions about the Museum's attendance, assumptions that may have served as the basis for planning in the past and that may be proved to be unfounded. In any case, taking into account what visitors to the museum think and what they like and dislike, in addition to the basic information on who they are, will undoubtedly mean improved programs and services in the future.

CONTENTS
Foreword.

Section I. Adult attendance at the museum.

Chapter 1. Who came to the museum: 

Where the museum visitors live.
Age of the museum's visitors.
Education level of the museum's visitors.
Income of the museum's visitors. 
Occupations of the museum's visitors.
Sex, marital status, and family status of the museum's
visitors.
Racial and ethnic distribution of the museum's visitors.
Visitor's who are members of the museum.

Chapter 2. Why and how visitors came to the museum: 

With whom people come to the museum.
Where they learned about the museum.
Where people came to the museum from.
Transportation used to get to the museum.
Time taken to get to the museum.

Chapter 3. Frequency of attendance and factors affecting attendance: 

Frequency of attendance.
Admission payments and other expenses.
Factors that might increase attendance.

Chapter 4. How people visit the museum: 

Where people eat lunch.
Attendance at performances, lectures and/or films at the museum.
Exhibitions visited.

Chapter 5. Reactions to the museum: 

Reactions to exhibitions.
Attitudes toward the museum's personnel.
Attitudes toward the museum's physical facilities.
Attitudes toward the cafeteria.
Perceptions of the museum.
Perceptions of the finances of the museum.
Volunteered reactions to the museum.

Section II. Attendance by school groups.

Chapter 6. Which school groups came to the museum: 

Type and location of schools or organizations.
Grade levels of groups.
Racial and ethnic composition of groups.
Numbers in group.
Experience of group leaders.
Season of attendance.

Chapter 7. Preparations made at school for visit to museum: 

Preparatory studies.
Reservations for group visits.
Admission contributions.

Chapter 8. How groups visit the museum: 

Transportation to the museum.
Use of museum teachers.
How the museum is seen.
Exhibitions visited.

Chapter 9. Reactions of groups to the museum: 

Sufficiency of explanatory materials. 
Ratings of aspects of the museum.
Attitudes toward financial support of the museum.
Volunteered reactions of group leaders to the museum.

 Appendix:
     A. Visitors' questionnaire. 
     B: School group leaders' questionnaire.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Participation