+The Audience-Focused Museum
Barbara Leggett, Director, Explore & More Children’s Museum
Mark Mortenson, CEO, Buffalo Museum of Science/Tifft Nature
Preserve
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Laying the Groundwork
Join the discussion – there are incentives!
What we (all of us!) will discuss: Hierarchy of Audience Needs Connecting with Our Audiences Aligning museum goals with audience needs Proving our value
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Question: How do you define a Museum?
Physiological & intrinsic value
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Fill-in the Blank:While I am at a museum, three things that positively affect my experience are……
Customer & Quantitative valueMM
+Building the Pyramid
Physiological
Safety/Comfort
Social
Museum
Customers
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+What are these needs?
– as defined by Abraham Maslow
Okay, we’re shifting them slightly to focus on museums, but basically…
Physiological – the basic requirements for survival – what makes a museum a museum?
Safety / Comfort – the need for a predictable, orderly world – what do our audience members want at minimum?
Social – the need to belong and feel accepted – how can we make our audience feel like they are more a part of our world?
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What does your audience NEED?
What does your audience DESIRE?
BLCall Out
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We interrupt this presentation for a short commercial message
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+Let’s hear it for older women (60+) Older Women - often the life-blood of museums through volunteerism and support. Support museums more often than they visit and are the most
POSITIVE about museum experiences of all audiences Tend to visit a wide range of museums, especially those with a
“sense of place” or history. Although they support science centers, zoos, children’s museums, they visit less frequently
Visit museums with grandchildren, children and friends – SOCIAL Also very active with other cultural experiences (theatre, concerts
& gardens!) Interpretation preferences are visiting on their own with text
panels, guided tours and interacting with costumed staff. They are NOT interested in hands-on activities!
Tend to hear about events through traditional media AND directly from the museum
Amenities – MORE SEATING! Accessibility
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+And let’s hear it for older men (60+) Older Men - In Reach Advisor’s studies, they are “the MOST
engaged, most emotionally invested audience segment” More likely to be visiting than younger men Do NOT visit for family learning experience – more about their own
curiosity and interest in learning Most likely to visit with spouse, but least likely to visit with
grandchildren VERY likely to be members and supporters of museums – and their
reason for giving is philanthropically driven! Focused on their own interests (history, natural history) Want authentic experiences – and want to DO things themselves (not
observe). Less interested in “hands-on” interpretive experience. High level of interest in “behind-the-scenes” experiences
For interpretation, they are interest in doing it themselves – maps, text panels, etc.
Interested in hands-on volunteer experiencesBL
+Gen X: Moms, moms, moms & dads
Women are better educated; more likely to move away from home, marry later & have children later.
Moms tend to be the decision-makers & focus on active learning experiences for their CHILDREN. Searching for hands-on activities, live demonstrations, interaction with historically costumed staff, live historic reenactments.
Moms can be the hardest audience – most negative about their museum experiences – but they make up the biggest museum audience!
Men are more involved in their kids’ lives than Baby Boomer & wish they had even MORE time with their children.
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+Baby Boomers – always leading the way with change
May be retiring later and looking for second careers more than volunteer opportunities – but they can make GREAT employees focused on engaging visitors!
Interest in grandchildren and being actively engaged in their lived and the lives of their children (Gen Ys) – great opportunities for multi-generational programming Fastest growing audience on Facebook – unique pr opportunities
Interested in supporting museums is driven by philanthropy, not economy – unique fundraising opportunity /positioning
Interested in exhibits/programs that evoke memories
+Gen X Moms: What do they look for in museums (beyond education for their kids)? CLEAN & TIDY (very clean and tidy!)
Restrooms & Nursing Areas for FAMILIES
Food services – high chairs or booster seats, child-friendly food; peanut-free preparation
Exhibit amenities: children’s activities, interactives for multiple people, outdoor trails & exhibits, stepping stools
Safety: ice, bandages, no exposed cords, cleaning supplies locked & away, lots of benches,
Value, value, value – visitors join because it’s a good deal!
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+Gen Y – A whole new generation!
As the children of Baby Boomers, Gen Ys is just coming of age.
First generation where women are better educated than men (1.5 times more likely to have a college degree) AND the pay gender gap is REVERSED, with women making more than men.
Will change the composition of families (stay-at-home dads)
Grew up with computers & technology, but their primary mode of communication is the cell phone. Cynical to traditional media
About 75% “curate” their lives with social networking sites, photos, art, etc. About 25% lead a “plain” lifestyle & are NOT on social networks, etc.
As parents, they are focused on the entire FAMILY (child with both parents interacting)
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+Gen Y – What they look for in museums Gender difference is substantial, with women visiting
significantly more often than men (maybe tied to education) – but in the future, there likely will be more stay-at-home dads… that means re-thinking ways to attract and serve men.
GenYs without children are interested in traditional museums
Least likely to enjoy technology in museum exhibits
Enjoy off-beat exhibits, current events (Colbert portrait at the Smithsonian)
Gen Ys with children want family-focused, multi-generational exhibits, programs, etc. (kids, parents, grandparents)
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+Kids / Families Family friendly is changing as visitors & demographic
wants change. Also, U.S. is more culturally diverse than ever before, and that trend will continue.
Young parents want to be actively INVOLVED in experiences and young grandparents want to be part of it. Fathers are significantly more active.
Middle-schoolers: Museums are boring for 75%; 25% LOVE museums See museum visits as social (friends extremely important) Like technology in museums more than Gen Ys Gender differences: Girls like multiple subjects, while boys
enjoy in-depth on fewer subjects
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+Educators
NYS Standards
School system expectations/constraints
Financial constraints Admissions Bussing Lunches
Parent Involvement Chaperones Admissions
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+Reach Advisor’s Top 14List of Interpretation Preferences#14 Nothing at all (3%)
#13 Videos or electronic media (13%)
#12 Classes (17%)
#11 Audio Tours (19%)
#10 Talking with staff not in historic costume (31%)
#9 Guided Tours (45%)
#8 On own, but with text panels and/or brochures or books (46%)
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+Reach Advisor’s Top 14List of Interpretation Preferences#7 TIE
Purchasing crafts handmade on site (47%)
Authentic dining experiences (47%)
#5 Hands-on activities (51%)
#4 Authentic musical performances (54%)
#3 Live reenactments of the past (75%)
#2 Talking with historically-costumed staff (76%)
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+And the number one answer is…
Demonstrations, such as crafts or cooking!
Top 5 = ACTION!
Note: Life Stages of the Museum Visitor has more detailed information on each of these
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How does your audience have a
voice at your museum?
Call Out MM
+How can we connect to our Audience?
Gathering input Surveys at the museum Surveys on-line Discussion links on Facebook Observational Research
Reaching out Formalized focus groups Strategic planning groups Facebook Face to Face – LISTEN to people!
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+How can we connect to our Audience?
Staying on top of audience research & what other museums are doing Publications ListServs Blogs
“Visitors… may claim to be satisfied, but if they don’t appear to be joyful, they’re unlikely to become loyal”
Consumer Research for Museum Marketers
by Margot Wallace, MM
+Completing the Pyramid
Physiological
Safety/Comfort
Social
Museum
Customers
Esteem
Self Actualization
Advocates
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+Completing the Pyramid:From Audience to Advocate
YOU
…should add a new exhibit…should change this program…should talk to this donor
BLCall Out
+Completing the Pyramid:From Audience to Advocate
WE
…should add a new exhibit…should change this program…should talk to this donor
BLCall Out
+HOW DO WE PROVE
THE VALUE OF
MUSEUMSAND OUR
AUDIENCES?BL
+Our Value
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+How could we prove the Intrinsic Value of Museums?
Defining Intrinsic
1. Basic and essential; belonging to something as one of the basic and essential features that make it what it is
2. Of itself; by or in itself, rather than because of it associations or consequence
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Physiological
Safety/Comfort
Social
Museum
Customers
Esteem
Self Actualization
Advocates
Intrinsic Value
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+How could we prove the Quantitative Value of museums? Defining Quantitative:
1.relating to quantity: relating to, concerning, or based on the amount or number of something
2.measurable: capable of being measured or expressed in numerical terms
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Physiological
Safety/Comfort
Social
Museum
Customers
Social
Self Actualization
Advocates
Intrinsic Value
Quantitative Value
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+How could we prove the Qualitative Value of Museums
Qualitative Definition
1. relating to quality: relating to or based on the quality or character of something, often as opposed to its size or quantity
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Physiological
Safety/Comfort
Social
Museum
Customers
Esteem
Self Actualization
Advocates
Intrinsic Value
Quantitative Value
Qualitative Value
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+Wrap Up
Did we meet our goal? We planned to talk about:
Hierarchy of Audience Needs Connecting with Our Audiences Aligning museum goals with audience needs Proving our value
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