Snapshot presentation given at the Museums Australia National Conference, Adelaide, September 2012

1. Design Factors in the
Museum Visitor Experience
Snapshot of a PhD Project in Progress
26th September 2012
Regan Forrest
Principal Supervisor: Dr Jan Packer
Associate Advisor: Professor Roy Ballantyne

2. Research Problem
Environment
Peer critique as incidental
“Design” Exhibition “Pedagogical”
Perspective Environment Perspective
?
Visitor
Perspective
“[a]lthough millions are spent yearly on upgrades and renovations, it is very
possible that these additions and improvements are focusing on the wrong
things . . . ” (Joseph-Mathews et al., 2009, p. 206).

3. Components of the Museum Visit
Reported Experience
Visitor Goals
and Exhibition Visitor Outcomes
Motivations Environment
Observed Behaviour

4. ‘Museum Atmospherics’ Model
Exhibition
Environment
Perceived
Atmosphere Visitor
Attention Experience
•Design Message
Appearance Affect • Behavioural
•Spatiality • Affective
•Information Rate • Cognitive
Visitor
Motivations &
Goals

5. Research Questions
• How do visitors perceive and respond to atmospheric cues in
the exhibition environment? In what ways does this influence
the visitor experience?
• What are the principal dimensions of visitors’ perceptions of
exhibition atmospheres and how do these relate to the
broader literature (Design Appearance, Spatiality, Information
Rate)?
• What is the relationship between perceived atmosphere and
visitor responses (affective, cognitive and behavioural)?

6. Study Sites –
Permanent
Exhibitions at SAM

7. Research Approach
• Phase 1: qualitative exploration of how visitors perceive
exhibition environments
• Phase 2: development of a quantitative instrument to
measure environmental perceptions in an exhibition setting
• Phase 3: study of the relationship between perceived
atmosphere and visitor experience

8. Methodology: Visual Summary
QUAL QUAN
Phase 1 Data Data Collection Phase 3
Collection
Observation
QUAL
Data Survey
Analysis
quan QUAN
Phase 2 Data Data Analysis
Collection
quan Integrating of
Data research
Analysis results

9. Phase 1 Data Collection
• 12 pre-arranged accompanied visits to exhibition spaces in SA
Museum (13 participants)
• Think-aloud method plus follow-up interview generated 14
hours of data
• A detailed, real-time account of a museum visit as
simultaneously experienced by researcher and participant

10. Preliminary Thematic Analysis
Technique Response
Description Reflection
Objects / Labels Design / Display
Information Attention Environment
Message / meaning Meaning Interaction
Personal Reflection
Crowding Orientational
Barriers Other
Informational
Integration / Linking
Ergonomic Sensory

11. Next steps
• Consolidate findings from Phase 1
• Instrument development
• Pilot and conduct main study (3 exhibitions x 150
visitors each)