Interesting article in WSJ

The Wall Street Journal has an article on how museums study visitors to evaluate the appeal of their exhibits. 

 In "The Museum is Watching You: Galleries Quietly Study What People Like, or Skip, to Decide What Hangs Where,"  Isaac Arnsdorf writes

More museums are paying to send stealth observers through their galleries. Based on what they see, the museums may rearrange art or rewrite the exhibit notes. Their efforts reflect the broader change in the mission of museums: It's no longer enough to hang artfully curated works. Museum exhibits are expected to be interactive and engaging. As well, many foundations and donors are requiring proof that their funding is well-spent, and the studies provide data to show a rise in traffic or exhibit engagement.

One sticking points seems to be the text that accompanies many exhibits.  Museums are working on making the text shorter and more visually appealing to visitors. Providing a narrative for an exhibit also seems to spike interest.

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

The Oklahoma City Memorial shows just how wide the potential and purpose of the concept of "museum" can be.  Looking at the work and planning that went into this museum, we can also see how difficult it must be to put an event like the OKC bombing on display.

The Memorial Pool

The museum sits across from the public memorial--the black pool and the empty chairs.  Visitors are brought through a timeline of  the morning of the bombing, April 19, 1995.  Radio weathercasts and recollections of the early morning events and routine situate the visitor in the perspective of ordinary citizens before the bombing.  One exhibit re-creates a room where ordinary city business was being conducted, and plays a recording of the meeting that was taking place, complete with the sound of an explosion and shattering glass that interrupted it.  The rupture between the moments before the bomb and everything that has come after remains the dominant theme of the museum.  The pool sits between 2 markers, one representing the minute before the bombing, the other the minute afterward--with the pool itself as the enormous chasm between before and after.

Other exhibits cover the aftermath from various perspectives.  For example, a display of political cartoons recalls some of the reactions from across the country.  This exhibit also calls attention to the common assumption before Timothy McVeigh''s arrest that the bombing must have been a Muslim plot. As for McVeigh, pictures and a discussion of his trial and execution find just the right touch to convey information while avoiding sensationalism.  The focus stays on the victims, with personal artifacts recovered from the Murrah Building--eyeglasses, clothing, office equipment--and information on the fate of the owners. Several exhibits also commemorate those who helped, from first responders to those who worked with survivors to other cities and groups that offered support in the aftermath.  Visitors also have the opportunity to listen to the words of survivors and witnesses in private cubicles. 

One considerate touch--boxes of tissues placed discretely through many of the exhibits--showed how deeply visitors were affected.  Another welcome, considerate touch was the exhibit on Judge Alfred P. Murrah, for whom the building was named. 

Survivor Tree

The museum achieves at least two goals--memorializing the victims (and the pre-bombing version of OKC itself), and learning from the event.  The Survival Tree just outside the museum serves as a logo and symbol of the mission to provide comfort and hope.  The website recommends allowing 1 1/2 hours for the visit; I believe our visit was closer to 2 hours.  We had 10 and 12 year old children with us, which meant lots of explaining and questions. 

Info from the website:

620 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City
405.235.3313 888.542.HOPE

Open Mon-Sat 9:00-6:00
Sunday 1:00-6:00  (except Memorial Day-Labor Day--12:00-6:00)

Adult	$10
Senior (62+)	$8
Military (With ID)	$8
Student (6-17 or college student with current ID)	$8
Children (5 years and under)	Free

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is a pleasant walk from Louisville's Convention Center and surrounding hotels.  I visited the Museum in March of 2010, and the website boasts of some recently finished updates, so there may be more now than what I saw a few months ago.

I was able to go on a factory tour, which I would definitely recommend.  Sign up for a tour at the front desk as soon as you get there--or you may be able to stop in before your visit and sign up.   The guide was friendly and quick with the expected jokes--great personality for the setting and subject.  In addition to seeing how bats were made, we had a chance to see some of the bats made for specific players, and learned about some of the more interesting special requests.  Be sure to ask for some free "nubs."

A video--I believe it was called "The Crack of the Bat"--showcased some of the famous hits delivered by Louisville Sluggers.  Nothing new, but baseball fans will always enjoy seeing some of the great moments of the game (note, however, that only Louisville Slugger hits are included, which explains why a handful of memorable hits don't appear there.)

Exhibits include one of Babe Ruth's bats, complete with his home run notches.  Visitors have a chance to try their hands at hitting a simulation of a major league fastball.  Timelines chronicle the history of baseball and of the Louisville factory.  Give yourself about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to do the tour, visit the exhibits, and see the video.

 
The gift shop here has one of the better selections of t-shirts--all colors, all sizes.  This would be a good place to pick up fairly unique shirts for the folks on your gift list.  Their featured item is a personalized mini-bat; if you want one, be sure to order it before you start the tour and visit, since it takes a while to produce.

Info from the website:

$10 - Adults (13-59)
$  9 - Seniors (60+)
$  5 - Kids (6-12)
Kids 5 and younger free
 
Open 9-6 daily, 12-6 during summer, 9-5 and 12-5 rest of the year; closed major holidays.

Historic Voodoo Museum, New Orleans LA

The Historic Voodoo Museum in New Orleans was a great way to begin our NOLA visit in March of 2008.  We arrived in New Orleans after a delayed flight, suffering from jet lag and lack of sleep.  This was an easy, low-key way to begin immersing ourselves in the New Orleans atmosphere.

Photo from museum website

Visitors should know going in that this is not a traditional, formal museum.  I noticed that commenters on some travel sites complained that there wasn't much to the museum, that it was just a few rooms with artifacts and pictures.  My reaction was that this observation was, strictly speaking, accurate, but that the intimate setting was appropriate for this collection.  The entry area--which doubled as the gift shop--was a small foyer; the exhibits began on a hallway, with photos and pictures of people and places relevant to Voodoo in New Orleans.  The exhibit rooms--I believe there were 3--contained artifacts and information related to Voodoo.  There was some interactivity (no, you don't get to put voodoo curses on people!) with a wishing tree in the last room  My 8 year old daughter enjoyed writing down a wish and putting in in the tree.

So, it's relatively inexpensive, short, and focused.  It will give you some of the background and atmosphere to understand voodoo references you might see or read about later in New Orleans.  If this sort of experience is what you're looking for, stop in.  You know you'll be in the French Quarter anyway!


Info from website:

724 Rue Domaine
New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 860-0128

7 days, 10:00-6:00 (or later--not sure what that means!)
$7.00 General Admission
$5.50 Seniors, Military, College Students
$4.50 High School Students
$3.50 Under Age 12