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.