Museums and Their Visitors

by Hooper-Greenhill,Eilean

• ISBN13: 9780415068574
• ISBN10: 0415068576
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1994-04-08
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In order to ensure survival into the next century, museums and galleries must demonstrate their social relevance and use by developing their public service functions and becoming more knowledgeable about the needs of their visitors and more adept at providing enjoyable and worthwhile experiences. Museums and their Visitorsaims to help museums and galleries in this crucial task. It examines the ways in which museums need to develop their communicative functions and--with examples of case-studies--explains how to achieve best practice. The special needs of a number of target audiences including schools, families and people with disabilities are outlined and illustrated by examples of exhibition, education and marketing policies. The book looks in detail at the power of objects to inspire and stimulate and analyzes the use of language in museums and galleries.

Table of Contents

List of plates	ix
List of figures	xi
List of tables	xiii
Acknowledgements	xv
Introduction	1	(5)
Forces for change	6	(29)
Communication in theory and practice	35	(19)
Who goes to museums?	54	(15)
Research and evaluation	69	(15)
Welcoming visitors	84	(16)
Responding to visitor needs	100	(15)
Language and texts	115	(25)
Museums: ideal learning environments	140	(31)
Managing museums for visitors	171	(12)
Glossary	183	(2)
Bibliography	185	(13)
Index	198