What museum does not want insight into what its visitors and potential visitors are looking for? Nearly every function within the museum benefits from a deeper understanding of visitors: curators, educators, fundraisers, marketers, store and cafe managers, guards, and volunteers. This book creatively instructs museums on how to study visitors to make their exhibits, programs, and shops more appealing for all segments of the public. Each chapter identifies an observed visitor behavior or attitude and details how it can significantly affect attendance, satisfaction, and loyalty. The author's approach explains how all museum personnel can participate in valuable observational research without breaking the bank on expensive studies.

Chapter 1 Introduction: Observational Research Vs. The Other Researches Chapter 2 Chapter 1. Methodology Chapter 3 Chapter 2. The Hand-Holders: Connecting To Your Museum Chapter 4 Chapter 3. Twitching On The Tour Chapter 5 Chapter 4. Sitting Down Chapter 6 Chapter 5. Turning Right Chapter 7 Chapter 6. Dress Code Chapter 8 Chapter 7. Museum Goers Don't Get Fat: Tribal Marketing Chapter 9 Chapter 8. Men: Another New Market Segment Chapter 10 Chapter 9. Lunchtime Stories Chapter 11 Chapter 10. Taking Photos Chapter 12 Chapter 11. Early Birds Chapter 13 Chapter 12. Shopping For Memories Chapter 14 Chapter 13. Hand-Held Children, The New Demographic Chapter 15 Chapter 14. Long Lines And Smiles Chapter 16 Chapter 15. Queue-Less In The Lobby Chapter 17 Chapter 16. Frail And Hardy Chapter 18 Chapter 17. What The Guards See Chapter 19 Chapter 18. The Folks From Kazakhstan And Other Global Changes Chapter 20 Chapter 19. Shout Out For The Library Chapter 21 Chapter 20. Insights And The Performing Arts Chapter 22 Chapter 21. Velcroed At The Ticket Window Chapter 23 Chapter 22. The Upside Of Intermission Chapter 24 Epilogue Chapter 25 Bibliography Chapter 26 Index