Summative Evaluation: Science & Art Exhibition

The Arkansas Discovery Network (ADN) contracted Randi Korn & Associates, Inc. (RK&A) to evaluate Science & Art, a 4,000 square foot exhibition created by the Science Museum of Minnesota that will travel to the ADN museums. The evaluation documents the impact and effectiveness of the exhibition as it was installed at the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Two methodologies were employed: timing and tracking observations and in-depth exit interviews. EXHIBITION BACKGROUND The exhibition explores connections between science and art. The exhibition contains five sections that focus on the work of one scientist/artist, such as Robert Lang, a physicist and engineer and origami artist. The exhibition was displayed in an unbounded gallery space at the Mid-America Science Museum. FINDINGS Of the 29 exhibits in Science & Art, the median number of exhibit stops was six; the median time spent in the exhibition was 7 minutes, 10 seconds. Visitors' engagement in the exhibition was high: almost all visitors used an interactive component at least once in the exhibition (98 percent), many visitors looked at the artwork and videos at least once in the exhibition (e.g., origami in display cases) (80 percent), and more than one-half of visitors read aloud/or talked about exhibit content (54 percent). More than one-half of visitors said they made connections between science and art. The message was not necessarily top-of-mind, however, as less than one-third of visitors' responses indicated messages related to science and art when asked generally what they took away from their exhibition experience. Of the five sections of the exhibition, two were very attractive to female visitors: The Elegant Worm and Electric Threads. These two sections featured female scientist/artists and one featured a traditionally female topic: sewing. IMPLICATIONS While the content is accessible and the exhibits engaging, Science & Art faced two main barriers in conveying the exhibition message: physical layout in an unbounded exhibition space and conceptual orientation. Layout is a constant struggle for traveling exhibitions since designers must create exhibits that will work in multiple venues, and which they rarely see. Thus, the museum must think creatively about how to strengthen orientation, such as by grouping exhibit sections and using the exhibits to create temporary walls. Since challenges of layout are ubiquitous, conceptual orientation to the exhibition is most crucial for traveling exhibitions like Science & Art. Creating a strong introduction to the exhibition and reiterating the big idea throughout the exhibition are primary ways the museum can orient visitors to the exhibition's concept.