Summative Evaluation of When the Dinosaurs Were Gone

This research was commissioned to explore visitors’ experiences in When the Dinosaurs Were Gone (later titled "When Crocodiles Ruled", a temporary exhibition at the Science Museum of Minnesota. As a summative evaluation, the research sought to address several issues and objectives: 1. overall impressions of the exhibition — visitors’ ratings of enjoyment, interest in the information, what they liked most, and what changes they would suggest (or not want) for a traveling version of this exhibit; 2. extent of use of the exhibition — amount of time spent in the exhibition and the extent to which people stopped at specific displays or used interactive components and other interpretive media; 3.perceived themes and content of the exhibition — visitors’ understanding of the messages about changes on earth over time (climate change, evolution of reptiles) and how scientists study and reconstruct the past; and 4. effectiveness of selected interpretive elements — the contributions of the large dioramas (prehistoric swamp, dig site in North Dakota) to visitors’ experience and perception of messages, and an analysis of people’s grasp of the concepts presented in various interactive exhibits. Exit interviews were conducted with visitors who were leaving the exhibition. The sample of 423 visitor groups included both weekday and weekend visitors. Two different interview forms and three photo-boards were utilized to address all of the issues and assess visitor’s understanding of complex messages. When the Dinosaurs Were Gone presented a range of material that was very accessible to SMM visitors. They liked seeing animals and skeletons, were familiar with and intrigued by excavations for bones and signs of ancient life, and made use of the many mechanical interactives or media that enhanced the experience. Visitors’ patterns of use varied considerably, with about half of the visitors staying for 20 minutes or more and about half staying for less than 20 minutes. It was important that visitors got a sense that this exhibition was interpreting a time period long ago, and that it wasn’t about dinosaurs. With that foundation, the most common message that people took away from this exhibition was some type of long-term change — evolution, changing life forms, climate change or environmental change over time, animal adaptations or extinction.