Key Trends in Museums of the Future
A Learning Museum Research Group Project
See www.lemproject.eu
The aim of this Questionnaire is to identify new trends in
museums. The LEM research group would be grateful if could
take a few seconds to complete the questionnaire and list
areas of the museum operation that are declining, activities
that are ongoing, and any ‘new’ trends emerging in museums.
Please return it to: mbourke@ngi.ie by 16 December 2011.
QUESTIONNAIRE :
To identify new trends in Museums
1. Are any of the following activities in your museum declining
or not in use anymore? Mark in the appropriate category.
Declining










Conducted tours
Audio guides/handsets
Exhibitions
Workshops
Lectures/talks
Hands-on exhibits
Digital interactives or displays
Social media
Evening Events/ Late Openings
Outreach/Access Activities
Not in Use










2. What is the reason for the decline in these activities?
Please number 1 to 4 (eg 1= main reason… 4 = least important)

Funding/Budget cuts
1




Reduction in Staff
Out-dated
Reduction in visitors
Other
If other, please name the reason
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Do any of the following activities in your museum show a
growth in popularity? Mark activities that show growth.










Conducted tours
Audio guides/handsets
Exhibitions
Workshops
Lectures/talks
Hands-on exhibits
Digital interactives or displays
Social media
Evening Events/ Late Openings
Outreach/Access Activities
4. What museum activities, events or programmes continue to
be essential in engaging the public with the collections?
Number 1 to 10 (eg 1= essential… 10 = least important)


Guided tours
Audio guides/handsets
2
Exhibitions
Workshops
Lectures/talks
Hands-on exhibits
Digital interactives or displays
Social media
Evening events / Late Openings
Outreach/Access Activities








5. What ‘new’ ideas or activities or practices are you seeing
developing in museums?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. What trends, new activities or ideas do you feel will emerge
in cultural institutions in the future (over the next 20 years)?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Can you give examples of any museum/cultural institution
where you have seen some of these trends begin to emerge?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
I give my consent to use my details to identify any ‘key trends
in museums in the future’ and to contact me in such a case.
Yes

No

Full name of the respondent: _____________________________________
Institution:
_____________________________________________________________________
Job title/ position:
_____________________________________________________________________
Email:
Mobile phone:
_____________________________________________________________________
Date of completing the questionnaire:
_________________________________
‘Thank you’ for taking the time to complete the Questionnaire
Please return it to: mbourke@ngi.ie by 16 December 2011
4