By Stephanie Kovacs
Advisor: Michael Glaser
Product Design Department
Westphal COMAD
Reinvigorating the Art Museum Visitor Experience
Ethnographic research analyzes current barriers to interpretation and investigates new ways to promote active visitor engagement.
How to Foster Active Engagement?
Expert Interviews
Synthesis and Insight
Problem
Charles Morscheck
Experts’ View
Museums of fine art are institutions equipped with an enormous
amount of historical data. Due to the great potential for information-sharing and exploration, it is reasonable to argue that fine art museums should facilitate exciting, memorable experiences for visitors.
Traditional fine art museums often lack interactive stimuli or user-friendly environments. Exhibits are rarely meant to serve audiences
with varying levels of interest or knowledge.
Art Historian
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the largest museums in America,
ranks the low in attendance and has a reputation of being highly conservative. The fact that many traditional fine art museums share in this status is
simply not good; there is an obvious disconnect between visitors and museum
content that must be addressed.
Visitors’ View
Design Concepts
PERSONALIZED MAP
CARD GAME
DIRECTORY
TOOL TO “SEE MORE”
INTERIOR DISPLAY
TANGIBLE OBJECTS
“You learn art history through the soles of your feet.”
!
Insight: you remember information by being active
Background: scientific, objective art historian
His approach: to compare objects and determine what they inform
about each other, to speak a language that everyone can understand
Observed Issues: viewer disengagement
Underlying issues: lack of stimulation, and knowledge; overwhelmed
Danielle Rice
Idea
Museum Educator
INTERACTIVE
immersion room
- Manipulate current environment
- Develop methods for human-centric user egagement
- Promote looking, thinking, and interpretation
art cards
art demos
process lab
a place for visitors to
brainstorm design
solutions through
hands-on and digital
activities at the
Cooper Hewitt Design
Museum
critic game
activity at the Museum
of Modern Art where
visitors become art
critics and complete a
series of tasks to
discover information
about artwork
educator-led
tours
kid’s corner
an area within the
Delaware Museum of
Art where children
have the freedom to
touch the art on the
walls and even design
their own artwork
an interactive Pen to
collect and create
information during a
visit to the Cooper
Hewitt Design Museum
Insight: Create a situation for visitors to feel in charge
Background: responsible for higher-level problem solving within
various museums’ education departments
Her approach: to facilitate involvement and dialogue
touch-screen
directories
What makes these
interactive? What
are some missed
opportunities?
online
galleries
Joshua Helmer
audio tours
films
33% very little
45% some
Non-traditional FA Museums
Traditional FA Museums
Most/All FA Museums
2
1
3
Tourist
Enthusiast
Frequenter
4
Forced
Three rooms at the Philadelphia Museum of Art were chosen for targeted observations of 3-5 visitors. The specific locations
were chosen for the unique experiences that they provide:
2D experience
3D experience
Although there is
interest in visiting
fine art museums,
almost 80% of
respondents do NOT
take much away from
the experience.
Major issues involve getting to
art and being with art. There is a
disconnect between viewers and
context. How can design encourage and empower visitors to be
active, mentally agile seekers?
!
!
5
The solution, Keepsake, is a system that celebrates and aids the physical process of viewing art while
integrating digital tools for more in-depth discovery. A physical guide helps users to find their way
while a digital platform enables visitors to capture art beyond museum walls.
Targeted Observation
Modern Art
The Gap:
Solution: Keepsake
Observation: Targeted Museum Visits
European Art
40% very much
How much do you take away from your visits?
Background: was a curatorial fellow
His Approach: to teach a different way of learning, to act as a
consultant, facilitator, and collaborator of new ideas
gallery
signage
NOT INTERACTIVE
17% extremely
Insight: Interpretation is not about learning, in the
traditional sense
How can these
elements become
more engaging?
- lack of tangible historical context
- confusing set-ups
How interested are you in visiting fine art museums?
“Entertainment will always lead to learning.”
maps
written
descriptions
- viewers unable to connect with art
- what’s there isn’t enough to tell a story
Director for Interpretation
self-guided tours
art hung
on walls
“Get them to help, to do something meaningful.”
Cooper Hewitt Design
Museum, visitors select
digital images of
wallpapers, or sketch
their own designs, and
project them onto the
walls at full scale
the pen
Tourist
“This
is new”
Enthusiast
“I want
to explore”
Frequenter
“Back again”
“WhyForced
am I here?”
Visits the museum for a
new experience
Curious and excited about
museum visits
Genuinely enjoys and
learns from each visit
Not interested in being at
museums
The Fountain
Devika Baxi ”tourist”
Devika is a medical school
student. She’s never been to
the PMA and is extremely
unfamiliar with art but doesn’t mind going.
Tourist
Enthusiast
Frequenter
Forced
“This is new”
“I want to explore”
“Back again”
“Why am I here?”
Tourist
“This is new”
Enthusiast
“I want to explore”
Sean Flynn ”Enthusiast”
Erin Chan“frequenter”
Sean is a civil engineer. He is
eager to learn and see new
things, likely to sieze the opportunity for a visit if he has
time.
Erin is a graphic design student very familiar with the
Philadlelphia Museum of Art,
often visiting for school
projects.
Frequenter
“Back again”
Forced
“Why am I here?”
The Keepsake Guide provides rich content that helps users easily and
quickly discover what museum sections may be of interest to them.
!
environment experience
The number of paintings is overwhelming
European Art
It’s exciting to walk
into the room and feel
an environment
My eyes dart to different
points on the plaque
The Fountain
!
The map may seem simple, but it is not the best navigational tool.
!
Modern Art
I don’t understand what’s
happening or purpose of
each piece
I like large print on walls
!
It was difficult to find
the room
Visitors can access artwork they collected with the Keepsake Personal Platform, an application that stores and curates their
personal collection.