The museum identifies current and potential audiences it
serves, and makes appropriate decisions in how it serves them.
Question 1 of 2: Does the museum actively collect information about current and potential visitors?
We qualify for basic (Bronze Certificate) if we can say: We collect basic numeric information about current visitors (e.g., overall attendance, heaviest attendance days, visitor groups, etc.).
We do this:
1. We ask everyone to sign our guest register.
2. The guest register asks for the address, but that is often left out.
3. We can figure out the overall attendance, heaviest attendance days, and number of visitors from each group.
We qualify for Good (Silver Certificate) if we can say (1 of 2): We collect demographic information about current visitors (e.g., age range, zip code, school grade levels, etc.).
1. We need to decide if we want to purchase a cash register with programmable visitor keys. Grant request?
2. I put examples of 2 registers at the end of these notes. $179.49 is probably what we need. The one with a barcode scanner is $381.80 and would require someone to figure out how to add barcode tags/labels to all merchandise. However, it does have the Dual Roll Register Tape so we could print an individual copy for customer and one for records
3. If purchased, we need to decide on how to key it. Some suggestions to think about:
4. If we start using register, we need to assign someone to train the front desk volunteers.
5. Do we need someone to “clear” the register every day like Mark does? This would probably be beyond what a front desk volunteer does?
6. If we start using register, Ron volunteers to put the annual results into a spreadsheet showing totals for each key category and also for heaviest days, heaviest months, totals during Fair weekend, etc. This will also show percentage of Oscar Zero visitors that also go to the museum.
7. We need to make some decisions on the guest register.
a. Should it just be a voluntary book? Mark said they encourage visitors to sign their book and probably about half the visitors actually put their names on it. What would we use it for?
b. Should we get the sheets reprinted with the new logo?
c. What should the columns be titled? Some suggested columns could be:
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
We qualify for good (Silver Certificate) if we can say (2 of 2): We analyze visitor information to determine trends and patterns in visitation (e.g., seasonal) and in interest (e.g., most popular programs).
1. We know the popularity of programs by the amount received from the admission charge which gives us the overall visitor count.
2. We should try to use the cash register even for free events to get correct totals.
We can qualify for better (Gold Certificate if we can say (1 of 2): We have identified the audiences (families, special-subject buffs, elementary school-age children, etc.) we feel we can best serve, and potential audiences we is currently underserving.
1. We do not have the resources to do this.
We can qualify for better (Gold Certificate if we can say (2 of 2) we work with other entities, such as the local chamber of commerce and our state tourism agency, to learn more about current and potential visitors.
1. We read the newspapers and hear television news about potential visitors.
The museum identifies current and potential audiences it serves, and makes appropriate decisions in how it serves them.
Question 2 of 2: Does the museum regularly evaluate its activities?
We qualify Basic (Bronze Certificate) for basic if we can say (1 of 2) Paid and unpaid staff are aware of the significance of evaluation.
1. We can’t say this now.
2. Do we want to train volunteers for this?
We qualify Basic (Bronze Certificate) if we can say (2 of 2) We informally collect and review feedback from audiences that participate in our programs and other activities and discuss this feedback with our governing authority, staff, and volunteers.
1. Very informally. Comments are usually passed on to each other.
2. We could try to train volunteers to fill out a form listing comments from visitors?
3. Feedback could be entered into computer and used by this StEPS group?
We qualify for Good (Silver Certificate) if we can say (1 of 3): Paid and unpaid staff have knowledge of visitor research and evaluation methods through readings, training, conferences, etc.
1. We do not do this and probably do not have the time to do it.
We qualify for Good (Silver Certificate) if we can say (2 of 3): We conduct some types of evaluations (e.g., interviews, surveys).
1. We do not do this.
We qualify for Good (Silver Certificate) if we can say (3 of 3): Visitor information influences the decision-making process for creating visitor experiences.
1. Very informally. For example we decide to repair the steam engine based on how many people seem to turn out for the threshing event.
We qualify for Better (Gold Certificate) if we can say (1 of 3) Paid and unpaid staff keep current through articles, journals, books, and other literature on visitor research and evaluation.
1. We probably do not have the resources to be able to do this.
We qualify for Better (Gold Certificate) if we can say (2 of 3) We evaluate most of our activities (exhibitions, public programs, publications, etc.).
1. We probably do not have the resources to be able to do this.
We qualify for Better (Gold Certificate) if we can say (3 of 3) When possible, we compare our evaluation results to those of peer institutions.
1. We probably do not have the resources to be able to do this.