Wei, Dingyi; Fatah Gen Schieck, Ava; (2024) Horse Riders, Treasure Hunters, Picky Eaters, and Deep Divers: Exploring How Visitors Interact with an Exhibition at the Natural History Museum. The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum , 17 (2) pp. 259-283. 10.18848/1835-2014/cgp/v17i02/259-283.

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Abstract

As museums usually target large numbers of visitors with great diversities, it is important for museum professionals to have a well-rounded understanding of the visitors as well as an approach to categorize them so that curation strategies can be applied accordingly and effectiveness achieved. This article presents a study of the exhibition “Dippy Returns” at the Natural History Museum in London. By performing on-site observation, we categorized visitors—by their movements and interactions with the exhibits—into four types: Horse Riders, Treasure Hunters, Picky Eaters, and Deep Divers. We also interviewed a curator of the exhibition to understand intended visitor experiences from the museum’s perspective. We believe that the categorization can help museum professionals better understand on-site visitor behaviors from the perspectives of both interactions and movement, which responds to the trend for museum exhibitions nowadays to deploy a diversity of activities and more flexible visiting routes. The categorization could serve as a common language that curators and designers can use to communicate their expectations and improve visitor experiences with exhibitions.

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