Increasing visitor engagement in a contemporary art exhibit through a participatory activity

Tuhinga 29: 165-173

ABSTRACT: Over the last decade, there has been a rise in participatory activities in museums and art galleries. A common form of participatory activity is to ask visitors questions, based on the objects, and their answers remain in the gallery for subsequent visitors to experience. However, there have been few empirical studies to assesses the impact a participatory activity has on visitor experience. This study, carried out at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, in 2012, compared visitor behaviour (time in exhibition and at objects) and visitor cognition (satisfaction, elaboration, relevancy, perception of the art exhibition) during a participatory and control period. Participants in the activity had significantly greater levels of elaboration and stayed almost three times as long in the exhibition compared to the control period. The activity resonated with a youthful audience, with two-thirds of participants under 30. While there is some concern by museum staff that participatory activities may be frivolous or detract from the art, the findings of this study indicate they are successful at fostering a deeper engagement in visitors.

KEYWORDS: Interpretation, visitor studies, art education.