Visitor Analysis In looking at the function and relevance of the Indiana Medical History Museum, a crucial step in understanding who uses the museum and why is to begin collecting and analyzing visitor data. In understanding who comes to the museum, the staff can begin to cater to those patrons, and make sure that they keep coming back for programming and events, instead of just visiting once. It is crucial that the museum build a solid foundation of patrons, because those patrons will become donors and members. Also, in understanding how the museum is being used by those who come into it, the museum can begin to develop programs that are focused on what patrons are interested in, and eliminate those that the patrons are not utilizing. Beyond that, it is crucial to understand how the museum’s work is being interpreted by visitors. Do they understand the museum as it was meant to be understood, or are they unable to interpret it properly due to a factor staff did not see? Another crucial piece of visitor analysis is finding out who is not coming to the museum, and focusing any marketing on those areas. The people who are coming into the museum are the ones we can reach through programming and communication. Those that are not coming to the museum are who the museum should focus on in terms of off-site marketing. With such a limited budget, this marketing would probably be composed mainly of flyers handed out and posted on college campuses, hotel lobbies, and at other public events. Because staff is stretched as thin as it is, we propose that an internship program be developed and utilized in accomplishing these goals. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has one of the best Museum Studies graduate programs in the nation, and those students are constantly searching for internship opportunities. In working closely with the university and the Museum Studies program, the Indiana Medical History Museum could have highly qualified individuals bringing in innovative and creative solutions to these problems in droves. Most museums in the area do not offer paid internships, and they will consequently not be expected. Please see the proposed internship descriptions for more information. In terms of what, specifically, the visitor analysis will be comprised of, we suggested two different surveys. One will be a paper survey, and the second an online survey, both of which are attached. The point of these surveys is to gather information about the type of guest coming to the museum as well as the quality of the museums programming as seen by the visitors.
The Education and Public Relations interns should have experience analyzing and compiling data. Using Google Docs, the data collected can be compiled and sorted, as well as accessed by multiple persons. Once the data is compiled, a more accurate understanding of who comes to the museum and why can be completed. Using this data, IMHM can begin to develop programs for that group of people, as well as begin to think about how to reach out to those people who are not coming to the museum.
In order to figure out who is not coming to the museum, I propose looking at the zip codes provided in the surveys. If we find, as I suspect we will, that a majority of our visitors are coming from zip codes outside the immediate neighborhood of IMHM, then we can begin our marketing campaign by simply passing flyers out around the neighborhood. It is entirely likely, with the limited signage and the building being located so far off the road that most residents don’t even know IMHM exists. Going further, it will be easy to see where we can send more flyers (to teachers, school districts, and community centers) based on which areas of the city are not coming to the museum.
Getting the demographic information for our visitors will be crucial to understanding the needs of our patrons. I suspect that we will find the majority of our visitors are low income students, and the programs we provide them will need to be both educationally valuable and financially reasonable.
In looking at the function and relevance of the Indiana Medical History Museum, a crucial step in understanding who uses the museum and why is to begin collecting and analyzing visitor data. In understanding who comes to the museum, the staff can begin to cater to those patrons, and make sure that they keep coming back for programming and events, instead of just visiting once. It is crucial that the museum build a solid foundation of patrons, because those patrons will become donors and members. Also, in understanding how the museum is being used by those who come into it, the museum can begin to develop programs that are focused on what patrons are interested in, and eliminate those that the patrons are not utilizing. Beyond that, it is crucial to understand how the museum’s work is being interpreted by visitors. Do they understand the museum as it was meant to be understood, or are they unable to interpret it properly due to a factor staff did not see?
Another crucial piece of visitor analysis is finding out who is not coming to the museum, and focusing any marketing on those areas. The people who are coming into the museum are the ones we can reach through programming and communication. Those that are not coming to the museum are who the museum should focus on in terms of off-site marketing. With such a limited budget, this marketing would probably be composed mainly of flyers handed out and posted on college campuses, hotel lobbies, and at other public events.
Because staff is stretched as thin as it is, we propose that an internship program be developed and utilized in accomplishing these goals. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis has one of the best Museum Studies graduate programs in the nation, and those students are constantly searching for internship opportunities. In working closely with the university and the Museum Studies program, the Indiana Medical History Museum could have highly qualified individuals bringing in innovative and creative solutions to these problems in droves. Most museums in the area do not offer paid internships, and they will consequently not be expected. Please see the proposed internship descriptions for more information.
In terms of what, specifically, the visitor analysis will be comprised of, we suggested two different surveys. One will be a paper survey, and the second an online survey, both of which are attached. The point of these surveys is to gather information about the type of guest coming to the museum as well as the quality of the museums programming as seen by the visitors.
Online Survey can be viewed at: __http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9DVNKFG__
Analyzing the Data:
The Education and Public Relations interns should have experience analyzing and compiling data. Using Google Docs, the data collected can be compiled and sorted, as well as accessed by multiple persons. Once the data is compiled, a more accurate understanding of who comes to the museum and why can be completed. Using this data, IMHM can begin to develop programs for that group of people, as well as begin to think about how to reach out to those people who are not coming to the museum.
In order to figure out who is not coming to the museum, I propose looking at the zip codes provided in the surveys. If we find, as I suspect we will, that a majority of our visitors are coming from zip codes outside the immediate neighborhood of IMHM, then we can begin our marketing campaign by simply passing flyers out around the neighborhood. It is entirely likely, with the limited signage and the building being located so far off the road that most residents don’t even know IMHM exists. Going further, it will be easy to see where we can send more flyers (to teachers, school districts, and community centers) based on which areas of the city are not coming to the museum.
Getting the demographic information for our visitors will be crucial to understanding the needs of our patrons. I suspect that we will find the majority of our visitors are low income students, and the programs we provide them will need to be both educationally valuable and financially reasonable.