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Peter

Very interesting comments. I would go one step further and argue for  
an understand of how different cultures react to our exhibits or what  
do different cultures understand of our exinitions beyond the colorful  
nature of the buildings. I don't know of any research about this do you?

Sent from my iPhone on a speeding subway El.

Martin

Martin Weiss
Science Interpretation
Consultant
New York Hall of Science

On Dec 15, 2008, at 5:27 PM, Peter A Anderson  
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

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> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
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> Charlie,
>
> Science centers are in all kinds of buildings, and people get to know
> pretty soon - mostly by word-of-mouth - what is inside the building,  
> so it
> is more important to have a building that is noticeable and  
> attractive and
> accessible, than that it should say, "Science Center Here!" - and of
> course, the contents should be wonderful.
>
> I think that, more importantly, the design and "feeling" of science  
> centers
> - and other visitor places - should respond to the local cultures,  
> so that
> they feel comfortable in them.  When we built the new Tech, the  
> building
> was designed by the Mexican architect Legoretta - brightly colored and
> attractive, I believe, to the large Mexican-American population of San
> Jose.  Inside, we did a rather hard-edged design without the kind of
> colorful and  warm feeling that I believe that American Hispanic and
> Italian-based populations find attractive.  I believe that  
> generally, these
> cultures like a lot of color and stuff.  (I know that Domus is  
> published in
> Italy, but it represents the top-end design community, not the general
> populace.)  Anyway, the Mexican-American population was severly
> under-represented in the Tech's attendance, in terms of their  
> approximately
> 40% of the population there at that time.
>
> Some years ago, when conducting research in Chicago on what attracted
> repeat visitors, we noticed that visitors seemed to be attracted to
> object-rich exhibits and environments, such as a large and detailed
> miniature landscape with model trains, a replica coal mine or a  
> lavishly
> furnished "fairy castle."  We heard such comments as, "I love all the
> little details …."  Exhibits that were more stark and simple seemed  
> to lack
> some of this appeal.  This was not the main thrust of the research,  
> but it
> led us to suspect that if most of the general public had to choose  
> between,
> on one hand, a high Victorian 19th century object-rich interior, and  
> on the
> other hand, a Swedish minimal environment, they would choose the  
> Victorian
> one.  On reflection:  we evolved in the midst of nature, which is  
> usually
> very complex and full of shape and objects.
>
> I think that we use far too few artifacts in sience centers;  we  
> should be
> illustrating principles with real-life things more.  Most science  
> museums
> and centers seek to combine art with science.  Some include social  
> impacts
> and history in their treatments.  This enriches the exhibition  
> greatly, and
> makes it meaningful to wider audiences that just science-interested  
> people.
> Why not put a grandfather clock beside the interactive pendulum  
> exhibits?
> It shows many things, including:
> · A use of a pendulum
> · Domestic design of another period - a lovely lateral extension
> · Use of mechanism in clocks, rather than electronics
>
> Or, a telescope and other optical devices, beside the interactive  
> optics
> exhibits.  Or, electric motors, relays etc beside the interactive
> electricity and magnetism exhibits?  The latter could also be push- 
> button
> operable.
>
> Apologies for the long posting.
>
> Regards,  Peter Anderson
>
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