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I have a question about getting accurate counts of visitors to
non-upcharge traveling or special exhibits.

 

While it's easy to know exactly how many visitors attend an upcharge
exhibit (number of tickets sold), it's a lot harder to figure that out
for traveling or special exhibits that come with the cost of admission.
We have typically just used the exhibit admission number as a proxy for
attendance at our non-upcharge traveling exhibits, but we are aware that
not everyone who comes to visit sees everything in the museum - or a
family may come often but only go into the traveling exhibit once.  

 

We have considered ways to get more accurate counts - for example just
counting people as they go in or out, or asking people at the exit to
the Science Center whether or not they saw the traveling exhibit.  But
our traveling exhibit hall has 3 entrances and our museum has 2 exits,
so it would be really hard to count people either entering or leaving
(not to mention the staff time!).  

 

I'm wondering whether anyone else has addressed this problem and how?
Do you keep real counts of visitors to traveling exhibits or do you just
estimate based on general exhibit admission, as we do?  If so, do you
use a proportion of some kind to deduct those who probably haven't gone
in? Any ideas or solutions to share?

 

Many thanks,

Julie

 

Julie McNalley, PhD

Evaluation Manager

Pacific Science Center

206.443.2388

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Pacific Science Center is an independent, not-for-profit educational
institution that inspires lifelong interest in science, math and
technology. IMAX is a registered trademark of the IMAX Corporation.

 


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