ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I don't know of any empirical research on this, but, like others, I would be
interested in seeing it. It seems that perhaps the marketing/operations arms
of institutions would be good sources to ask for "in house" data to support
this claim. If those people are not on the listserv, then it might help to
ask them for any ideas.

One thing that occurred to me is that you might be able to make your case in
a roundabout way by looking at membership numbers. For example, if an
institution had, say, 500 family memberships and then built a
program-intensive area (e.g. a Lab or an early childhood area) and family
memberships increased to 1500, you might be able to conclude that the
program-intensive area a) increased memberships, and b) increased repeat
visits (on the rationale that members visit an institution frequently).

Homeschool group visits might also provide some data. If you have homeschool
groups that visit multiple times during a year, it might be worth giving
them a call and asking them why they come back. It wouldn't be the most
systematic data ever collected, but it might be a good start.

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Karen Swade
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 11:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: programs and repeat visitation


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*

I am interested in any citations also. Please post responses online or
forward info if possible.
Thank you.
Karen
Karen L. Swade
Paul H. Leffmann Education Center
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
1300 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone 312-294-0349
Fax     312-322-9181
[log in to unmask]
Informal Science Education Network
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
>***************************************************************************
**
>
>Hi all,
>Is anyone aware of any research conducted on the role of programs in
>repeat visitation?  My gut (and anecdotal experience) tells me that
>visitors may come to a museum or science center to see an exhibition
>once or *maybe* twice, but it is the programs that keep them coming
>back repeatedly, and a major draw for members. This is more than a
>bar bet, I will be using this in a planning document.
>Thanks,
>Beryl
>
>Beryl Rosenthal
>[log in to unmask]
>Dir. of Education and Public Programs
>MIT Museum
>265 Massachusetts Ave.
>Cambridge, MA 02139
>(617)452-2111 (t)
>(617)253-8994 (f)
>
>
>
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