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Here are a couple of interesting Rothstein reviews that are relevant. He is one of the few "mainstream media" people paying attention to what we do, whether or not we agree with his conclusions. The first is a review of science centers in general:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/arts/artsspecial/18SCIENCE.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
And of NYSCI's expansion, the article to which Alan refers in which Rothstein (to our chagrin) chose to highlight Mathematica rather than our new exhibitions, or in contrast to our new exhibitions.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E5D8173EF937A15752C1A9629C8B63&pagewanted=2
The new exhibition about which he writes most is the one that I directed, called Connections: the Nature of Networks. His review of it is the model of ambivalence, closing with this:
"Right now, though, ''Connections'' demonstrates two opposing risks: that of condescension and that of opacity. It is both too simple, given the complexity of the subject, and too complex, given the simplicity of its points. A scientist might be bored by it; a child might find little to provoke further inquiry.
''Mathematica,'' despite its own flaws, avoided both of those dangers. Over the course of decades, it has lured both professionals and children. It still exudes confidence. It invites attention not by promising participatory sensation but by offering beauty and elegance. It spurs curiosity not by aiming for simplicity but by offering hints of complexity."
To which I say: "thanks a lot."
I have to say that i agree about Mathematica, that it is a magnificent piece of auteurship in a field crowded with committee-designed exhibits, proudly quirky and following idiosyncratic interests. But to Alan's point, Rothstein doesn't say (nor does Alan) that Mathematica is successful because it has more text.
Eric
>
>> Our studies have consistently shown that content, whether on a graphic panel or the amount of information presented in a program, can easily overwhelm a visitor,
>
> By "a visitor," of course, what is meant is the big lump of statistical visitors in the middle of a bell curve.
> …and so it should come as no surprise that those members of our species who represent an end of that curve, those mature minds that thrive in and even crave dense scholarly environments, and still wish to learn and be challenged through exhibition, and for whom reading is not a chore whether standing up or sitting down, might regret that museums are evaluating and marketing themselves into a certain kind of obscurity. By their measure, that is.
> I'm not presuming to put words in Dawkins' or Rothstein's mouths, but I don't think we should pull those studies out at the beginning of the debate.
>
>
> --Jason
>
>>
>>
>> Alan, I was struck by your statement about the reviewer preferring exhibits with long texts. Our studies have consistently shown that content, whether on a graphic panel or the amount of information presented in a program, can easily overwhelm a visitor, and less content presented at any one time is more impactful and is retained longer. We've progressed so far from 'books on walls'. I wonder if your reviewer really enjoyed standing for long periods, reading allo that <grin>
>>
>> Linda Wilson
>>
>> Interestingly he seems to have softened his views in recent years, and
>> even had nice things to say about the Exploratorium in later reviews.
>> Still I've noticed that long texts in any exhibit is an excellent
>> predictor of how favorably Mr. Rothstein will review it. The exhibition
>> he liked best at NYSCI was our oldest one, with the most text. We do
>> indeed have our work cut out for us.
>>
>> Alan
>> ________________________________________
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