Museums frequently default to simple attendance measures to define success, measures that fall well short of the mission impact these institutions seek to have. Mixed methods studies can integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to paint a robust picture of the impact a museum's educational programming is capable of having, although this…

Using the case study of an unstaffed, interactive making space at the Portland Museum of Art, this article explores the potential for museums to facilitate visitor to visitor learning without the in-person assistance of a gallery educator. It offers concrete steps to design activities, environments, and supporting resources which prompt close…

In 2016, the education department at the National Building Museum offered a series of Late Night programs in conjunction with the Summer Block Party installation, ICEBERGS. The museum wanted to evaluate the programs but had limited resources to do so. In the following article, we describe the use of critical appraisal, an economic method applied…

How can history museums incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities while preserving their missions and identities? How do interdisciplinary experiences lead to learning? A cross-institutional exhibit development and evaluation team wrestled with these ideas as they developed "Create.Connect," an National…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the effects of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's work in partnering with professors from universities across the United States during a 1-year collaborative partnership through an educational program referred to as Belfer First Step Holocaust Institute for Teacher Educators (BFS…

Museums have been transformed from facilities once preoccupied with collecting and displaying artifacts to institutions now mostly focused on education. Museum educators have been added to museums' staff, and large amounts of money have been dedicated to adult and K-12 educational programming. Stakeholders have asked to see the impact of their…

Museums often court corporate audiences through special event rentals and development and promotional partnerships. But we rarely approach them as potential adult learners. In overlooking them, we miss the potential of reaching a large number of often novice museum participants who can gain from gallery learning and develop a relationship with our…

The economic downturn has hit everyone hard. The author's organization, the Los Angeles Opera, has completed two years of downsizing, resulting in an almost 25% reduction in staff and overall budget cutting. Change that is not "nipping and tucking," but changing the dynamic and culture of the institution. However, if the organization hadn't done…

Striving to provide public good and maximize public value strike many as highly abstract and idealistic ideas. Written in the form of an interview, this article, written from the perspective of a practitioner, addresses some of the pragmatic issues that arise when trying to conceptualize approaches to museum offerings and demonstrate their…

This report examines the impact and effectiveness of an educational program (Discovery Corners) offered by the National Museum of History and Technology. The main objective is to offer feedback to museum personnel regarding the impact of museum exhibits and programs. The Discovery Corners program involves on-site presentations and demonstrations…