Investigates the experiences and effects of working as a host or exhibit interpreter at the Ontario Science Centre. Examines how the hosts benefit from the program in terms of their knowledge about and attitudes toward science and technology. Dominant aspects of learning for the respondents tended to be inspirational and attitudinal, as well as…

Investigates the content of conversations of three groups: (1) pupils and teacher; (2) pupils and chaperone; and (3) pupils alone during museum and zoo visits. Results indicate that children-only groups commented on behaviors and generated knowledge source remarks significantly less than those groups containing adults, and the presence of an adult…

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan, encourages the natural curiosity of young people to explore, participate, and get involved in exhibits, demonstrations, and activities. Described are the museum's history, exhibits, programs, services, volunteers, resources, and affiliations. (JDD)

Reviews: a volume of 11 essays on the history of Sheldon Jackson Museum and its Eskimo, Aleut, Athabaskan, Tlingit, and Haida collections; and a book analyzing the geometric design, technique, and imagery of 15 "raven's tail robes," early Northwest Coast textiles predating the more familiar Chilkat blankets. (SV)

Examines a new realignment and new definition of the museum and its role in helping to create a more civil society. Discusses visitors' use of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, changes in object display requested by indigenous peoples, and the changing view of authenticity. (LZ)

Provides an overview of the issues surrounding enactment of a Nebraska statute requiring public museums to repatriate American Indian skeletal remains and burial offerings to tribes for reburial. Focuses on the bitter dispute between the Nebraska State Historical Society and the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma (an indigenous Nebraska tribe). (SV)

This case study of how the museum community is trying to select standards for data interchange between museum systems reviews the work of the Museum Computer Network's committee on the Computer Interchange of Museum Information (CIMI) and reflects on the issues confronting CIMI as it tries to exploit information technology standards as a strategy.…

Describes a program of the Adirondack Museum in which local students learn about their cultural and natural heritage, listen to Adirondack stories, and learn the techniques of writing historical fiction. Includes samples from student stories. (SV)

Elaborates on two major aspects of the author's research: the significance of heritage museums as contemporary ideological and performative sites; and the fruitfulness of a "dialogic narration" perspective for the study of sites of cultural representations. Concludes with a brief discussion of the potential role of ethnographic fieldwork. (RS)

Describes the use of structured video recall as a formative evaluation tool in the Royal Museums of Scotland. The use of questionnaires and interviews to gather data on experience and opinion is described, the adaptation of Interpersonal Process Recall is explained, and other applications of structured recall are suggested. (six references) (LRW)

Provides a crossword puzzle with an answer key corresponding to the book entitled "Significant Treasures/Tresors Parlants" that is filled with color and black-and-white prints of paintings and artifacts from 131 museums and art galleries as a sampling of the 2,200 such Canadian institutions. (CMK)

Proposes a model of interactivity that can be used to plan museum exhibits in a broad range of subjects. Examines two alternative ways of examining task, visitor motivation, and cognitive mode. Assesses benefits of each. Presents eight distinct ways to design an interactive exhibit for African-American children. Offers case studies illustrating…

Interviews with older museum visitors and observation of a younger comparison group revealed four adult learning behaviors: social, theoretical, inquiry, and intuitive. The array of learning styles suggests a need for variety in the educational formats used in museums. (SK)

Presents a research and exhibit development aimed at increasing the understanding of family learning in science museums and identifying the characteristics of successful family learning exhibits. Concludes that using the seven characteristics of successful family exhibits as a guide to exhibit development proved to be an effective strategy for…