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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: Toon, Richard
Researchers John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking developed what they call the Contextual Model of Learning in their 2012 publication, The Museum Experience Revisited. This model emphasizes the significance of the visitor experience in the museum industry and is defined as three interconnected contexts that constitute a museum visitor’s experience. These contexts are the personal context, the sociocultural context, and the physical context. Falk and Dierking argue that all three contexts must be properly acknowledged by the museum for a positive visitor experience. They also provide readers with several recommendations on effective design strategies that fit within the principles of the Contextual Model of Learning. In this analysis, these principles are related directly to museums today. The Field Museum in Chicago and The Children’s Museum of Phoenix are noted for having exceptional websites. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Asian Art Museum are mentioned for having engaging marketing strategies. The Black Country Living Museum in the United Kingdom and the Museum of Modern Art in New York are recognized for innovative social media use. The USS Midway Museum in San Diego and the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix are acknowledged for their excellent designs, media usage in exhibits, and accessibility options. The British Museum in London is mentioned for its virtual experiences and gift shop. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also mentioned for its gift shop. The Arizona Science Center and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis are commended for their programs. Finally, a brief discussion is done on STEAMtank, a museum experience in development at Arizona State University, and how the principles within the Contextual Model of Learning are being integrated in similar fashion to the other museums discussed.
This paper explores the intersection of user experience and museums through interactive and immersive exhibits. It discusses the background and history of the art museum and the field of UX and describes how interactivity and immersion impact visitors and change the exhibit development process. The implications of interactive and immersive exhibits on the museum space are detailed including: social media, the authenticity of objects, and the commodification of experience. It is argued that despite the drawbacks of interactivity and immersion in the museum, the potential benefits of audience engagement and social connection make them worth pursuing.
Accessible STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) education is imperative in creating the future innovators of the world. This business proposal is for a K-8 STEAM Museum to be built in the Novus Innovation Corridor on Arizona State University (ASU)’s Tempe campus. The museum will host dynamic spaces that are constantly growing and evolving as exhibits are built by interdisciplinary capstone student groups- creating an internal capstone project pipeline. The intention of the museum is to create an interactive environment that fosters curiosity and creativity while acting as supplemental learning material to Arizona K-8 curriculum. The space intends to serve the greater Phoenix area community and will cater to underrepresented audiences through the development of accessible education rooted in equality and inclusivity.
The paper is meant to serve as a base of reference material for future, real world, project proposals to historical organizations. A mock proposal to the Fullersburg Historic Foundation, proposing the digital mediums and methods discussed, is included at the end of the paper.
In concluding thoughts, Matt I appears to have the depth and breadth of skills needed to make impactful media. And the mediums of media have been as diverse as the subjects they cover. But upon reviewing his own review, it took someone else smarter had to tell me that though there is diversity abound in his portfolio, there is a single baseline: Keeping history alive. Every one of these mediums can be used to infuse a sense of digital energy, simulated life, back into historical artifacts and documentation. The historical characters return to live when a medium brings back the motion, the energy, of the thing it is showing. If the medium infuses this life back into the story. The results are nothing short of magic.