visitor experience – American Alliance of Museums

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement – Book Review

By Claire Caverly

This review first appeared in the journal Exhibition (Fall 2026) Vol. 45 No. 2 and is reproduced with permission. Noise: A Flaw in Human JudgmentDaniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. SunsteinPublished by Little, Brown Spark, …
The Art of Silence: How AV Technology Can Create Calm -not Clamor- in Museums

By David Whitemyer, AIA

This article first appeared in the journal Exhibition (Fall 2026) Vol. 45 No. 2 and is reproduced with permission. If you don’t read the journal, become a member to receive your digital copy of the full upcoming issues. Audiovisual (AV) …
Mementos de Memoria: A Museum Becomes an Ofrenda

By Manuel Ferreira

This article first appeared in the journal Exhibition (Fall 2026) Vol. 45 No. 2 and is reproduced with permission. If you don’t read the journal, become a member to receive your digital copy of the full upcoming issues. My love, I was so …
When Noise Is Everywhere, Joy Becomes Radical

By Becky Jefcoate

This article first appeared in the journal Exhibition (Fall 2026) Vol. 45 No. 2 and is reproduced with permission. The Fitzwilliam, the main museum of the University of Cambridge, is home to more than 500,000 objects —from ancient Egyptian …
Solving the Engagement Puzzle: A Museum Escape Room Event Captivates All Ages

By Kate Higbee

On a typical day at Chicago’s Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), visitors move through exhibits with a destination in mind—a favorite artifact, a hands-on activity, or the temporary exhibition that got them in the door. But on …
No Yelling in the Museum: Balancing Security with Visitor Experience

By Colleen Higginbotham

When asked why they don’t visit museums, many people point to a previous negative experience, often involving an interaction with staff enforcing museum rules. I have observed museum personnel enforce rules by snapping their fingers, …
Designing for Discovery: A New Renovation Doubles Down on Engagement, Belonging, and Accessibility

By Anna Alger

Today, walking into the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, located in Northeast Ohio, feels markedly different than it did just a few years ago. The galleries are brighter. The spaces feel more open. Visitors encounter educators leading …
From the President: Experience is Everything

By Marilyn Jackson

As a museum marketing professional, I learned early on that the most effective way to attract an audience is to convey the experience a museum offers. But that experience is about more than what visitors get to “see and do.” It’s also …
The Visitor is for Keeps: Engaging Audiences with the Nurturing Model

By John Connolly

Does admission pricing limit access to museums? At the Harvard Art Museums, we stress-tested this question by launching free admission in 2023. The beautiful entrance piazza transformed into the bustling town square it was conceived to be. …
Peering into Percentages: A Q&A with Susie Wilkening

By Adam Rozan

Spend enough time reading or talking about museums, and you will inevitably come across statistics that convey the vibrancy or challenges of our field. For every percentage point, there is a person behind that figure, working hard to …