About Visitor Studies and Evaluation
We study visitors to museums, gardens, zoos, and other informal learning settings to understand and enhance learning experiences. Systematic data collection and analysis allows for documenting the effectiveness of exhibitions and programs, establishing accountability, and identifying needed improvements.
Jeff Hayward describes it this way:
...there are some common features to the practice of audience research and evaluation in the museum field, and you might think of these as "the basics:"
Read his complete article, What's a Museum Evaluator? here.
And while we've all been wishing to be as cool as museum planner Jeanne Vergeront, she's been wishing to be as cool as us! Who knew? Read her blog post about Museum Evaluators here.
We study visitors to museums, gardens, zoos, and other informal learning settings to understand and enhance learning experiences. Systematic data collection and analysis allows for documenting the effectiveness of exhibitions and programs, establishing accountability, and identifying needed improvements.
Jeff Hayward describes it this way:
...there are some common features to the practice of audience research and evaluation in the museum field, and you might think of these as "the basics:"
- designs studies to investigate and describe visitor experience in ways that can inform planning and management decisions;
- uses social science practices and principles to collect, analyze, and interpret data about visitors' use, perceptions of, and learning from exhibits, programs, etc.; and
- guides or participates in the process of understanding and applying evaluation findings to improve exhibits and experiences designed for visitors.
- a sense of being current in the field, contributing insights about visitor experience when possible;
- the capability of facilitating the process of defining your goals and setting your expectations for visitor-related outcomes of your exhibits; and
- a resource to the team for applying results and brainstorming options.
Read his complete article, What's a Museum Evaluator? here.
And while we've all been wishing to be as cool as museum planner Jeanne Vergeront, she's been wishing to be as cool as us! Who knew? Read her blog post about Museum Evaluators here.
About Me
A native of Santa Rosa, California, I have always been interested in people and places. I studied Classical Civilizations at Brigham Young University (BA 1992), Museum Studies at San Francisco State University (MA 1994), and Instructional Psychology and Technology at BYU (MS 2016). My particular areas of research and practice are visitor studies and evaluation, and interdisciplinary connections to museum work - see the "Cross Pollination" tab for more on that. I live and work in Utah.
photo credit: All in One Photography
Selected Project Examples (links)
Evaluation Report of a Museum Theater Production
Tracking and Timing Report
Professional Affiliations
Museum of Peoples and Cultures at Brigham Young University
Thanksgiving Point Institute
American Alliance of Museums
Visitor Studies Association
Association of Children's Museums Research Network
Publications, Presentations and Recognition
Nelson, K.R. (2020) Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving Point. Museum and Society, 18(3).
Luke, J.J. et al. (2019) What caregivers observe about their children’s learning during a visit to the children’s museum. Journal of Museum Education, 44 (4).
Ashton, S., Johnson, E., Nelson, K.R., Ortiz, J. and Wicai, D. (2019) Brace for Impact. Museum, 98 (3), 26-31.
Nelson, K.R. and Rivera, N. (2018). Caregivers’ Perceptions of Learning in Children’s Museums. Hand to Hand, Vol. 32 No. 1.
Nelson, K.R. (2018). Designing motivating signage in a water-wise garden. Public Gardens, 33 (4).
Nelson, K.R. and Tonsgard, A. (2017). Defining play: practical applications. Hand to Hand, 21:2-3.
Ashton, S., Nelson, K.R., and Milward, L. (2017). Careers in Museum Learning: Making a Difference in Museums Through Instructional Design. In R.E. West (Ed.) Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. Ed Tech Books. http://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations
Nelson, K. R. (2015). Application of Merrill's First Principles of Instruction in a Museum Education Context. Journal of Museum Education, 40(3), 304-313.
Warr, M. C., Nelson, K. R., & West, R. E. (2014). Cognition and Instruction. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
Utah Museums Association, 2020, co-presenter: Creating College Collaborations.
American Public Gardens Association, 2020, co-presenter: "Designing Surveys for the Information You Need."
Utah Museums Association, 2019, co-presenter, session chair: "Do We Need an Education Core Document?"
Visitor Studies Association, 2019, co-presenter, session chair: "The Great Outdoors: Visitor Studies and Evaluation in Outdoor Settings."
Association of Children's Museums, 2019, co-presenter: "Findings and Implications of the Children's Museum Research Network."
American Public Gardens Association, 2019, co-presenter, session chari: "Get on the Path to Understanding Your Visitors."
Visitor Studies Association, 2018, co-presenter: "Researching from a Field-Wide Perspective."
Association of Children's Museums, 2018, co-presenter: "What Were They Thinking? Exploring Parent and Caregiver perceptions of learning in Children’s Museums."
American Public Gardens Association, 2018 "Getting Creative with Interpretive Signage."
Visitor Studies Association 2017 , full day workshop co-presenter with Beverly Serrell: “Exhibition Timing and Tracking: What’s it Good for? Show Me the Data!”
Visitor Studies Association 2017, co-presenter: “Children’s Museum Research Network: A Case Study in Collaborative Research.”
Western Museums Association 2016, co-presenter: “Asking the Right Questions in Evaluation.”
Utah Museums Association 2016, Workshop co-presenter: Evaluation 101.
Mountain West Arts Conference 2016, co-presenter: “The Value of Data.”
Utah Museums Association 2015, co-presenter: “Evaluation as a Mechanism for Change.”
AAM 2013, Small Museums Table Talk Facilitator: "Internal Evaluation for Busy People"
UMA 2012, co-presenter: “Docent Programs Large and Small”
UMA 2008, co-presenter: “Teaching Kits 101”
Utah Museums Association: 2019 Phil Notoriani Award for dedication, service, and commitment to Utah's Museum Community.
American Alliance of Museums:2014 Conference Fellowship in Museum Education