Reach Advisors FINAL For FORUM

AAM Live Webinar:
Understanding Life Stages of the Museum Visitor

June 24, 2009
*** TITLE ***

Understanding Life Stages
of the Museum Visitor
Produced in collaboration with:
Understanding Life Stages

of the Museum Visitor
James Chung
President
Susie Wilkening
Senior Consultant and Curator of
Museum Audiences
Reach Advisors
Photo: Austin Children’s Museum
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Today’s Webinar
In collaboration with:
AAM Committee on Education (EdCom)
AAM Committee on Audience Research and

Evaluation (CARE)
The AAM Press
Life Stages of the Museum

Visitor: Building Engagement
Over a Lifetime
By Susie Wilkening and

James Chung
The AAM Press
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Why We Are Here

f Generational demographics
f Demographic trends
f Museum advocates vs. core visitors
f Life stages of visitors
f Six trends to watch
What audience life stage do you want to POLL
know more about?

(Please choose no more than 2!)‫‏‬
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f At what type of museum do you work? POLL

(Please choose one that best applies.)
f What is your primary role at the museum? POLL
(Please indicate for yourself and an others participating with you.)‫‏‬
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Why Are Life Stages Important?
f Every life stage is interesting . . . These were the

ones that surprised us as well
f Magic of 7-year-olds
f Challenge of moms
f Generation Y
f Each group has different expectations, needs when

visiting museums . . . and each group visits different
types of museums
The Research
f Museum Research
f 2007 Association of Children’s Museums (ACM)
(n>5,000 from 33 US museums)‫‏‬
f 2008 outdoor history (n>5,500 from 13 US museums)‫‏‬
f 2008 Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)
(n>15,000 respondents from 50 museums in 4 countries)‫‏‬
f 2008 CT Cultural Consumers
(n>4,400 respondents from 24 CT cultural orgs)‫‏‬
f 2008 Future trends white paper for
AAM Center for the Future of Museums
f 2008 middle school study for Smithsonian Institution
f Consumer research / demographic analysis

f 2008 lifestyle survey (n=2,275 adults in 20s and 30s)‫‏‬
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Generational Dynamics
Looking at Generational Impact
Formative experiences Life stage Economic environment
Values Needs Aspirations/constraints
Consumer behaviors
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Four Generations of Adult Visitors
Matures/
Silents
Baby
Boomers Generation X
Generation Y
f Mature/Silent Generation
f Born: 1927-1945
f Age: 64-82
Source: US Census Bureau
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f Baby Boom Generation

f 1946-1964
f 45-63
f Annual birth rate up
30%
Source: US Census Bureau, Center for Disease Control
f Generation X
f 1965-1979
f 30-44
f Annual birth rate down
15%...
…immigration makes up most
of gap
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f Generation Y
f 1980-1990s
f Up to 29
f Birthrates up 10%, immigration
up
f Population bulge matches
Baby Boom
The
TheGenerational
generationalChallenge:
challenge:
f As Boomers approach retirement, they
aren’t behaving like the Matures did…
f As Gen X in peak years of family

formation and spending growth…
f As Generation Y enters adulthood…
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Demographic Trends
Two Shifts
f Increasingly aging
population
f Minority growth
Photo Credit: Mystic Seaport
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Increasingly Aging Population
Projecting Forward
1900s - 1970s
87-90% Caucasian
25 years ago
80% Caucasian
Now
66% Caucasian
25 years ahead
54% Caucasian
Core museum visitors today

91% Caucasian
Source: US Census Bureau and Reach Advisors surveys of >30,000 core museum visitors from >100 museums
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Audience Diversity
f US population: 66% Caucasian . . . but:
f 44% of minors are minority

f 47% of children <5 are minorities
f Half of minority youth are Hispanic
f More Caucasian 7-year-olds now than projected in
25 years
f Why? Shift to negative growth rate among
Caucasians
Audience Diversity
While museums do well with Caucasian, Asian

American, Mixed Race, and American Indian
audiences . . .
. . . . museums are falling short with African American,

Hispanic audiences
How can museums better reflect their

communities?
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f Have you had success reaching minority POLL
audiences?
What worked? If not, what didn’t work?
Museum Advocates
vs. Core Visitors
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f Why do you enjoy museums? POLL
(Please choose one that best applies.)
Museum Advocates vs. Core Visitors
All regular, repeat visitors to museum, but they have

different:
f Motivations
f Expectations
f Levels of personal engagement
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Museum Advocates
General public
Casual Visitor
Core Visitor
Museum
Advocate
How Are Museum Advocates Different?

f Age . . .
f But no other socio-demographic differences
f Omnivorous museum-going habits, cultural
consumers
f Active social lives
f Socially & environmentally aware
f Philanthropic giving motivations
f Significantly happier with museums
f Visit to fulfill own self-interest, curiosity
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Museum Advocate Densities
Among Core Visitors, varies widely by museum type

f >70% at art museums
f Slightly lower at history-based museums
f Only 12% of science-based museums
Why? Some types of museums have visitor bases

diluted by large numbers of Core Visitors
Museum Advocate Densities

BUT . . . relative densities are both good and bad
f Museums with low densities of Museum Advocates
have more Core Visitors
f Lower perceived barriers of entry
f Broader, less-satisfied audiences
f Museums with high densities of Museum
Advocates have:
f Happier, more sustainable base of visitors
f Higher perceived barriers of entry
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Creating More Museum Advocates

f Hands-on museums and narrative-based museums
have complimentary audiences
f By working together, these museums can create

more Museum Advocates by:
f Building family audiences at history, art museums
f Building adult audiences at hands-on museums
f Increasing emotional connections at hands-on
museums
f Increasing pipeline of Museum Advocates for all
museum types
f Creating broader, more sustainable audiences
Thought Starters
Density of Museum Advocates increases with age . . .
. . . is it life stage, or is it a generational shift?
Are younger adults less likely to be Museum Advocates?
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Thought Starters
What are the childhood museum experiences that

Museum Advocates share?
Can we also work towards a long-term plan of growing

new generations of Museum Advocates?
Magic of 7-Year Olds
Photo Credit: WonderWorks
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Museum Advocate Memories
f Interviews with 110 Museum Advocates in 20s, 30s
f Survey of 501 museum professionals
f . . . more research to come
Museum Advocate Memories –

Common Themes
f Median/Mean of earliest museum memory = 7
f About 2/3 of memories involve one/both parents
f About ¼ of memories involve only school field

trips
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Sticky Museums
f Natural history museums turn up disproportionately
f “[I was] maybe 4 years old and running around under

the huge whale . . . . I pretended I was swimming with
him – and we were friends.” – Museum Advocate
memory
f Art, history museums also key
f Why? Memories tend to be of large-scale, static exhibits

that promote internal activity, imagination
f e.g., dioramas, dollhouses, suits of armor

Sticky Museums
f Other museums do not appear in as many
memories, even when controlled for age
f Exception: strong memories of science centers
from current employees of science centers
f Other museums have less detailed memories
f Hands-on activities? <5% of memories
f Still important, just not memorable
f Parents view them as essential
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f As we continue research on Museum POLL
Advocates, what questions do our

findings so far raise for you?
Moms (and Dads)
Photo Credit: Lincoln Children’s Museum
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Moms – Why They Visit

f Learning – top reason to visit
f 65% visit children’s museums for learning opportunities
f 81% visit science museums for learning opportunities
f 59% visit outdoor history museums for family learning
f 70% visit CT museums for family learning
f Versus 64% of all visitors to “gain knowledge”
f Family time
f It’s about family time…not just the kids
f But only 1/3 bring spouse to outdoor history museums,
CT museums
Sources: Wallace Foundation/Urban Institute and Reach Advisors Analysis
Family Audiences
What’s missing here?

Mom’s interests.
Who is also missing?

Dad.
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Engaged Dads
f Only 1/3 of moms visit with spouse
f “My husband really doesn’t like these outdoor
museums”
f “. . . impatient husband”
f Dads that do respond:

f Generally older kids,
teens who are very
engaged
f Perhaps dad is rather
important . . .
Photo: Historic Deerfield
Moms: Focused on
“Child-Friendly” Museums
f Percentage of moms responding goes up based on
perception of “child-friendliness”
f Moms in 30s, 40s were:

f 72% of children’s museum respondents
f 44% of science museum respondents
f But only 10% of respondents to art museums,
historical societies, historic house museums
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Moms: A Tough Audience
f Generally most negative audience segment

f 30 – 42% feel needs are met
f Significantly less likely to describe self as “curious”
f Less likely to be members

f More likely to join for budgetary reasons
f Focused on the needs of their children

f “We,” “my family,” and “my kids” . . . not “I” or
“me”
f Mom’s needs, dad’s needs not considered
Moms – Cycling In, Cycling Out

f Significantly less likely to be Museum Advocates
f Estimated 6% – 42% of moms
f Bottom line:
f Mom is there for the kids
f Mom is not engaged herself
f Need to engage her interests, her intellect for
long-term sustainability
f Instead, cycling in, cycling out
f More Museum Advocates are needed
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Museum Advocates vs. Core Visitors
Museum Advocates:
Lifelong
Lifelong
Art,
Art, Botanical
Botanical Children’s
Children’s Science
Science History
History Museum
Museum
Gardens
Gardens Habit
Habit
Core Visitors:
Early
Early Elementary
Elementary Casual
Casual visitation
visitation
childhood: years: until
until
childhood: years:
Children’s, Science parenthood,
parenthood,
Children’s, Science repeat
Zoos
Zoos Centers,
Centers, Zoos
Zoos repeat as
as
grandparent
grandparent
Core Visitor Moms:

Second Class Visitors
f Mom makes herself a second-class visitor . . .
. . . and she doesn’t have to be
f Visits for the kids
f The fear: Her lack of

engagement/interest
rubs off on kids
f Need to engage her

interests, intellect too
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Museum Advocate Moms
f Museum Advocate moms are:

f Generally more community-oriented
f Omnivorous leisure-time habits
f Happier, more satisfied with museum
f More philanthropic
f More likely to be curious
f More likely to grow the next generation of
Museum Advocates
POLL
f Have you had success engaging f Have you seen disengaged

moms (along with her children!) moms on the floor of your
more deeply? What has worked? museum? How do you
What didn’t work? know (was it body
language, attitude, etc.)?
What does an engaged
mom do differently? How
does she do it?
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Generation Y Women
Generation Y Women
Curating their lives
f Creative, aesthetic
f More likely to
customize stuff
f Engaged in arts, crafts
f Much more likely to visit
museums than:
f Gen Y men
f Gen Y moms
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Generation Y Women
The reverse gender gap

f 70% of girls who graduate
high school go to college
f 60% of those graduating
college are women
f College graduation:
1.5x female/male ratio
Generation Y Women
f While American
women who work
full time earn
79% of men…
f …but in most
major metros,
women in 20s
now earn 100-
120% of men
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Generation Y Women
f Longer time as single

women?
f Postponement of
children?
f Increasing
involvement of
grandparents in
children’s lives?
f Stay-at-home dads?
f Impact on museums
that serve families?
POLL
POLL
f Have you had success engaging f What different sets of

Generation Ys? What has expectations do you think
worked? What didn’t work? Generation Y moms will
bring to museum over the
next ten years? How will
their creative mindset affect
museum visitation and
expectations?
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Layering It On: Six Trends
Six Trends for the Future

1. Changing American Population
1. Respite and Retreat
1. Authenticity
1. Extremely Creative Consumers
1. Incubators of Innovation
1. Narrative
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Trend 1: Changing American Population
f Majority-minority populations
f 91% of Core Visitors today are Caucasian
f Aging population
f More older men, women in the pipeline
f But how will they want to experience museums?
Trend 2: Respite and Retreat

f Where do we go for respite, retreat?
f Outdoors
f Places of worship
f Museums
f Why museums?
f Escape from technology
f Safe
f Beauty, calm, contemplation
f Trend is accelerating
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Trend 3: Authenticity
f Not a buzz phrase
f Authenticity “means everything”
f Authenticity is inherent in museums

f Repositories of original, real
f The catch: signal it, don’t say it
Trend 4: Extremely Creative Consumers

f Growing population of ECCs
f Especially among young adults
f Technology as a catalyst
f Better access to information
f Sharing & selling work
f Community-building
f Why the revolution in art, craft?

f Standing out from crowd
f Seeking authenticity
f Reaction to homogenization
f Lower cost of entry
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Trend 4: Extremely Creative Consumers
f Apprentice phase is peaking . . . what will

more masters create?
f How will this generational shift play out

through different life stages?
f How will this drive economic growth?
f How can museums foster the creative

process?
Trend 5: Incubators of Innovation

f Historical use of museums
f Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
f Innovation, creativity increasingly important

in global economy
f Museums as places for knowledge workers,

artists, artisans, scientists, designers, companies,
remote workers to congregate, become inspired
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Trend 6: Narrative
Participatory culture changing the playing field
Mainstream media
Personalized media
Personalized narratives
Trend 6: Narrative
Participatory culture changing the playing field
f Then:
narrative
was passive
. . . but
there were
seeds of
changes
f Now: YOU
are the
protagonist
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Trend 6: Narrative
f Not driving much change among older
generations, but . . .
f . . . those in their 20s are choosing this

narrative experience . . . and teens expect it
f How can museums leverage participatory

culture?
f How can museums internalize personal

narratives?
Concluding Thoughts
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Big Questions for the Future of Museums

f How will demographic shifts affect your museum?
f How will changes in narrative, creativity benefit

museums as Generation Y hits peak years of family
formation . . . and beyond?
f Can we convert adults from Core Visitors to Museum

Advocates?
f What is the 25-year-plan for museum visitors?

f How can we ensure 7-year-olds receive “sticky”
museum experiences?
How to do this?
f Partner with complementary museums
f Deeper involvement with community
f Build on trustworthiness, reputation, authenticity via

narrative, emotional hooks
f Layering content for children and adults
It is about more than visitation . . . it is also future

sustainability
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Museums Have It
f Places of:
f Thoughtfulness: “A great place to learn and have
fun”
f Wonder: “I have experiences I don't expect”
f Inspiration: “They expand my thinking”
f Connection: “Priceless memory shared between
family/friends”
f Solace: “I forget the real world for a while”
f Community: “They are the foundations of
modern life, society”
Available Resources
f Museum Audience Insight Blog –
http://reachadvisors.typepad.com
f Posts sorted by subject via “categories” menu on
right
f Presentation slides – contact James or Susie
f Life Stages of the Museum Visitor

f Available from AAM bookstore
f “Museums and Society 2034” white paper for AAM’s

Center for the Future of Museums
f http://aam-
us.org/upload/museumssociety2034.pdf
Sponsored by:
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Contact:
James Chung
617.489.6180 x 1
james@reachadvisors.com
Susie Wilkening
617.489.6180 x 4
susie@reachadvisors.com
Visit our blog for more data, information:
http://reachadvisors.typepad.com
f As we continue to do more research on POLL
these issues, what are your big questions

that you have that you would like to see
explored further?
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Life Stages of the Museum

Visitor: Building Engagement
Over a Lifetime
By Susie Wilkening and

James Chung
The AAM Press
AAM Museum Essentials

Webinar Series
Photo by Greg Stevens
Sponsored by:
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June 24, 2009

Webinar Series
f Strategic Thinking and Planning in
Today’s Economic Climate (July 1)‫‏‬
f Collections Conundrums (July 15)‫‏‬
f Planning for Exemplary Visitor Experiences (Sept. 9)‫‏‬
f Audience Research and Evaluation:

Why It Matters Now More Than Ever (Sept. 23)‫‏‬
f HR Basics: Evaluating and Coaching Employees (Oct. 21)‫‏‬
f Project Management Basics (Nov. 4)‫‏‬

Webinar Series
Photo by Greg Stevens
www.aam-us.org/profed
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June 24, 2009
Sponsors
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AAM Live Webinar:

Understanding Life Stages of the Museum Visitor

*** TITLE ***

Produced in collaboration with:

Understanding Life Stages

AAM Committee on Audience Research and

The AAM Press

Life Stages of the Museum

By Susie Wilkening and

Why We Are Here

f Museum advocates vs. core visitors

f Life stages of visitors

f Six trends to watch

 What audience life stage do you want to POLL

know more about?

f At what type of museum do you work? POLL

f What is your primary role at the museum? POLL

(Please indicate for yourself and an others participating with you.)‫‏‬

Why Are Life Stages Important?

f Every life stage is interesting . . . These were the

f Each group has different expectations, needs when

f Consumer research / demographic analysis

Looking at Generational Impact

Formative experiences Life stage Economic environment

Values Needs Aspirations/constraints

Four Generations of Adult Visitors

Four Generations of Adult Visitors

Source: US Census Bureau

Four Generations of Adult Visitors

f Baby Boom Generation

Source: US Census Bureau, Center for Disease Control

Four Generations of Adult Visitors

Source: US Census Bureau, Center for Disease Control

Four Generations of Adult Visitors

Source: US Census Bureau, Center for Disease Control

f As Gen X in peak years of family

f As Generation Y enters adulthood…

Photo Credit: Mystic Seaport

Increasingly Aging Population

Core museum visitors today

f US population: 66% Caucasian . . . but:

f 44% of minors are minority

While museums do well with Caucasian, Asian

. . . . museums are falling short with African American,

How can museums better reflect their

f Have you had success reaching minority POLL

What worked? If not, what didn’t work?

f Why do you enjoy museums? POLL

(Please choose one that best applies.)

Museum Advocates vs. Core Visitors

All regular, repeat visitors to museum, but they have

How Are Museum Advocates Different?

Museum Advocate Densities

Among Core Visitors, varies widely by museum type

Why? Some types of museums have visitor bases

Museum Advocate Densities

Creating More Museum Advocates

f By working together, these museums can create

Density of Museum Advocates increases with age . . .

. . . is it life stage, or is it a generational shift?

Are younger adults less likely to be Museum Advocates?

What are the childhood museum experiences that

Can we also work towards a long-term plan of growing

* TITLE *

What audience life stage do you want to POLL