One of the perks at last week’s NAI National Workshop in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was free admission to the Science Museum of Minnesota. There were many other perks as well, though I wouldn’t consider a lutefisk facial one of those benefits.
The museum was an amazing place. Here are some pictures and thoughts that I wanted to share.
The museum lobby also hosts a visitor center for the National Park Service’s Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area. I found this relationship strange initially (not a strange as the combination of fish and lye) but after understanding their proximity to the river as well as the visitation at the museum it made sense.
An overlook adjacent to the museum is highlighted by several wayside exhibits.
The National River site also takes time to interpret the urban landscape, a view a readily available as views of the river. I can imagine a planning meeting discussing the need to interpret the river but resolving to interpret other elements of the landscape. I love the rock pedestals but I’m not sure how well the fit into the landscape.
National River interpretation also spills over into a creative use of tabletop exhibits that are very well designed and an interesting use of space.
Paul wrote on Monday about the use of Twitter hashtags. Here’s the museum’s take on collecting feedback while visitors are waiting in line for their tickets. It sets the stage for visitors to share their thoughts throughout their experience. The questions give visitors something to Tweet about. This helps those struggling for something interesting to say. This is an effective use of social media through interpretation.
Okay, so I haven’t shown you anything from the inside of the museum. More to come in a future post.
But heaven forbid one try to use the free entry perk on Sunday morning after the conference. A perfect example of how that initial impression can destroy a visitor experience, no matter how wonderful the rest of the place is.
The first time I went, I paid. I figured the museum could use my fees. The next two times, I used my name badge. I think it’s great they honored the name badges during the offical conference times (Tues-Sat); that’s asking a lot of a museum that charges $13.00 or so. And, when I went in on Thursday, they mentioned that they had 80 people or so by that point. Great exhibits, too. We had a lot of fun.
I really like the “tweet iggy” idea. I especially like the question about what planet you would go to.
The tables made me imagine a coffee shop with an interpretive exhibit theme. I’m trying to cling to that image so I don’t wind up picturing a “lutefisk facial.”
I absolutely love science museums. Can’t wait to see the rest of it.
I would not have minded paying, but the way their staff handled it just left a bad taste in my mouth. It’s a reminder that sometimes in the world of interpretation, we encounter situations that call for tact and basic customer service skills – and some places completely fail at that.
An entire post with no mention of food, beverage, family, or baseball. Not sure what that means.
The rock pedestals also struck me funny – out of place. However, they do tell the story of the city scape (I beam) balancing on top of the natural river bank (stone). Had that sign been placed in or next to the prairie garden, I don’t think it would look so out of place and reinforce the point even more. That is if that was the point…