Edtec 671
Project Two:
Informal Learning
Museum Visit
claudia@websterdesign.net
4.3.11 : EdTec671 : Wednesday Nights
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Museum Visit - California Academy of Sciences
My museum visit took place in San Francisco at the California Academy of Sciences Museum. It was the opening reception for the CBC (Craft Brewers Conference). The evening was cold. After getting off buses, we had to wait in the rain, getting soaked, for 15 minutes at least prior to getting in. Standing out in that cold and damp, no one was feeling happy. But once we all got inside, the transformation was amazing. The museum had something that would appeal to almost everyone. Of course it started with endless beer and appetizers for us all. Perhaps there were some who merely went from station to station sampling beers and food, but the exhibits ranged from typical giant dinosaur bones, to tiny bugs and butterflies, fish and stars, something for every taste. Here is the description from their website: "[this museum is] the only place on the planet with an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum, and a 4-story rainforest all under one roof." Who could resist an opportunity like this?
The museum was designed to be user friendly. Employees stood by carts loaded with materials relating to the display they were near. You could pick things up and ask questions. The displays themselves were designed to be multi-dimensional instead of a static flat presentation. Rather than being surface-mounted, the exhibits and connecting data were suspended from the top of each display. This gave a sense of hierarchy to the information covered. Headlines or material being displayed would be closer to the front of the glass cases to catch your interest, to beckon you to come closer. Tthe finer details were set further back in the case. If not completely intrigued, you could still pick up some details quickly while wandering past. The bold information was in your face, viewable at a distance.
I sat down several times on benches and talked to whomever happened to sit with me. I was particularly excited after being downstairs and going through the aquarium. The display of jellyfish was like art in motion. Nature's performance art. I shot photo after photo. Thank goodness for the iphone which adapts quickly to varying levels of light. The exhibit was lit with blue lights that contrasted beautifully with the orange of the jellyfish. Once back upstairs, I shared my pictures with others and they were so intrigued they went down to see for themselves.
This museum was really set up for interaction or active participation by the visitor. Sensitive materials were all behind glass, but there were enough materials that were hands-on to reinforce the learning experience. I am sure this visit made quite an impression on the audience that night. Rather than having their opening reception in a large hall, with attendees mostly remaining in their safety zone of familiar contact, they gave us a truly interactive experience. Participation level was up to the individual, but as the evening passed you could see people moving quickly up and down the stairs and through areas to make sure they didn't miss anything. We were more likely to break the ice and talk about whichever visual we were observing or experiencing at the moment. Or to encourage people to go on to see this exhibit or that one, just around the corner, or further down the room. Did you see the giant bugs? Did you touch the starfish? Did you watch the jellyfish? Did you go in the rainforest? Not an evening that would be remembered as a boring trip to a museum, but an exciting evening with wow factor.
The museum seemed to be following the ARCS model of learning. They grabbed your attention, made their exhibits relevant by starting with the familiar and expanding beyond. No stress on the level of learning gave the viewer confidence to enjoy the experience, and the opportunity to leave feeling satisfied with the evening. The knowledge gained might not have been deep, but if it tugged at the audiences imagination, as it did with me, it should be considered a success.