[Bcma-l] Re: Guided Tours with Headsets]

[bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca]

I am considering the cell phone route-does anyone have any feedback on
this-does it encourage other annoying cell phone use for instance?
Debbie Trueman, General Manager
Nanaimo District Museum
P (250)753-1821
F (250)740-0125
debbie@nanaimomuseum.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
[mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 4:21 PM
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Subject: RE: [Bcma-l] Re: Guided Tours with Headsets]


Apologies if this suggestion was presented earlier.
Another option to consider is a cell phone program. The New Museum in
New York utilizes this system as well as some other New York art
museums. I did not use it, however I noticed several people who did.
Individuals dialled in a specific code related to an object and they
received their information...kind of slick. The savings on
purchasing/leasing or maintenance of hand-held devices would be
significant. I do not know about the start up costs though - they may be
more. Something to think about.
Regards,
Darrin Martens
Director/Curator
Burnaby Art Gallery
6344 Deer Lake Avenue
Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5G 2J3
Tel: 604.297.4426
Fax: 604.205.7339
E-mail: darrin.martens@burnaby.ca
www.burnabyartgallery.ca

Please note that the gallery's phone numbers are changing. As of
February 28, 2008 my direct line will be 604.297.4426. The gallery's
main line will be 604.297.4422.


-----Original Message-----
From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca
[mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 6:20 AM
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Subject: [Bcma-l] Re: Guided Tours with Headsets]

What a thoughtful response, Bill!  And so insightful!
Having worked at both Barkerville and Hat Creek Ranch as a live
interpreter, I totally agree with all you have said, and have learned
from it too.  Thank you!

During the course of my work in history interpretation over the past
seventeen years, I have spent much time, money and effort, researching
various other forms of bringing history to life, as well as that with
which I'm so deeply involved.

Most recently, I was privileged to visit the Philadelphia Art Museum and
the Frida Kahlo exhibit in particular.  They had audio tours there.
Here's my
report:-

Headsets attached to remote controls were distributed by two personnel
at the beginning of the exhibit and collected by another two at the end.
Given that this exhibit was extremely popular and the PAG is an enormous
institution, it still illustrates the fact that someone has to be
available to distribute and collect the audio sets, check them for
functionality and maintain them (including avoiding health risks by
sterilization or earpiece replacement).

There were attendants throughout the exhibit.  They looked bored and
disinterested and were, when approached, not particularly helpful or
well-informed - a negative experience for both staff and visitor.
However, these attendants were necessary to maintain security and
protect the paintings/photographs from damage, as would be the case at a
museum or historic site.  Sections at a site can be fenced off, of
course, but that could drastically reduce any sense of involvement with
the past and generally creates a 'then and now/them and us' situation
which I find reduces visitor interest considerably.

A positive aspect, in this instance, was that the stations and
corresponding audio were numbered in such as way as to guide the visitor
through Frida Kahlo's remarkable work and life (both so inextricably
linked), in a chronological and developmental journey that might
otherwise have been missed.

Numbers beside the paintings discussed on audio were large and well
placed.

The sets were expensive and sophisticated, light and easy to operate.
The sound control was such that no one's audio journey interefered with
that of another's (and the exhibit was crowded to capacity).

Several different voices (both male and female; some Mexican, some
American, some European; some old, some young) were used on the tape.
This created variety and maintained interest.  However, there were two
voices that were
constant: that of the 'guide' and that of the curator.  This produced a
sense of comfort, almost to the degree of friendship.  Quite important,
actually, in my view, and something that a live interpreter supplies
automatically.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audio experience and learned a great deal about
Frida Kahlo and her work.  However, I'd recommend headsets for a
relatively small museum like Bella Coola, where visitors can be
monitored and security of artifacts maintained, over an artifact on a
living history site, like the roadhouse at Hat Creek Ranch, which is a
long way from the Visitors' Centre and would mean some lonely soul has
to stand around with little to do, when not maintaining the garden and
dusting.

Christine Pilgrim
Hands-on-History
Website: www.christinepilgrim.com
Email: christinepilgrim@telus.net
Phone/Fax: 1 877 767 7622 (Toll free) & (250) 542 4152 (Local) The
Caetani House
4-3401 Pleasant Valley Road
Vernon   BC  V1T 4L4

> April 14, 2008
>
> Dear Colleagues:
>
> Back in 1990 we had tape players rented with guided tours.  We came to

> the conclusion that they may have a place in a static museum
> situation, but that they took away from the experience at a site like
> Barkerville.  They are not as free from the need of a human as one
> would think - they break down, one has to manage them, etc.  We felt
> the money was best spent having a real person rather than the head
set.
>
> I do see how they might have advantages in certain situations - like
> the wands at the Egyptian exhibition at Expo 86 - an exhibit with a
> beginning and an end where someone can be stationed to distribute and
> pick up the equipment.  But, they are pieces of equipment that you
> have to drag around, that can become easily lost or misplaced -
> especially at a place like Hat Creek where there are so many nooks and

> crannies.  I would think twice before investing in technology that
> requires servicing, maintenance and accounting, especially in an
outdoor situation.
>
> If you are looking at technology that 'tells you as you go along' then

> one might consider motion activated devices that turn on when people
> self actuate it or move past it.  Signage can have the same effect and

> could be much cheaper in the long run.  If you are trying to achieve
> ambience with voice overs - i.e. the story told by a worker at the
> ranch - remember that people have limited attention spans and will
> only listen for a short while prior to making a decision to move on -
> unless there is something visual to keep their attention.  There are
> digital picture frames now that also could be investigated - they can
> be programmed to rotate from image to image and I would think that a
> continuous play device could have voice overs for such a treatment.
>
> In general exhibit development, we gage that a sentence or two is the
> most that one will actually read.  We do have longer texts and some
> recorded material, but, in general it is no more time consuming than
> what a general visitor might endure.  We have also utilized some
> formats that are much lengthier, such as placement of an entire book
> (laminated and with solid rings for turning pages) of information for
> those who really want in-depth information that an interpreter would
just not have at their command.
> However, in terms of getting a message across - a good headline is the

> best (newspapers are the best examples).
>
> Note that there are also health considerations with head sets - what
> was in that last person's ear/hair, etc.???  And, not least, will it
> distract people in the ranch setting - which has horses, wagons, etc.,

> that a person listening to the head set might become entangled with?
>
> W. (Bill) G. Quackenbush, Curator
> Barkerville Historic Town,
> Box 19, Barkerville, B.C.  V0K 1B0
> Telephone: 1-888-994-3332; ex. 25
> Fax: 1-250-994-3435
> bill.quackenbush@barkerville.ca
> visit - www.barkerville.ca for general information

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