[BCMA] Museum Measurables

Fri Aug 3 16:41:51 PDT 2012

As Cliff says, there is a surprising amount of information on this topic. One paper I like titled "Measuring Museum Meaning," related to museum programming  can be found at: 
http://douglasworts.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Measuring-Museum-Meaning.pdf 

Ken

Kenneth Favrholdt
Executive Director/Curator
Osoyoos & District Museum and Archives
19 Park Place, Box 791
Osoyoos, BC, V0H 1V0
Ph. 250-495-2582
e-mail: museum1 at vip.net
www.osoyoosmuseum.ca

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. 
  To: bcma at lists.vvv.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2012 12:50 AM
  Subject: Re: [BCMA] Museum Measurables

  This is a question that has been raised before, obviously, and the BCMA did some significant work around this many years ago. I have an archive of some of the information at http://fishability.biz/research, including a paper by David Spalding (Standards for BC Museums, 1993), a research paper that I wrote (Standards Portfolio for the BCMA, 2002), resources from a presentation at the 2002 BCMA conference "Measuring Museums", including an extensive bibliography on the subject.

  Please have a look at these (there's a ton of information) and get in touch if you'd like to explore this further. I feel strongly about standards in the museum world. You can use these resources to create our own standards and not build a new wheel. There are many takes on this, and I really like something like the AAM approach where the museum is valued in the context of the community and its other assets. This allows for standards, but doesn't force small museums to abide by large museum standards.

  Cliff Quinn
  Systems Management
  250-727-7879

  On 31/07/2012 4:27 PM, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. wrote:

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent:	Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:11:01 -0700
From:	"Elisabeth Duckworth" <Educkworth at kamloops.ca>
Subject:	Re: Museum Measurables

For BCMA listserve.

The head of the Kamloops Parks, Recreation and Culture Department, of 
which the Kamloops Museum & Archives is a part, has asked that the 
department's annual report include measurables which are the industry 
standard for our various fields. That way we can clearly compare apples to 
apples and demonstrate how the Kamloops department is measuring up 
against other municipalities.

My question is, what are the BC museums community measurables? 
What are our "industry standards"?

We all measure attendance; hours of operation; revenues; exhibits; public 
openings; and programmes. 

Are there other ways to measure the community benefits of what museums 
do? 

Can we measure demographic targets or social outcomes? 

In this climate of disappearing budgets and the need to justify the purpose 
and benefit of what we do, I'm wondering if there are other, more meaningful 
measurables we can use in addition to numbers.

Please contribute your responses to the BCMA listserv by "Reply".

Thanks very much.    

- Elisabeth Duckworth, Supervisor, Kamloops Museum & Archives
Chair, Host Committee, BCMA Conference 2012
October 17-20, 2012, Kamloops, BC

Elisabeth Duckworth
Museum Supervisor
KAMLOOPS MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
Direct Line: 250.828.3576
www.kamloops.ca/museum

P Please consider the Environment before printing this email 

Our corporate mission is... 
MAKING KAMLOOPS SHINE 

"Jim Harding" <JHarding at MuseumsAssn.bc.ca> 09/07/2012 10:32 AM 

Hi Elisabeth;
Apologies for the delay in responding, but with the AGM, audit wrap-up & 
postscript(s), I can finally cath-up on some messages...

This would be a GREAT listserv posting in search of a model!

The closest we have come across are Tourism related measurements and 
the recent "Time Travel BC Project" produces monthly Google Analytics to 
monitor online traffic, etc.

But proper measurement practices are becoming more and more important, 
and expected as our sector's relationship with industry (tourism) & the 
corporate sector (visitor services & amenities) get closer.

Is it possible to re-phrase your query for the listservs? If you can or want, 
please send this to me and I will ensure it's posted & broadcast.

Will be in touch soon regarding Host Committee next steps, but as 
mentioned to Dennis in Vancouver, I do need a breakdown of cost 
projections for the social events (Opening/Welcome Reception, BC Reports, 
Awards Banquet, Guest Speaker/Minister's Luncheon, Refreshment 
Breaks), so I can complete a more specific Conference 2012 Budget. I am 
currently updating the BCMA's cash flow projection up to Conference time.

Thanks,
Jim

Good afternoon Jim,
Here's something different from the conference for a change!

I am working on my departmental annual report and the word from the department head is that we are to use measurables which are the industry standard for our various fields.

My question: is there a report, discussion paper, etc that talk about BCMA measurables for all our museums. We all measure the usual attendance, hours of operation, revenues, exhibits, etc, but are there measures people are using that measure the community benefits of what museums do, demographic targets, social outcomes, etc. 

A question easy enough to ask, but not so easy to answer. Thanks for any ideas or leads.  - Elisabeth Duckworth

Elisabeth Duckworth
Museum Supervisor
KAMLOOPS MUSEUM & ARCHIVES
Direct Line: 250.828.3576
www.kamloops.ca/museum

P Please consider the Environment before printing this email 

Our corporate mission is... 
MAKING KAMLOOPS SHINE 

_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694

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Cliff Quinn
Systems Management
250-727-7879

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