Abstract
This paper focuses on current research investigating the value of family-based, interactive galleries in art museums. Specifically, the presenter describes a large-scale, 3-year study across three art museums designed to better understand who uses these galleries, in what ways, and how the experience impacts families. Prior Perspectives or Theory Much research has focused on family learning over the last decade, however, most of it comes from studies conducted in science centers and childrens museums. Relatively little is known about family learning in art museums, despite the fact that more than 90% of art museums nationwide offer specialized programming for families. In addition to programming, increasing numbers of art museums are targeting families through dedicated interactive galleries, intended to "hook" parents and children into the museum and offer them a place to explore, engage, and interact with each other around works of art. Funded in 2007 by the Institute for Museum and Library Services, FLING (Family Learning in INteractive Galleries) is a research-based collaborative with three sites ? the Speed Museum of Art, Louisville, KY; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville, TN. Across all three of these art museums, researchers are investigating the impact of dedicated, interactive galleries for families. Specifically, two research studies are being conducted within the FLING collaborative ? one qualitative and one quantitative. this paper focuses on the quantitative study, designed to answer four overarching research questions: 1. Who are the families who visit interactive galleries in art museums? 2. Why do families visit these galleries? 3. How do families situate their visit to an interactive gallery within their overall museum experience? 4. What do families value about their visit to an interactive gallery in an art museum? Multiple methods are being used to answer these research questions, including face-to-face interviews and online questionnaires (N=800 per site). Importance Results from this study will provide insight into the learning expectations and outcomes for familybased galleries in art museums. The presenter will share methods and metrics for measuring the perceived value of interactive galleries for families, and highlight emerging results and their implications for the conceptualization and design of family-based galleries in art museums.