Main Topics Covered in this Episode

The Psychology of the Family Visitor

Families primarily visit museums for personal, social, and emotional reasons rather than just to digest information. Empirical research shows that caregivers view museums as spaces that actively enable them to fulfill and excel in their parenting roles.

The Big Three Visitor Motivations

While there are several visitor identity types, family groups consistently consist of Facilitators (caregivers wanting to teach but often feeling ill-equipped), Explorers (curiosity-driven visitors trying to balance their own exploration with that of their family), and Experience Seekers (socially-driven visitors focusing heavily on memory-making over content and information).

Practical Scaffolding Strategies

Museums can better serve families by shifting the burden of education away from the caregivers. This can be achieved by providing conversational scripts and tools, utilizing collaborative inquiry formats like the "Juicy Question Game", and capturing intent or reflection during critical threshold moments at the entrance and exit.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

All the resources referenced in this episode are linked here.

• Join the Engagement Lab! 

• Find out how to partner with Rachel to improve your museum programs 

• You can find all the books I recommend on this podcast on my Bookshop.org Podcast Recommendations & Resources List, including the ones mentioned in this episode: 

  • The Value of Museums: Enhancing Societal Well-Being (2022) 

  • Identity and the Museum Visitor Experience (2009) 

• Academic Articles Referenced:

  • Analyzing family group decisions to visit museums

    • Wu, K.-L., Holmes, K., & Tribe, J. (2010). ‘Where do you want to go today?’ An analysis of family group decisions to visit museums. Journal of Marketing Management, 26(7–8), 706–726. https://doi.org/10.1080/02672571003780007

  • Study on the National Day of Families (Italy)

    • Borrione, P., Friel, M., & Segre, G. (2021). “Kids, today we’re going to the museum!” Discriminating factors in museum visiting for families with children in Italy. International Journal of Arts Management, 23(3), 21–31. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48650702

  • How to play the Juicy Question Game (and more on family learning)

    • Gutwill, J. P., & Allen, S. (2010). Facilitating family group inquiry at science museum exhibits. Science Education, 94(4), 710–742. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20387

Fostering Family Engagement in Museums FAQs

How do I foster family engagement in my museum if parents feel intimidated by the content? 

You can foster family engagement by scaffolding (or supporting) the experience specifically for the grownups. Instead of filling gallery guides with facts and directions, leave space to provide caregivers with guided prompts, conversation starters, and simple inquiry tools that make them look like the expert and feel confident facilitating the learning session.

What are the primary reasons families choose to visit museums? 

According to visitor framework research, family groups are primarily driven by three identity roles: facilitators (adults looking to teach their kids), explorers (visitors driven by curiosity), and experience seekers (families looking for a shared, social memory-making environment). Connection is almost always their first priority, and content comes second.

What is a "threshold moment" in a museum visit and how can it be used for family engagement? 

Threshold moments are the predictable moments at the very beginning and very end of a family’s museum visit. You can maximize these moments by using visual cues or question prompts to help families set a shared learning intention when they enter, and hold a meaningful reflection on what they experienced before they walk out the door.

Related Episodes and Blog Posts

Is your interest peaked? Find out more with these related episodes and posts.

• Episode 5: The Social Context of a Museum Visit 

• Episode 22: How to Design Museum Programs That Work for Kids and Adults (Coming Soon!)

Let’s keep the conversation going!

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Connect with Rachel

The Modern Museum Education Podcast is for museum educators who are stretched thin but know this job is worth it!

Designed for busy professionals at small and mid-sized museums, this is the go-to resource for quality advice and ideas to help you reverse the cycle of being overworked and underappreciated. 

Here we bridge the gap between education scholarship and real-world realities. Each week we dive into how the latest research in museum pedagogy can make your work simpler, easier, and less stressful. 

Each week you can look forward to bite-sized, actionable tips and support, grounded in solid research and Rachel’s decades of experience. Listen and learn more about: 

• Family Program Design

• Visitor Motivation

• Avoiding Staff Burnout

• Dealing with Difficult Audiences

• Leading with Empathy

• …and more!

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