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Leisure—A function of museums? The Taiwan perspective
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Museum Management and Curatorship 21 (2006) 302–316 www.elsevier.com/locate/musmancur
Leisure—A function of museums? The Taiwan perspective Yung-Neng Lin Leisure Management, Yu Da College of Business, 168 Hsueh-hu Road, Tanwen Village, Chaochiao Township, Miaoli County 361, Taiwan, ROC Received 13 April 2006; received in revised form 12 September 2006; accepted 28 September 2006
Abstract The main factor preventing non-visitors from visiting museums is ‘lack of interest’. But the causes of this ‘lack of interest’ are different in Taiwan than in western countries. Taiwanese non-visitors on low incomes are deterred by the strong association of museums with education. They want an experience that will be relaxing, enjoyable and pleasurable, and one which will not require any effort. They do not perceive museums as providing this. Non-visitors want museums to function more obviously as leisure venues that the whole family can actively enjoy. They say museums need to promote themselves as places for exploration and entertainment, as well as for education and learning. If museums wish to attract low-income non-visitors, they must consider how the needs of the non-visiting public can be met. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Museums; Education; Barriers to visiting; Leisure
1. Introduction The museum community is committed to serving a representative audience, one in which the profile of visitors reflects that of the population as a whole. However, this is not typically easy to do in practice. Museum visiting is perceived as an elitist activity and museums themselves play on this perception in the way they seek sponsorships and portray themselves. The patron audience is seen as predominantly well-off. Tel.: +886286260565.
E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (Y.N. Lin). 0260-4779/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.musmancur.2006.09.002
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Museum visitors rank higher, on average, in terms of socio-economic status than the population as a whole, and the participation rate climbs the more elevated the income, educational background and social class—all of which are interrelated (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a). But what turns other people away from museums? The thinking behind the decision whether or not to visit a museum is often complex. For example, Torkildsen (1999) identifies three major factors which affect people’s leisure activity choices in general— personal, social and circumstantial, as well as opportunity factors. The first group of factors relates to personal circumstances such as age, gender, attitudes and interests. The second cluster of factors includes occupation and income, and the influence of friends and peer groups. The third group of factors concerns the available resources and leisure time, transport and awareness. In addition, Prince (1983) and Merriman (1991) identify two groups of barriers specific to museums—the cultural and the practical. Cultural barriers arise from the image of museums and the public’s attitude towards museum services; practical barriers are issues such as entry fees, travel and time requirements. McLean (1997) also describes psychological and structural barriers. Psychological barriers arise from people’s sense of alienation from museums, while structural barriers include problems related to physical access and people’s age. The barriers which discourage people from visiting museums have been discussed extensively in the literature over the last decade (e.g. Davies, 1994; RCMG, 2002). They have also been examined in a number of large-scale research projects (e.g. Lin, 2004; MLA, 2004a; MORI, 2001). According to this research, barriers to visiting include lack of interest, lack of time, lack of understanding, and cost. Among these barriers, lack of interest is likely to be the most significant. Why are non-visitors not interested in visiting museums? Hood argues that museums may not be providing the kinds of experiences which satisfy their expectations (1983). She has identified three major psychological attributes that influence how non-visitors choose to spend their leisure time: the desire to be with people, or for social interaction; the need to feel comfortable and at ease in one’s surroundings; and the desire for active participation. Museum visitors, on the other hand, rank these three attributes much lower, valuing instead ‘the opportunity to learn’, ‘the challenge of new experiences’, and ‘the chance to do something worthwhile’ (ibid, p. 54). What can museums do about any of this? The purpose of this study is to explore the factors deterring one of the most underrepresented groups—people with lower incomes— from visiting museums (including history museums, galleries and science centres) in Taiwan, to consider the reasons behind the phenomenon, and to propose what museum managers can do to address these issues. 2. Research design A quantitative questionnaire survey and in-depth qualitative interviews were employed in this research. A quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted in phase one to find out who visits museums and to identify barriers keeping non-visitors away. Taipei City was chosen as the target area and a quota sample of 2447 people were surveyed to ensure the relevant people and factors were covered. All 12 administrative districts in Taipei City were used as sampling areas. Respondents, who were aged 15 and over, were selected according
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to five-cell quotas as follows: Sex: male, female. Age: 15–24, 25–44, 45 and above. The quotas were created using the information contained in ‘The Statistical Abstract of Taipei City 2003’ (Taipei City Government, 2004). In each district, quotas reflected the composition of that district in order to ensure that the demographic profile of the sample represented the actual profile of the city. In this way, it was ensured that the sample would be representative of all adults in Taipei City aged 15 and over, although the response rates could not be acquired. Fieldwork was carried out over a 3-week period, from the 19th of July to the 8th of August, 2004. In phase two, qualitative interviews were conducted with subjects whose personal income amounted to less than 252,458 NT dollar. This put them into the lowest of the five personal income levels defined in the ‘Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in the Taiwan Area, 2002’ (Executive Yuan—Central Region Office, 2003). Thirty non-visitors on lower incomes were interviewed face-to-face between December 2004 and the end of April 2005, to supplement phase one of the study. The snowball sampling technique was employed, which involved asking interviewees in the lower income groups being studied whether they knew anyone else who fitted the required profile. Each individual nominated was interviewed in turn and asked to name a further sample subject. The fact that interviewees were making personal recommendations helped ‘vouch for the legitimacy’ of the research. The findings here explained and illustrated in more detail the findings from phase one. The researcher believed that the mixed method approach would address all aspects of the research questions, yielding a macro-level perspective in phase one and a micro-level perspective in phase two. In-depth interviews were conducted with the following types of interviewees (Table 1). This report draws heavily upon the qualitative findings to describe the factors affecting the visiting habits of lower income respondents. 3. Who visits museums? The findings provide material for discussion of the current status of museum visiting in Taipei City, including the profile of museum visitors and the existing variations. Table 2 indicates that visiting museums is a popular cultural activity among residents in Taipei. This is shown by the overwhelming majority of respondents (64.8%) stating that they had Table 1 Snowball sampling frame in phase two study 15–24
Male Female
25–44
45 and above
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
7 6
23 20
3 7
10 23
4 3
13 10
Base: All interviewees (30).
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Table 2 At least one visit to a museum in 12 months prior to survey (2004) % visiting museums All adults Male Female
64.8 61.8 67.7
Age group 15–19 20–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65+
66.4 62.6 65.7 67.9 65.2 63.6 56.0
Level of education Postgraduate or above University/college Senior high school Junior high school or below
75.4 69.0 62.3 44.6
Personal income NT$1,000,001+ NT$750,001–NT$1,000,000 NT$500,001–NT$750,000 NT$250,001–NT$500,000 NT$250,000 or below
73.5 72.6 68.3 62.9 62.0
Base: All respondents (2447) in phase one of study. Note: 1 British £ ¼ 57 New Taiwan dollar.
visited a museum at least once in the 12 months prior to the research in 2004. Nevertheless, inequality of participation does exist. According to the literature, people of higher socio-economic status tend to visit museums more than others (Davies, 1994; Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a; Lin, 2004; Merriman, 1991; MLA, 2004a, 2004b; MORI, 2001; Nichols, 2003). This is matched by the findings here, which suggest that the participation rate for museums is strongly related to income and educational background. More affluent and well-educated people are more likely to visit than other groups. Inequality of participation exists in museum visiting in Taipei in the way that those on lower incomes, the less well-educated and older people are underrepresented; and these factors are likely to be strongly interrelated (Heilbrun and Grey, 2001). 4. Non-visitors’ perceptions of museums Disproportional participation rates in Taipei were clearly identified in phase one of the study. To discover what factors are keeping non-visitors with lower incomes out of museums, it was essential to explore their perceptions of these institutions. One of the prime functions of museums is to act as resources for education and learning—indeed, this is arguably their raison d’eˆtre (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a). Most
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museum professionals believe that museums were established as educational institutions, to motivate and encourage people to develop their imagination and to provide them with opportunities to acquire knowledge and experience (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994b). Importantly, this viewpoint—that museums are educational institutions—is also supported widely by the general public, including those who are not direct consumers. This has been shown in many surveys (e.g. Prince, 1990; Scott, 2002), which have revealed that museum professionals and the general public share a common view (at an abstract level) of this fundamental role of museums. The findings from this research follow the same pattern. In the qualitative interviews, it emerged that 27 of the interviewees had not visited a museum in the previous 5 years and the other three had not visited a museum in the previous 12 months. Even so, the vast majority of respondents, whether or not they liked visiting museums, shared similar perceptions to the museum professionals. They believed that museums are places for education and learning, and they recognised their importance in modern society. They have a positive function for education. I’ve been to museums before. Actually, if you can concentrate, you will learn a lot, including things you cannot get from books. Female, 20 This perception may have been encouraged by the government. In Taiwan, the majority of national museums and galleries are governed by the Ministry of Education (Council for Cultural Affairs, 2005), and students at all educational levels are actively encouraged by government and schools to visit museums as often as possible. Some respondents also emphasised how important it is that children visit museums. They felt that museums can be used as teaching resources and that school children benefit most from museum visiting. This may explain one of the findings in the first phase of the study: the 35–44 age group, which is the age group most likely to have school age children, demonstrated the highest participation rate (67.9%). Their educational function is very important. yIt is very good for children to visit them. Female, 23 They are good places for learning and gaining knowledge. Female, 50 Apart from this educational function, several respondents felt that museums are of most interest to scholars or artists. The view among respondents was that specialised expertise is required to visit museums. They thought that they would not understand the exhibitions, especially in arts museums; that museums had nothing to do with their life and were therefore boring. Artists and writers visit them very often. Those people and collections are nothing to do with my everyday life. I feel that they are irrelevant to me. Female, 29 In the qualitative interviews, most respondents also recognised the importance of museums as preservers of the past. Some felt it was important to learn about the past and ancient people’s wisdom.
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Museums reveal our history and culture through their collections. For example, things such as pottery, jade and paintings all have their own stories. When you only look at a book, it’s difficult to properly appreciate them. It’s much better when you see them for real. Female, 52 On the other hand, a few young male respondents showed a reluctance to learn about history. They viewed museums as boring, stuffy and dull places, because they did not value old objects. Museums are places to put old stuff. Only those people who have antiques will visit them. Male, 21 Davies (1994) and Trevelyan (1991) argue that, although some respondents express an interest in history, they feel that museums do not display the past very well. However, this assertion may not apply to the situation in Taipei; the results here show the opposite attitude. More respondents felt that museums are good places to learn about the past. A few respondents did view museums as boring places, but this was because they were reluctant to learn about the past, not because of any deficiency on the part of the museums. It is also confirmed by Merriman that ‘people do not visit museums simply because they are not interested in the past’ (1991, p. 60). Museum visiting seems to occupy a low ranking as a leisure activity. The respondents in the study were more likely to participate in other activities in their spare time. Museums were regarded as places to go to on holiday, but not as places worth making an effort to visit. Only one respondent classed museums as a leisure facility, although the leisure function is fundamental in museums. However, even this person’s perceptions seemed to be negative. If you have nothing to do you can go there; it’s just a place for leisure. Male, 18 The perceptions of museums among non-visitors are summarised in Table 3. Table 3 Respondents’ perceptions of museums from interview results Perception
Attitudes towards visiting
An institution for learning and education Good place for children Place for scholars or artists Place for preserving history A leisure facility
+&–– + +&
Note: ‘+’ indicates a positive effect, ‘’ indicates negative effect and ‘– –’ shows that the strength is greater than ‘’.
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5. Why do not people visit museums? How do the popular perceptions of museums relate to the reasons why people do not visit them? It is vital for museum managers to discover and respond to the reasons why people do not visit museums. The findings reveal that non-visitors’ perceptions strongly influence them not to visit museums, and that the three most common reasons why people do not visit—lack of interest, lack of time and lack of anything they particularly want to see—do not vary significantly by income group. Most museum managers cannot address the lack of time factor (which relates to lack of interest). The lack of interest seems to relate to the perception among non-visitors that museums do not have anything they want to see. Evidently, museums have to develop exhibitions that people do want to see (rather than the current situation of museums being places people want to be seen). Respondents were asked what factors deterred them from visiting museums and were given a list of reasons to choose from. In Table 4, 44.8% (385) of respondents, the highest percentage, stated a ‘lack of interest’ deterred them from visiting. This was followed by ‘lack of time’, and ‘nothing I particularly want to see’, cited by 36.3% and 24.5%, respectively. Not surprisingly, these findings echo those of most previous research. ‘Lack of interest’, ‘lack of time’ and ‘nothing I particularly want to see’ are reasons often cited in both quantitative (MLA, 2004b; MORI, 2001) and qualitative studies (RCMG, 2002; Susie Fisher Group, 1990; Trevelyan, 1991) as barriers which deter people from visiting. The subsequent qualitative interviews discovered a similar pattern. Eight barriers, which deterred non-visitors from visiting museums, were identified: lack of interest, lack of time, lack of understanding, feeling out of place, lack of information, lack of convenient transport, indifference of reference groups, and admission charges. However, only the most significant ones—lack of interest, lack of time and lack of understanding—will be discussed below. One of the major barriers cited was ‘lack of interest’. Interest is a way of referring to those preferences that affect the pattern of respondents’ demand. Some interviewees preferred sports activities to the arts or watching a movie, while others preferred watching TV to outdoor recreation. It is difficult to explain why individuals are interested in a Table 4 Reasons for not visiting museums from survey results Reason
%
Number
Lack of interest Lack of time Nothing I particularly want to see Museums/galleries are boring places Lack of convenient transport Age or health reasons Admission charges are too high Feel out of place Do not know where the museum/gallery is Too many students and children’s groups when I want to visit
44.8 36.3 24.5 13.5 13.4 7.8 7.1 5.7 5.7 2.8
385 312 211 116 115 67 61 49 49 24
Base: Respondents (860) who had not visited a museum in the 12 months prior to the research in phase one of the study.
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certain type of leisure activity and it is just as well not to try (Heilbrun and Grey, 2001). It was clear, however, that interest was the most important factor influencing the decisionmaking of younger interviewees. The most important [consideration] is interest. For example, if I want to play basketball, whether I have to take one bus, two buses or three buses, I will still go because I am interested in it. Male, 21 Although interest was mentioned by most of the younger respondents, surprisingly, it was very rarely cited by older people. Older people claimed their main considerations were the time and money available, health and transport (most of which cannot be addressed by museum managers). As an antidote to the pressure of work, respondents were seeking something relaxing, enjoyable and accessible. They were not willing to put any effort into their leisure activities. They did not perceive museum visiting as either relaxing or pleasurable. When respondents had leisure time they preferred to choose something relaxing. They claimed that after the hard work of the day, they did not want to do anything serious. After hard work, I prefer somewhere I can relax. I won’t consider visiting those places [museums]y I am not interested. Female, 26 The findings here support Hood’s argument (1983) that most non-visitor respondents gave museum visiting a low priority. For them, museums were associated with learning and education. They saw museums as educational institutions rather than as leisure facilities. In their leisure time, people do not want to feel pressured, or that they have to put effort into things. The results also support the claim that the majority of non-visitor respondents who regard museums as educational organisations do not associate them with leisure (Chung, 2005). Ironically, the strong association with education and learning, which is the motivation behind most people’s visits, is likely to be the major barrier keeping nonvisitors away from museums in Taiwan. This finding echoes Hooper-Greenhill’s argument that ‘[m]any museumsysuffer because they are seen as ‘‘educational’’ y (and) [t]he museum has the challenge of presenting itself as ‘‘worthy and fun’’ (1994b, p. 33). Although the poor image of museums was not the major deterrent preventing people from visiting, it did strengthen the negative attitudes of some respondents. Some other personal perceptions of museums also contributed to this lack of interest. As well as feeling that museums were boring and serious places, respondents felt that staff were unfriendly and that exhibitions were rarely changed. Consequently, they found other leisure activities more appealing. Several respondents felt that museums were unattractive places. Others said that museums were too serious and quiet. They felt uncomfortable visiting them. They’re very serious. I think there are signs saying ‘Keep silence!’ or ‘Don’t make a noise!’ Male, 21 After ‘lack of interest’, ‘lack of time’ appeared as the next major barrier deterring nonvisitors. Grainger-Jones defines leisure as the ‘application of disposable time to an activity which is perceived by the individual as either beneficial or enjoyable’ (1999, p. 5). Some respondents claimed that time was a critical issue for them when choosing leisure activities.
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The most important consideration is the time available. I am very active; if I’ve got free time, I will try out something new. y So, free time, the most important thing is time. Male, 50 People who do not visit museums often cite lack of time as one of the major reasons (Martin, 2003; MLA, 2004a; MORI, 2001). This reason also appears in some qualitative researches (Jermyn & Desai, 2000; RCMG, 2002). In the quantitative research in phase one, ‘lack of time’ was the second most frequently cited factor deterring respondents from visiting museums, with 36.3% of those who had not gone to a museum in the previous 12 months indicating that they did not visit due to ‘lack of time’. Some respondents claimed that they did not have time to visit museums although they were interested. I am very busy. I don’t have time [to visit a museum] although it is worth doing. Female, 52 Although ‘lack of time’ may be a valid reason preventing some respondents from visiting museums, it may also be used as an excuse to cover up a lack of interest. Respondents were motivated to make time for other kinds of leisure events which engaged their interest more. One respondent argued that, if he had free time, he did not want to waste it on activities that he would not enjoy. In other words, respondents were more likely to spend their free time on the things they enjoyed more, rather than visiting museums. Basically, I think leisure activities are something you are interested in. If you are interested in it, you will want to spend more time on it. On the other hand, if you don’t like it, and find it boring, you won’t spend your time there. Male, 20 ‘Lack of understanding’ appeared as another major deterrent. Several respondents believed that to visit museums they needed some kind of professional knowledge in order to understand and appreciate the meanings behind the artifacts. Art galleries have a particularly exclusive image in this respect. Respondents felt that they would not understand what they were seeing, and that they would learn nothing at all. Thus, a perceived lack of understanding made them feel excluded and reluctant to visit. I don’t like going to art museums; you walk around alone usually and those paintings—you cannot understand any of them. You don’t know what the meaning is and there is no connection between the painting and the heading. Because you don’t understand anything at all, you go there in vain. Male, 27 Several important individual considerations, specifically interest, time and lack of understanding, have been identified as factors which affected respondents’ choice of leisure activities. However, it should be remembered that respondents’ final decisions were determined by the complex combination and interaction of these factors, not by any single factor in isolation.
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6. What changes would non-visitors like to see? Having focused on the interviewees’ perceptions of museums and the factors keeping them away, this section examines how museums might change in order to encourage these respondents to visit. In terms of improving museum services, most respondents suggested that museums should display their collections in an interactive way. There was a great demand among respondents for interactive and attractive multimedia displays. They can increase the amount of multimedia stuff. In my opinion, modern people cannot live without multimedia. It’s very important. Multimedia displays give a much more attractive impression than things hanging on the wall. Female, 30 Museums could do something different. For example, the Science Museum is doing something. When I was a kid, it was boring there. But it was full of fun a few years later. They have a big cinema, where you get the full surround-sound experience. It is quite fun. When you sit there, it’s very comfortable. Male, 21 Several respondents also felt that museums should have some hands-on displays where visitors are allowed to handle exhibits. Being allowed to touch the objects would encourage them to visit. The National Palace Museum should allow us to touch some of its displays. For example, some people like to handle stuff. If we can touch it, I will visit it. Female, 21 Interactive displays would make exhibitions more appealing to these respondents. Museums should also consider presenting demonstrations by staff to entertain visitors. Interactive. I mean when museums introduce something old and maybe it has a special purpose, they should get someone to demonstrate how it works. It would be much better than just putting a notice on the wall. Male, 18 Some respondents believed that museums should hold events related to the topic of the exhibition to allow them to participate. Museums should also provide workshops, enabling visitors to become actively involved. Both ideas would give visitors great pleasure. Events, for example, they can have workshops. yI think this would be much more appealing. Female, 32 A few respondents believed that museums never change their exhibitions; they claimed that if museums changed their exhibitions more frequently this would encourage them to visit. They should change their exhibitions more frequently. Don’t just have the same thing all the time. Female, 23 Several female respondents indicated the need to appeal to all family members. They suggested that museums would be more attractive if they provided a range of events or
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exhibitions to suit the whole family. A gender difference was evident here—this point of view was not expressed by any male interviewee. They should have some events or exhibitions to fit our needs. You know, if museums had things that were interesting to both kids and adults it would be great. It would be easier for parents to get their kids to enjoy it. When the kids are interested, the parents can look at what they want. Female, 31 Respondents also complained that museums do not communicate with their audience. They suggested that museums should ask people what they want in order to come up with exhibitions the public will want to visit. I think they should accommodate the needs of all the family because we usually go to museums together. If the exhibition is only aimed at people of a certain age, then everyone else may find it boring. So they should divide it, this is for kids and that is for parents, to have different subjects for different ages. And the museum should communicate in both directions. They always organise the exhibitions for the audience; it’s only one direction. I mean, if they want to hold an exhibition, they should give out questionnaires to people, to see what we want. But they go ahead without asking our opinions. They should ask what we want to see, not just give us what they think we should see. Female, 50 A number of respondents thought that the staff in museums were not friendly or amiable, and this attitude deterred them from visiting. They wanted to see an improvement in the quality of staff before they would visit museums. [Public museums] should improve the quality of the guide staff. If the guide just wants to get through their job, it’s really boring. I would like to sleep when I listen to them. I mean, the guide is very important; they should behave in a positive way. Female, 20 One respondent spoke of his own experience. He claimed that a visit is much more pleasurable and educational if the service provided by staff is good. I mean, if the museum guides are good, and they give lots of interesting detail, I am more likely to visit. I’ve been to Shui-Li before; there is a pottery exhibition hall there. They gave us an in-depth narration and showed some film first. Then there were staff all around the hall giving explanations. From how they used the bottlesythe whole process was explained in great detail. I really learnt a lot. Male, 27 Some respondents suggested that museums could provide better restaurants and leisure facilities. These would make them more attractive because they could then satisfy a range of different demands. In my opinionymost leisure facilities combine different functions. But our museums, for example, the National Palace Museum and Taipei Fine Art Museum, are very isolated. You can only see exhibitions there; that’s the reason why I don’t visit them. If I go there all I can do is look around. I’ve got an idea; if they [museums]
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were combined with something else like a big shopping centre, I think it would be better, because then there wouldn’t just be the museum to visit. Modern people are very busy; if you tell them you can only see an exhibition, few people will do it. If there is a shopping centre, for example, it would be very practical. I would often go to such a venue, if it offered a combination of services. Male, 36 One respondent also suggested that museums could design their restaurants to be more linked in with their collections; that this would also encourage visitors. They can use the ancient names or characters in the design of the menu. It would be very special. And the interior design could also tie in. They could use reproductions of the antiques for the tableware; it would be really distinctive. yI would love to go if they did that. Female, 32 7. Discussion The research findings indicate that museums in Taiwan face problems similar to those encountered by other museums around the world. However, there are some key differences. The current findings generally reflect the conclusions drawn by earlier researchers. The primary barrier keeping non-visitors away from museums is ‘lack of interest’. This prejudice arises out of the image museums have both in western countries and in Taiwan. However, the causes of this image are significantly different. Davies (1994), Trevelyan (1991) and Bery (1994) claim that, in the UK, the poor image people have of museums is one of the most significant barriers deterring them. They argue that this has arisen because ‘museums [do] not put the past over well’ and ‘museums [have] an unwelcoming, unattractive atmosphere, few interesting exhibits and unchanging exhibitions’ (Davies, 1994, p. 69). These images did exist in the minds of respondents in the current study, but they were not the most significant deterrents. In other words, this supposition may not apply in the Taiwanese context. Although it may be true that the perceptions of non-visitors are the key factor leading to a lack of interest, these perceptions are not necessarily caused by poor image. The findings here indicate that the vast majority of respondents regarded museums as educational institutions, and it was this which made them unattractive to non-visitors. Put another way, the ‘lack of interest’ of non-visitors was, ironically, caused by the strong image of museums as institutions of education and learning, an image which museum professionals work hard to create. In the minds of non-visitors, ‘leisure activities’ should provide relaxation, enjoyment, and pleasure; they should not require any effort. Unfortunately, they regard visiting museums as a ‘serious leisure’ activity which does not provide any of these things. The researcher believes that, although the perceived educational function of museums is likely to be one of the reasons why there is such a high participation rate in Taipei, it may also be keeping certain people away. Hood confirms that while visitors value ‘having the opportunity to learn’ in their leisure time, non-visitors rank this attribute much lower (1983). Many non-visitor surveys have asked people to identify the changes which would encourage them to visit museums. Davies points out that ‘[i]n most cases, these produced
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long lists of very specific wants and little overlap between them’ (1994, p. 76). The study carried out by Prince (1990) confirms this view. The most frequent suggestions include better cafes/restaurants, more attractive shops, more inviting exhibitions, workshops, and more films/videos. At first glance, the current results seem to support Davies’s assertion that there is little overlap. However, when the findings are broken down, a common theme emerges. The suggestions made by the respondents in Prince’s study and in the current research have much in common. The majority of suggestions directly address the common ‘lack of interest’ felt by non-visitors. Most importantly, this cluster of suggestions shows a very strong ‘leisure orientation’ (requests for interactive and multimedia displays, events and workshops, and better restaurants and leisure facilities), implying that respondents would like museums to function more obviously as leisure venues. The suggestions confirm that ‘lack of interest’ is likely to be a major deterrent to the respondents interviewed, and that these respondents are seeking an experience that is relaxing, enjoyable and pleasurable. The suggestions are likely to reflect the needs of respondents and be related to the factors discussed earlier. The findings confirm Hood’s view that non-visitors are looking for leisure activities which offer them the scope for active participation, and where they feel comfortable and at ease in their surroundings (1983). Non-visitors complained that museums do not communicate with their audience, and they felt that museums had little to do with their lives. There was a strong desire for input—to feel included—among many non-visitors in the survey. They suggested that museums should develop projects with them rather than for them, and that museums should ask people what they want in order to come up with exhibitions the public will want to visit. Although the current findings generally reflect the conclusions drawn by Hood (ibid), a number of points need to be addressed. Firstly, the leisure attribute—‘being with people, or social interaction’—did not appear to be significant to non-visitors in Taipei. Secondly, Hood’s three psychological attributes were all less significant to older people on low incomes. Older people stated that their main considerations when choosing leisure activities were more practical, such as the money available, health issues and transport. Obviously, most of these are beyond the scope of museum practitioners to address. Finally, the study also revealed a gender difference. Women with children, although reluctant to be educated in museums themselves, were willing to visit museums for their children’s sake. These women wanted museums to provide a range of events or exhibitions to suit the whole family, a point which was not mentioned by any male interviewee in phase two of the study.
8. Limitations and implications There are two limitations to the present research which must be recognised. First, the general term ‘museum’ is used in this research to cover history museums, galleries and science centres. The psychological characteristics of audiences may vary in different types of museums; thus, this generalisation may have introduced some bias. Second, the sampling frame in phase two was intended to reflect the composition of the profile of the city. However, younger than older respondents were interviewed, which may have affected the findings.
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The research findings have important implications for museum practitioners. They offer new insights into the perceptions of non-visitors. Non-visitors to museums seek leisure time experiences which offer them relaxation, enjoyment, comfort, and the chance for active participation. If they are to attract non-visitors with lower incomes, museums must consider how they can meet these needs. The time has come for museums to offer a full leisure and entertainment experience, and to promote themselves as places for exploration and entertainment, as well as education and learning. Workshops and events for the whole family may help to improve non-visitors’ perceptions of museums. Ultimately, however, if they are to address the sense of exclusion felt by many non-visitors, museums should consider developing projects ‘with’, rather than ‘for’, their audience.
References Bery, T. D. (1994). Why don’t people go to museums? In E. Hooper-Greenhill (Ed.), The education role of the museum. London: Routledge. Chung, Y. (2005). The impact of privatization on museum admission charges: A case study from Taiwan. International Journal of Arts Management, 7(2), 27–38. Council for Cultural Affairs. (2005). Museums of Taiwan. URL: /http://museum.cca.gov.twS. Davies, S. (1994). By popular demand: A strategic analysis of the market potential for museums and art galleries in the UK. Lincolnshire: Museums & Galleries Commission. Executive Yuan—Central Region Office. (2003). Report on the survey of family income and expenditure in Taiwan area, 2002. Taiwan: Executive Yuan—Central Region Office. Grainger-Jones, B. (1999). Managing leisure. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Heilbrun, J., & Gray, C. M. (2001). The economics of art and culture (2nd ed). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hood, M. G. (1983). Staying away: Why people choose not to visit museums. Museum News, 50–57. Hooper-Greenhill, E. (1994a). Museums and their visitors. London: Routledge. Hooper-Greenhill, E. (Ed.). (1994b). The education role of the museums. London: Routledge. Jermyn, H., & Desai, P. (2000). Arts—What’s in a word? Ethnic minorities and the arts. London: ACE. Lin, Y. N. (2004). Visitors to Museums & Galleries in Taipei City. Research Report to the National Culture and Arts Foundation (in Chinese). Martin, A. (2003). The impact of free entry to museums. London: MORI. McLean, F. (1997). Marketing the museum. London: Routledge. Merriman, N. (1991). Beyond the glass case: The past, the heritage and the public in Britain. Leicester: Leicester University Press. MLA. (2004a). Visitors to museums and galleries. London: Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. MLA. (2004b). Users & non-users of museums, libraries and archives. London: Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. MORI. (2001). Visitors to museums & galleries in the UK. London: MORI. Nichols, B. (2003). Demographic characteristics of arts attendance, 2002. Washington: National Endowment for the Arts. Prince, D. R. (1983). Behavioural consistency and visitor attraction. The International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship, 2, 235–247. Prince, D. R. (1990). Factors influencing museum visitors: An empirical evaluation of audience selection. Museum Management and Curatorship, 9, 149–168. RCMG. (2002). Developing audiences and promoting social inclusion: National museums and galleries of wales. Leicester: RCMG. Scott, C. (2002). Measuring social value. In R. Sandell (Ed.), Museums, society, inequality. London: Routledge. Susie Fisher Group. (1990). Bringing history and the arts to a new audience: Qualitative research for the London Borough of Croydon. London: Susie Fisher Group.
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Taipei City Government. (2004). The statistical abstract of Taipei city 2003. Taipei: Taipei City Government. Torkildsen, G. (1999). Leisure and recreation management (4th ed.). London: Spon Press. Trevelyan, V. (Ed.). (1991). Dingy places with different kinds of bits: An attitudes survey of London museums amongst non visitors. London: London Museums Service.
Yung-Neng Lin is an assistant professor in the Department of Leisure Management at Yu Da College of Business, Taiwan. He holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. His research area mainly focuses on museum marketing and audience development. He has a particular interest in pricing policy, especially the impact of admission charges on people with lower incomes.
Museum Management and Curatorship 21 (2006) 302–316 www.elsevier.com/locate/musmancur
Leisure—A function of museums? The Taiwan perspective Yung-Neng Lin Leisure Management, Yu Da College of Business, 168 Hsueh-hu Road, Tanwen Village, Chaochiao Township, Miaoli County 361, Taiwan, ROC Received 13 April 2006; received in revised form 12 September 2006; accepted 28 September 2006
Abstract The main factor preventing non-visitors from visiting museums is ‘lack of interest’. But the causes of this ‘lack of interest’ are different in Taiwan than in western countries. Taiwanese non-visitors on low incomes are deterred by the strong association of museums with education. They want an experience that will be relaxing, enjoyable and pleasurable, and one which will not require any effort. They do not perceive museums as providing this. Non-visitors want museums to function more obviously as leisure venues that the whole family can actively enjoy. They say museums need to promote themselves as places for exploration and entertainment, as well as for education and learning. If museums wish to attract low-income non-visitors, they must consider how the needs of the non-visiting public can be met. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Museums; Education; Barriers to visiting; Leisure
1. Introduction The museum community is committed to serving a representative audience, one in which the profile of visitors reflects that of the population as a whole. However, this is not typically easy to do in practice. Museum visiting is perceived as an elitist activity and museums themselves play on this perception in the way they seek sponsorships and portray themselves. The patron audience is seen as predominantly well-off. Tel.: +886286260565.
E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (Y.N. Lin). 0260-4779/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.musmancur.2006.09.002
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Museum visitors rank higher, on average, in terms of socio-economic status than the population as a whole, and the participation rate climbs the more elevated the income, educational background and social class—all of which are interrelated (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a). But what turns other people away from museums? The thinking behind the decision whether or not to visit a museum is often complex. For example, Torkildsen (1999) identifies three major factors which affect people’s leisure activity choices in general— personal, social and circumstantial, as well as opportunity factors. The first group of factors relates to personal circumstances such as age, gender, attitudes and interests. The second cluster of factors includes occupation and income, and the influence of friends and peer groups. The third group of factors concerns the available resources and leisure time, transport and awareness. In addition, Prince (1983) and Merriman (1991) identify two groups of barriers specific to museums—the cultural and the practical. Cultural barriers arise from the image of museums and the public’s attitude towards museum services; practical barriers are issues such as entry fees, travel and time requirements. McLean (1997) also describes psychological and structural barriers. Psychological barriers arise from people’s sense of alienation from museums, while structural barriers include problems related to physical access and people’s age. The barriers which discourage people from visiting museums have been discussed extensively in the literature over the last decade (e.g. Davies, 1994; RCMG, 2002). They have also been examined in a number of large-scale research projects (e.g. Lin, 2004; MLA, 2004a; MORI, 2001). According to this research, barriers to visiting include lack of interest, lack of time, lack of understanding, and cost. Among these barriers, lack of interest is likely to be the most significant. Why are non-visitors not interested in visiting museums? Hood argues that museums may not be providing the kinds of experiences which satisfy their expectations (1983). She has identified three major psychological attributes that influence how non-visitors choose to spend their leisure time: the desire to be with people, or for social interaction; the need to feel comfortable and at ease in one’s surroundings; and the desire for active participation. Museum visitors, on the other hand, rank these three attributes much lower, valuing instead ‘the opportunity to learn’, ‘the challenge of new experiences’, and ‘the chance to do something worthwhile’ (ibid, p. 54). What can museums do about any of this? The purpose of this study is to explore the factors deterring one of the most underrepresented groups—people with lower incomes— from visiting museums (including history museums, galleries and science centres) in Taiwan, to consider the reasons behind the phenomenon, and to propose what museum managers can do to address these issues. 2. Research design A quantitative questionnaire survey and in-depth qualitative interviews were employed in this research. A quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted in phase one to find out who visits museums and to identify barriers keeping non-visitors away. Taipei City was chosen as the target area and a quota sample of 2447 people were surveyed to ensure the relevant people and factors were covered. All 12 administrative districts in Taipei City were used as sampling areas. Respondents, who were aged 15 and over, were selected according
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to five-cell quotas as follows: Sex: male, female. Age: 15–24, 25–44, 45 and above. The quotas were created using the information contained in ‘The Statistical Abstract of Taipei City 2003’ (Taipei City Government, 2004). In each district, quotas reflected the composition of that district in order to ensure that the demographic profile of the sample represented the actual profile of the city. In this way, it was ensured that the sample would be representative of all adults in Taipei City aged 15 and over, although the response rates could not be acquired. Fieldwork was carried out over a 3-week period, from the 19th of July to the 8th of August, 2004. In phase two, qualitative interviews were conducted with subjects whose personal income amounted to less than 252,458 NT dollar. This put them into the lowest of the five personal income levels defined in the ‘Survey of Family Income and Expenditure in the Taiwan Area, 2002’ (Executive Yuan—Central Region Office, 2003). Thirty non-visitors on lower incomes were interviewed face-to-face between December 2004 and the end of April 2005, to supplement phase one of the study. The snowball sampling technique was employed, which involved asking interviewees in the lower income groups being studied whether they knew anyone else who fitted the required profile. Each individual nominated was interviewed in turn and asked to name a further sample subject. The fact that interviewees were making personal recommendations helped ‘vouch for the legitimacy’ of the research. The findings here explained and illustrated in more detail the findings from phase one. The researcher believed that the mixed method approach would address all aspects of the research questions, yielding a macro-level perspective in phase one and a micro-level perspective in phase two. In-depth interviews were conducted with the following types of interviewees (Table 1). This report draws heavily upon the qualitative findings to describe the factors affecting the visiting habits of lower income respondents. 3. Who visits museums? The findings provide material for discussion of the current status of museum visiting in Taipei City, including the profile of museum visitors and the existing variations. Table 2 indicates that visiting museums is a popular cultural activity among residents in Taipei. This is shown by the overwhelming majority of respondents (64.8%) stating that they had Table 1 Snowball sampling frame in phase two study 15–24
Male Female
25–44
45 and above
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
7 6
23 20
3 7
10 23
4 3
13 10
Base: All interviewees (30).
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Table 2 At least one visit to a museum in 12 months prior to survey (2004) % visiting museums All adults Male Female
64.8 61.8 67.7
Age group 15–19 20–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65+
66.4 62.6 65.7 67.9 65.2 63.6 56.0
Level of education Postgraduate or above University/college Senior high school Junior high school or below
75.4 69.0 62.3 44.6
Personal income NT$1,000,001+ NT$750,001–NT$1,000,000 NT$500,001–NT$750,000 NT$250,001–NT$500,000 NT$250,000 or below
73.5 72.6 68.3 62.9 62.0
Base: All respondents (2447) in phase one of study. Note: 1 British £ ¼ 57 New Taiwan dollar.
visited a museum at least once in the 12 months prior to the research in 2004. Nevertheless, inequality of participation does exist. According to the literature, people of higher socio-economic status tend to visit museums more than others (Davies, 1994; Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a; Lin, 2004; Merriman, 1991; MLA, 2004a, 2004b; MORI, 2001; Nichols, 2003). This is matched by the findings here, which suggest that the participation rate for museums is strongly related to income and educational background. More affluent and well-educated people are more likely to visit than other groups. Inequality of participation exists in museum visiting in Taipei in the way that those on lower incomes, the less well-educated and older people are underrepresented; and these factors are likely to be strongly interrelated (Heilbrun and Grey, 2001). 4. Non-visitors’ perceptions of museums Disproportional participation rates in Taipei were clearly identified in phase one of the study. To discover what factors are keeping non-visitors with lower incomes out of museums, it was essential to explore their perceptions of these institutions. One of the prime functions of museums is to act as resources for education and learning—indeed, this is arguably their raison d’eˆtre (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994a). Most
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museum professionals believe that museums were established as educational institutions, to motivate and encourage people to develop their imagination and to provide them with opportunities to acquire knowledge and experience (Hooper-Greenhill, 1994b). Importantly, this viewpoint—that museums are educational institutions—is also supported widely by the general public, including those who are not direct consumers. This has been shown in many surveys (e.g. Prince, 1990; Scott, 2002), which have revealed that museum professionals and the general public share a common view (at an abstract level) of this fundamental role of museums. The findings from this research follow the same pattern. In the qualitative interviews, it emerged that 27 of the interviewees had not visited a museum in the previous 5 years and the other three had not visited a museum in the previous 12 months. Even so, the vast majority of respondents, whether or not they liked visiting museums, shared similar perceptions to the museum professionals. They believed that museums are places for education and learning, and they recognised their importance in modern society. They have a positive function for education. I’ve been to museums before. Actually, if you can concentrate, you will learn a lot, including things you cannot get from books. Female, 20 This perception may have been encouraged by the government. In Taiwan, the majority of national museums and galleries are governed by the Ministry of Education (Council for Cultural Affairs, 2005), and students at all educational levels are actively encouraged by government and schools to visit museums as often as possible. Some respondents also emphasised how important it is that children visit museums. They felt that museums can be used as teaching resources and that school children benefit most from museum visiting. This may explain one of the findings in the first phase of the study: the 35–44 age group, which is the age group most likely to have school age children, demonstrated the highest participation rate (67.9%). Their educational function is very important. yIt is very good for children to visit them. Female, 23 They are good places for learning and gaining knowledge. Female, 50 Apart from this educational function, several respondents felt that museums are of most interest to scholars or artists. The view among respondents was that specialised expertise is required to visit museums. They thought that they would not understand the exhibitions, especially in arts museums; that museums had nothing to do with their life and were therefore boring. Artists and writers visit them very often. Those people and collections are nothing to do with my everyday life. I feel that they are irrelevant to me. Female, 29 In the qualitative interviews, most respondents also recognised the importance of museums as preservers of the past. Some felt it was important to learn about the past and ancient people’s wisdom.
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Museums reveal our history and culture through their collections. For example, things such as pottery, jade and paintings all have their own stories. When you only look at a book, it’s difficult to properly appreciate them. It’s much better when you see them for real. Female, 52 On the other hand, a few young male respondents showed a reluctance to learn about history. They viewed museums as boring, stuffy and dull places, because they did not value old objects. Museums are places to put old stuff. Only those people who have antiques will visit them. Male, 21 Davies (1994) and Trevelyan (1991) argue that, although some respondents express an interest in history, they feel that museums do not display the past very well. However, this assertion may not apply to the situation in Taipei; the results here show the opposite attitude. More respondents felt that museums are good places to learn about the past. A few respondents did view museums as boring places, but this was because they were reluctant to learn about the past, not because of any deficiency on the part of the museums. It is also confirmed by Merriman that ‘people do not visit museums simply because they are not interested in the past’ (1991, p. 60). Museum visiting seems to occupy a low ranking as a leisure activity. The respondents in the study were more likely to participate in other activities in their spare time. Museums were regarded as places to go to on holiday, but not as places worth making an effort to visit. Only one respondent classed museums as a leisure facility, although the leisure function is fundamental in museums. However, even this person’s perceptions seemed to be negative. If you have nothing to do you can go there; it’s just a place for leisure. Male, 18 The perceptions of museums among non-visitors are summarised in Table 3. Table 3 Respondents’ perceptions of museums from interview results Perception
Attitudes towards visiting
An institution for learning and education Good place for children Place for scholars or artists Place for preserving history A leisure facility
+&–– + +&
Note: ‘+’ indicates a positive effect, ‘’ indicates negative effect and ‘– –’ shows that the strength is greater than ‘’.
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5. Why do not people visit museums? How do the popular perceptions of museums relate to the reasons why people do not visit them? It is vital for museum managers to discover and respond to the reasons why people do not visit museums. The findings reveal that non-visitors’ perceptions strongly influence them not to visit museums, and that the three most common reasons why people do not visit—lack of interest, lack of time and lack of anything they particularly want to see—do not vary significantly by income group. Most museum managers cannot address the lack of time factor (which relates to lack of interest). The lack of interest seems to relate to the perception among non-visitors that museums do not have anything they want to see. Evidently, museums have to develop exhibitions that people do want to see (rather than the current situation of museums being places people want to be seen). Respondents were asked what factors deterred them from visiting museums and were given a list of reasons to choose from. In Table 4, 44.8% (385) of respondents, the highest percentage, stated a ‘lack of interest’ deterred them from visiting. This was followed by ‘lack of time’, and ‘nothing I particularly want to see’, cited by 36.3% and 24.5%, respectively. Not surprisingly, these findings echo those of most previous research. ‘Lack of interest’, ‘lack of time’ and ‘nothing I particularly want to see’ are reasons often cited in both quantitative (MLA, 2004b; MORI, 2001) and qualitative studies (RCMG, 2002; Susie Fisher Group, 1990; Trevelyan, 1991) as barriers which deter people from visiting. The subsequent qualitative interviews discovered a similar pattern. Eight barriers, which deterred non-visitors from visiting museums, were identified: lack of interest, lack of time, lack of understanding, feeling out of place, lack of information, lack of convenient transport, indifference of reference groups, and admission charges. However, only the most significant ones—lack of interest, lack of time and lack of understanding—will be discussed below. One of the major barriers cited was ‘lack of interest’. Interest is a way of referring to those preferences that affect the pattern of respondents’ demand. Some interviewees preferred sports activities to the arts or watching a movie, while others preferred watching TV to outdoor recreation. It is difficult to explain why individuals are interested in a Table 4 Reasons for not visiting museums from survey results Reason
%
Number
Lack of interest Lack of time Nothing I particularly want to see Museums/galleries are boring places Lack of convenient transport Age or health reasons Admission charges are too high Feel out of place Do not know where the museum/gallery is Too many students and children’s groups when I want to visit
44.8 36.3 24.5 13.5 13.4 7.8 7.1 5.7 5.7 2.8
385 312 211 116 115 67 61 49 49 24
Base: Respondents (860) who had not visited a museum in the 12 months prior to the research in phase one of the study.
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certain type of leisure activity and it is just as well not to try (Heilbrun and Grey, 2001). It was clear, however, that interest was the most important factor influencing the decisionmaking of younger interviewees. The most important [consideration] is interest. For example, if I want to play basketball, whether I have to take one bus, two buses or three buses, I will still go because I am interested in it. Male, 21 Although interest was mentioned by most of the younger respondents, surprisingly, it was very rarely cited by older people. Older people claimed their main considerations were the time and money available, health and transport (most of which cannot be addressed by museum managers). As an antidote to the pressure of work, respondents were seeking something relaxing, enjoyable and accessible. They were not willing to put any effort into their leisure activities. They did not perceive museum visiting as either relaxing or pleasurable. When respondents had leisure time they preferred to choose something relaxing. They claimed that after the hard work of the day, they did not want to do anything serious. After hard work, I prefer somewhere I can relax. I won’t consider visiting those places [museums]y I am not interested. Female, 26 The findings here support Hood’s argument (1983) that most non-visitor respondents gave museum visiting a low priority. For them, museums were associated with learning and education. They saw museums as educational institutions rather than as leisure facilities. In their leisure time, people do not want to feel pressured, or that they have to put effort into things. The results also support the claim that the majority of non-visitor respondents who regard museums as educational organisations do not associate them with leisure (Chung, 2005). Ironically, the strong association with education and learning, which is the motivation behind most people’s visits, is likely to be the major barrier keeping nonvisitors away from museums in Taiwan. This finding echoes Hooper-Greenhill’s argument that ‘[m]any museumsysuffer because they are seen as ‘‘educational’’ y (and) [t]he museum has the challenge of presenting itself as ‘‘worthy and fun’’ (1994b, p. 33). Although the poor image of museums was not the major deterrent preventing people from visiting, it did strengthen the negative attitudes of some respondents. Some other personal perceptions of museums also contributed to this lack of interest. As well as feeling that museums were boring and serious places, respondents felt that staff were unfriendly and that exhibitions were rarely changed. Consequently, they found other leisure activities more appealing. Several respondents felt that museums were unattractive places. Others said that museums were too serious and quiet. They felt uncomfortable visiting them. They’re very serious. I think there are signs saying ‘Keep silence!’ or ‘Don’t make a noise!’ Male, 21 After ‘lack of interest’, ‘lack of time’ appeared as the next major barrier deterring nonvisitors. Grainger-Jones defines leisure as the ‘application of disposable time to an activity which is perceived by the individual as either beneficial or enjoyable’ (1999, p. 5). Some respondents claimed that time was a critical issue for them when choosing leisure activities.
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The most important consideration is the time available. I am very active; if I’ve got free time, I will try out something new. y So, free time, the most important thing is time. Male, 50 People who do not visit museums often cite lack of time as one of the major reasons (Martin, 2003; MLA, 2004a; MORI, 2001). This reason also appears in some qualitative researches (Jermyn & Desai, 2000; RCMG, 2002). In the quantitative research in phase one, ‘lack of time’ was the second most frequently cited factor deterring respondents from visiting museums, with 36.3% of those who had not gone to a museum in the previous 12 months indicating that they did not visit due to ‘lack of time’. Some respondents claimed that they did not have time to visit museums although they were interested. I am very busy. I don’t have time [to visit a museum] although it is worth doing. Female, 52 Although ‘lack of time’ may be a valid reason preventing some respondents from visiting museums, it may also be used as an excuse to cover up a lack of interest. Respondents were motivated to make time for other kinds of leisure events which engaged their interest more. One respondent argued that, if he had free time, he did not want to waste it on activities that he would not enjoy. In other words, respondents were more likely to spend their free time on the things they enjoyed more, rather than visiting museums. Basically, I think leisure activities are something you are interested in. If you are interested in it, you will want to spend more time on it. On the other hand, if you don’t like it, and find it boring, you won’t spend your time there. Male, 20 ‘Lack of understanding’ appeared as another major deterrent. Several respondents believed that to visit museums they needed some kind of professional knowledge in order to understand and appreciate the meanings behind the artifacts. Art galleries have a particularly exclusive image in this respect. Respondents felt that they would not understand what they were seeing, and that they would learn nothing at all. Thus, a perceived lack of understanding made them feel excluded and reluctant to visit. I don’t like going to art museums; you walk around alone usually and those paintings—you cannot understand any of them. You don’t know what the meaning is and there is no connection between the painting and the heading. Because you don’t understand anything at all, you go there in vain. Male, 27 Several important individual considerations, specifically interest, time and lack of understanding, have been identified as factors which affected respondents’ choice of leisure activities. However, it should be remembered that respondents’ final decisions were determined by the complex combination and interaction of these factors, not by any single factor in isolation.
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6. What changes would non-visitors like to see? Having focused on the interviewees’ perceptions of museums and the factors keeping them away, this section examines how museums might change in order to encourage these respondents to visit. In terms of improving museum services, most respondents suggested that museums should display their collections in an interactive way. There was a great demand among respondents for interactive and attractive multimedia displays. They can increase the amount of multimedia stuff. In my opinion, modern people cannot live without multimedia. It’s very important. Multimedia displays give a much more attractive impression than things hanging on the wall. Female, 30 Museums could do something different. For example, the Science Museum is doing something. When I was a kid, it was boring there. But it was full of fun a few years later. They have a big cinema, where you get the full surround-sound experience. It is quite fun. When you sit there, it’s very comfortable. Male, 21 Several respondents also felt that museums should have some hands-on displays where visitors are allowed to handle exhibits. Being allowed to touch the objects would encourage them to visit. The National Palace Museum should allow us to touch some of its displays. For example, some people like to handle stuff. If we can touch it, I will visit it. Female, 21 Interactive displays would make exhibitions more appealing to these respondents. Museums should also consider presenting demonstrations by staff to entertain visitors. Interactive. I mean when museums introduce something old and maybe it has a special purpose, they should get someone to demonstrate how it works. It would be much better than just putting a notice on the wall. Male, 18 Some respondents believed that museums should hold events related to the topic of the exhibition to allow them to participate. Museums should also provide workshops, enabling visitors to become actively involved. Both ideas would give visitors great pleasure. Events, for example, they can have workshops. yI think this would be much more appealing. Female, 32 A few respondents believed that museums never change their exhibitions; they claimed that if museums changed their exhibitions more frequently this would encourage them to visit. They should change their exhibitions more frequently. Don’t just have the same thing all the time. Female, 23 Several female respondents indicated the need to appeal to all family members. They suggested that museums would be more attractive if they provided a range of events or
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exhibitions to suit the whole family. A gender difference was evident here—this point of view was not expressed by any male interviewee. They should have some events or exhibitions to fit our needs. You know, if museums had things that were interesting to both kids and adults it would be great. It would be easier for parents to get their kids to enjoy it. When the kids are interested, the parents can look at what they want. Female, 31 Respondents also complained that museums do not communicate with their audience. They suggested that museums should ask people what they want in order to come up with exhibitions the public will want to visit. I think they should accommodate the needs of all the family because we usually go to museums together. If the exhibition is only aimed at people of a certain age, then everyone else may find it boring. So they should divide it, this is for kids and that is for parents, to have different subjects for different ages. And the museum should communicate in both directions. They always organise the exhibitions for the audience; it’s only one direction. I mean, if they want to hold an exhibition, they should give out questionnaires to people, to see what we want. But they go ahead without asking our opinions. They should ask what we want to see, not just give us what they think we should see. Female, 50 A number of respondents thought that the staff in museums were not friendly or amiable, and this attitude deterred them from visiting. They wanted to see an improvement in the quality of staff before they would visit museums. [Public museums] should improve the quality of the guide staff. If the guide just wants to get through their job, it’s really boring. I would like to sleep when I listen to them. I mean, the guide is very important; they should behave in a positive way. Female, 20 One respondent spoke of his own experience. He claimed that a visit is much more pleasurable and educational if the service provided by staff is good. I mean, if the museum guides are good, and they give lots of interesting detail, I am more likely to visit. I’ve been to Shui-Li before; there is a pottery exhibition hall there. They gave us an in-depth narration and showed some film first. Then there were staff all around the hall giving explanations. From how they used the bottlesythe whole process was explained in great detail. I really learnt a lot. Male, 27 Some respondents suggested that museums could provide better restaurants and leisure facilities. These would make them more attractive because they could then satisfy a range of different demands. In my opinionymost leisure facilities combine different functions. But our museums, for example, the National Palace Museum and Taipei Fine Art Museum, are very isolated. You can only see exhibitions there; that’s the reason why I don’t visit them. If I go there all I can do is look around. I’ve got an idea; if they [museums]
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were combined with something else like a big shopping centre, I think it would be better, because then there wouldn’t just be the museum to visit. Modern people are very busy; if you tell them you can only see an exhibition, few people will do it. If there is a shopping centre, for example, it would be very practical. I would often go to such a venue, if it offered a combination of services. Male, 36 One respondent also suggested that museums could design their restaurants to be more linked in with their collections; that this would also encourage visitors. They can use the ancient names or characters in the design of the menu. It would be very special. And the interior design could also tie in. They could use reproductions of the antiques for the tableware; it would be really distinctive. yI would love to go if they did that. Female, 32 7. Discussion The research findings indicate that museums in Taiwan face problems similar to those encountered by other museums around the world. However, there are some key differences. The current findings generally reflect the conclusions drawn by earlier researchers. The primary barrier keeping non-visitors away from museums is ‘lack of interest’. This prejudice arises out of the image museums have both in western countries and in Taiwan. However, the causes of this image are significantly different. Davies (1994), Trevelyan (1991) and Bery (1994) claim that, in the UK, the poor image people have of museums is one of the most significant barriers deterring them. They argue that this has arisen because ‘museums [do] not put the past over well’ and ‘museums [have] an unwelcoming, unattractive atmosphere, few interesting exhibits and unchanging exhibitions’ (Davies, 1994, p. 69). These images did exist in the minds of respondents in the current study, but they were not the most significant deterrents. In other words, this supposition may not apply in the Taiwanese context. Although it may be true that the perceptions of non-visitors are the key factor leading to a lack of interest, these perceptions are not necessarily caused by poor image. The findings here indicate that the vast majority of respondents regarded museums as educational institutions, and it was this which made them unattractive to non-visitors. Put another way, the ‘lack of interest’ of non-visitors was, ironically, caused by the strong image of museums as institutions of education and learning, an image which museum professionals work hard to create. In the minds of non-visitors, ‘leisure activities’ should provide relaxation, enjoyment, and pleasure; they should not require any effort. Unfortunately, they regard visiting museums as a ‘serious leisure’ activity which does not provide any of these things. The researcher believes that, although the perceived educational function of museums is likely to be one of the reasons why there is such a high participation rate in Taipei, it may also be keeping certain people away. Hood confirms that while visitors value ‘having the opportunity to learn’ in their leisure time, non-visitors rank this attribute much lower (1983). Many non-visitor surveys have asked people to identify the changes which would encourage them to visit museums. Davies points out that ‘[i]n most cases, these produced
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long lists of very specific wants and little overlap between them’ (1994, p. 76). The study carried out by Prince (1990) confirms this view. The most frequent suggestions include better cafes/restaurants, more attractive shops, more inviting exhibitions, workshops, and more films/videos. At first glance, the current results seem to support Davies’s assertion that there is little overlap. However, when the findings are broken down, a common theme emerges. The suggestions made by the respondents in Prince’s study and in the current research have much in common. The majority of suggestions directly address the common ‘lack of interest’ felt by non-visitors. Most importantly, this cluster of suggestions shows a very strong ‘leisure orientation’ (requests for interactive and multimedia displays, events and workshops, and better restaurants and leisure facilities), implying that respondents would like museums to function more obviously as leisure venues. The suggestions confirm that ‘lack of interest’ is likely to be a major deterrent to the respondents interviewed, and that these respondents are seeking an experience that is relaxing, enjoyable and pleasurable. The suggestions are likely to reflect the needs of respondents and be related to the factors discussed earlier. The findings confirm Hood’s view that non-visitors are looking for leisure activities which offer them the scope for active participation, and where they feel comfortable and at ease in their surroundings (1983). Non-visitors complained that museums do not communicate with their audience, and they felt that museums had little to do with their lives. There was a strong desire for input—to feel included—among many non-visitors in the survey. They suggested that museums should develop projects with them rather than for them, and that museums should ask people what they want in order to come up with exhibitions the public will want to visit. Although the current findings generally reflect the conclusions drawn by Hood (ibid), a number of points need to be addressed. Firstly, the leisure attribute—‘being with people, or social interaction’—did not appear to be significant to non-visitors in Taipei. Secondly, Hood’s three psychological attributes were all less significant to older people on low incomes. Older people stated that their main considerations when choosing leisure activities were more practical, such as the money available, health issues and transport. Obviously, most of these are beyond the scope of museum practitioners to address. Finally, the study also revealed a gender difference. Women with children, although reluctant to be educated in museums themselves, were willing to visit museums for their children’s sake. These women wanted museums to provide a range of events or exhibitions to suit the whole family, a point which was not mentioned by any male interviewee in phase two of the study.
8. Limitations and implications There are two limitations to the present research which must be recognised. First, the general term ‘museum’ is used in this research to cover history museums, galleries and science centres. The psychological characteristics of audiences may vary in different types of museums; thus, this generalisation may have introduced some bias. Second, the sampling frame in phase two was intended to reflect the composition of the profile of the city. However, younger than older respondents were interviewed, which may have affected the findings.
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The research findings have important implications for museum practitioners. They offer new insights into the perceptions of non-visitors. Non-visitors to museums seek leisure time experiences which offer them relaxation, enjoyment, comfort, and the chance for active participation. If they are to attract non-visitors with lower incomes, museums must consider how they can meet these needs. The time has come for museums to offer a full leisure and entertainment experience, and to promote themselves as places for exploration and entertainment, as well as education and learning. Workshops and events for the whole family may help to improve non-visitors’ perceptions of museums. Ultimately, however, if they are to address the sense of exclusion felt by many non-visitors, museums should consider developing projects ‘with’, rather than ‘for’, their audience.
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Yung-Neng Lin is an assistant professor in the Department of Leisure Management at Yu Da College of Business, Taiwan. He holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. His research area mainly focuses on museum marketing and audience development. He has a particular interest in pricing policy, especially the impact of admission charges on people with lower incomes.