Article discusses what “visitor-centered” means for museums and provides practical examples.
Resources
Discover more ways to support your professional learning goals.
This curated collection includes a sampling of articles, online courses, professional organizations, and other tools that ISL professionals from a wide range of roles and settings have found useful.
While exploring these resources, it may be helpful to focus on specific competencies you want to develop (see Framework and Self-Assessment), your own personal learning goals (see Learning Plan), and/or broader strategies for professional learning. The Key Terms page can offer additional insight into Pathways language.
The Role of Visitor Studies in Shaping Visitor‐Centered Museums
Author(s): Hayde, Donnelley, Weiss, Laura and Meyer, Justin Reeves
Making the Case for the Value of Museum Experiences.
Author(s): Falk, John H.
Article suggests ways to demonstrate museums’ value to policy makers and the public by considering the value of enhanced personal, intellectual, social, and physical well-being.
Learning From Museums (Second Edition)
Author(s): Falk, John H. and Dierking, Lynn D.
Book focuses on museum learning theory and practice, exploring how people learn in museum environments. Provides a research-based framework for understanding visitor experiences and outcomes.
Practical Evaluation Guide: Tools for Museums and Other Informal Educational Settings (Third Edition)
Author(s): Diamond, Judy, Horn, Michael S. and Uttal, David H.
Book provides overview of evaluation methods and practices designed for museums and informal learning environments. Provides practical tools and frameworks for conducting meaningful evaluation.
Amplifying Informal Science Learning: Rethinking Research, Design, and Engagement
Author(s): Diamond, Judy and Rosenfeld Sherman (Editors)
Edited volume explores strategies and approaches for enhancing informal science learning across various settings. Examines research, practice, and evaluation in informal science education.
Navigating the Changing Landscape of Formal and Informal Science Learning Opportunities
Author(s): Corrigan, Deborah, Buntting, Cathy, Jones, Alister & Loughran, John (Editors)
Book discusses science communication, school-community partnerships, socioscientific issues, outreach education, digital platforms, and the concept of “learning ecology”. Explores connections between formal and informal learning environments.
The Inclusive Museum Leader
Author(s): Catlin-Legutko, Cinnamon and Taylor, Chris
Book provides a guide for developing and practicing inclusive museum leadership. Provides practical strategies for organizational change and inclusive management.
10 Steps to Successful Mentoring
Author(s): Axelrod, Wendy
Book describes the mentor’s role, plus various approaches and strategies such as asking powerful questions and leveraging experiences.
Museum Basics: The International Handbook (Fourth Edition)
Author(s): Ambrose, Tim and Paine, Crispin
Book provides a guide to all aspects of museum work, from audience development and learning to collections management and conservation to institutional management and planning. Provides a broad overview of museum operations and professional practices.
Museum Finance: Issues, Challenges, and Successes
Author(s): Alexander, Brian
Book provides practical guidance for museum financial sustainability, addressing topics such as budgeting, fundraising, revenue generation, and financial planning.
This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2215274. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.