Donald W. Reynolds Center Visitor Survey
Study Highlights and Frequency Distributions
Summer 2007
Smithsonian Institution Office of Policy and Analysis
Donald W. Reynolds Center Visitor Survey
Summer 2007Study Highlights
The Office of Policy & Analysis (OP&A) is conducting three related studies of visitors to the Donald W. Reynolds Center (DWRC). The first study was conducted in February 2007 (winter), the second in June 2007 (summer), and the third will be conducted in the Fall 2007. This memo includes highlights from the summer survey and compares them to those reported in the winter; a set of frequencies is in Attachment A. At the time the summer survey took place, visitation was high. The cooperation rate of visitors was good (62%); a total of 383 visitors completed the survey. Individuals who refused cited previous plans, transportation schedules, etc. There appear to be no perceptible differences between those who co-operated and those who did not.
¾ The Audience Overall
o About half of the visitors were from the Eastern Seaboard (27% residents of Metropolitan Washington and an additional 22% from New England or Mid Atlantic states). These percentages are lower than found in the winter, when two –thirds were from the Eastern Seaboard. Southern visitors were found in higher percentages in the summer (16%
compared to 12%).
o As in the winter, the majority (67%) was making an initial visit to DWRC. The rest had visited prior to the renovation (16%) or since it reopened to the public (18%). Of those who were making return visits to the DWRC, half had made more than one visit.
o Slightly more than half (54%) was women; these women were less likely to be local.
Compared to the winter, the percentage of men increased (to 46% from 38%),
o As in the winter, adults alone (14%) or with other adults but unaccompanied by youth (58%) were the predominant visitor configurations; single adults or couples with young people (under age 18), and a few who came with groups, constituted the rest of the visitors. Half of the visitors were 46 years old or younger, the remainder older. The average age was 45. Overall, summer visitors were slightly older than those who came in winter.
o Eighty three percent of U. S. visitors considered themselves White, fewer than in the winter. Six percent of U.S. residents indicated that they were of Latino or Hispanic origin.
o These visitors were very well educated, with three-fifths of those over age 25, when most are considered to have completed their education, reporting graduate/professional degrees.
All but ten percent have Bachelor’s degrees (over 25). This is higher than in the winter.
¾ Rating the Visit
o As shown in Figure 1, on the next page, the overall experience was quite positive: 29 percent rated it as “superior,” essentially the same as before.
0 15 30 45 60 75
Poor/Fair Good Excellent Superior Winter Summer
Figure 1. Rating of Overall Visit: Winter and Summer, 2007
o As in the winter, with the exception of “activities and things for children to do,” all of the programmatic aspects of the DWRC received equally high ratings. There is a slight improvement in public relations functions, i.e., information desks and security officers were rated higher than in the winter (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. Rating of Information Desks and Security Officers [In Percent]
0 15 30 45 60
Info Desks-Winter Info Desks-Summer Officers-Winter Officers-Summer Poor/Fair Good Excellent Superior
o As in the winter, for the majority of visito %), the experience was better than
Overall, first time visitors were less critical; they gave higher ratings than repeat visitors.
o Friends and/or family were still the main source of information about the Center (29%),
Experiences in the DWRC
As in the winter, Learning something new (75%), Enriching my understanding (68%) and
As in the winter, the majority agreed that information was visually easy to read (81%)
Contact with DWRC personnel was more limited. Half indicated that museum staff
was
As in the winter, a minority of visitors took advantage of the shops or cafes. Thirty-nine t
Museum Identification
During both winter and summer surveys, visitors were more likely to know that the wo rs (57
expected.
o
with other sources of information trailing behind. Half the visitors (50%) also indicated that they had talked to friends about the DWRC. Reflecting the higher percentage of visitors from outside the Metro area, tourist information was reported as a source by almost one-fourth of respondents (22% in summer, compared to 14% in winter).
¾
o
Being moved by beauty (74%) were reported as key experiences.
o
and understand (73%), and directions were easy to follow (51%).
o
welcomed them at the entrance, and a similar percent (51%) reported that they or a member of their group stopped at the information desk. One-fifth (21%) spoke to museum staff in the building. There was, however, near unanimity (96%) that staff sensitive to visitor needs.
o
percent entered the shops; of these, about a third made a purchase. About one-fourth wen into a café; of these, five out of eight ate there.
¾
o
resident museums are part of the Smithsonian than they were to know that there are t museums in the building. In the summer, they were less likely to know that there were two museums, compared to winter. See Figure 3.
0 15 30 45 60 75
Two museums-
Winter Two museums-
Summer Smithsonian-Winter Smithsonian- Summer Before today When I got here When I read this question
Figure 3. Timing of Awareness of DWRC as Two Museums and Smithsonian Institution- Winter and Summer, 2007 (In Percent)
o In sum, few differences were found between the two survey periods. Most of the differences appear to be the result of a higher percentage of visitors from outside the Metropolitan area.
Appendix A.
Donald W. Reynolds Center Visitor Survey
Winter (February) & Summer (June) 2007Frequency Distributions [In Percent]
1. Is today your first visit this specific building?
Winter Summer Fall
68 67 Yes
11 16 No, I last visited before it was renovated 11 8 No, I made one visit since July 2006
10 10 No, I made more than one visit since July 2006
100 101 Total
2. Are you visiting by yourself or with other people?
Winter Summer Fall
12 14 I am alone
88 86 I am with others
100 100 Total
3. Other than yourself, how many people are with you? (Write number of people not ages) Winter Summer Fall
# Adults 18 and over
# Youth 12 to 17 [See Table A.1] # Youth under 12 4. Are you visiting today with an organized group?
Winter Summer Fall
98 97 No
1 1 Yes, School
1 2 Yes, Other group
100 100 Total
Notes
a. Questions formats modified from actual questionnaires, to facilitate entering data.
b. Percents are based only on respondents who answered questions and to which questions applied. “Not Applicable” are excluded from the percents.
c. If respondents could mark more than one answer for a questions, percent totals are not shown.
5. Rate your overall visit experience in this building today.
Winter Summer Fall
1 1 Poor
2 1 Fair
16 15 Good
58 54 Excellent
24 29 Superior
101 100 Total
6.Was your experience better or worse than you expected?
Winter Summer Fall
1 1 Worse
40 41 About as expected
58 57 Better
100 99 Total
7. What impressed you the most on this visit? (Choose one) Winter Summer Fall
37 21 The building/restoration 5 4 Visitor amenities/services
76 83 The exhibitions and collections
0 2 None of these
8. When did you learn that there are two museums in this building?
Winter Summer Fall
48 36 Before I came today 33 44 When I got here
19 20 When I read this question
100 100 Total
9. Which museums in this building did you visit today?
Winter Summer Fall
12 11 American Art 24 19 Portrait Gallery
60 68 Both
4 2 Not sure
100 100 Total
10. When did you learn that these two museums are Smithsonian museums?
Winter Summer Fall
71 71 Before I came today 21 20 When I got here
9 9 When I read this question
101 100 Total
11. Where did you see or hear advertisements about these two museums before visiting today?
(Choose one or more) Winter Summer Fall
16 11 Newspaper
3 0 Radio
12 11 Magazine
7 6 Online ad
6 7 Metro sign
1 2 Sign on bus
41 41 Did not see an advertisement 27 28 Other ____________________
12. Where else did you see or hear anything about these two museums before visiting today?
Winter Summer Fall
19 13 Newspaper story
5 3 TV/radio story
14 22 Tourist info 32 29 Friend/Family
0 1 Blog
18 9 Web site
14 15 Prior visit 15 14 Wandered past
11 10 Other ____________________
13. Have you talked with any friends about these two museums before today?
Winter Summer Fall
42 50 No
58 50 Yes
100 100 Total
14. In this building (Choose one or more) … … Winter Summer Fall
50 54 Museum staff welcomed me/us at the entrance 53 51 I/we stopped at the information desk
54 51 Directions were easy to follow 10 9 None of these
15. In the exhibitions and galleries (Choose one or more)…
Winter Summer Fall
84 81 Information was visually easy to read 75 73 Information was easy to understand
16 12 There was information that I/we wanted about objects but could not find
52 48 There were adequate places to sit 24 21 I/we talked with museum staff
16. How did visitor amenities/services affect your experience Winter Summer Fall
2 0 Negatively
37 37 No effect
60 63 Positively
99 100 Total
17. During your visit, were staff sensitive to your needs?
Winter Summer Fall
3 4 No
97 96 Yes
100 100 Total
18. Did you attend a program or lecture today?
Winter Summer Fall
96 96 No
4 4 Yes
100 100 Total
19. Did you see a special or featured exhibition today?
Winter Summer Fall
43 41 No
57 59 Yes
100 100 Total
20. Did you go into a museum store in this building?
Winter Summer Fall
64 62 No
29 24 Yes, did not buy 7 15 Yes, bought
100 101 Total
21. Did you go into a café in this building?
Winter Summer Fall
77 76 No
11 9 Yes, did not eat 12 15 Yes, ate
100 100 Total
22. Please rate the following in this building today
Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior Total
Winter 0 1 10 58 31 100 Quality of exhibits Summer 0 1 9 52 37 99
Fall
Winter 0 4 19 49 27 99 Publicly visible stored artworks
Summer 0 2 18 50 30 100 (“Open Storage”)
Fall
Winter 0 2 30 48 20 100 Explanations and interpretive
Summer 0 3 23 47 28 101 information
Fall
22 [continued]. Please rate the following in this building today Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior Total
Winter 10 21 25 23 22 100 Activities and things for Summer 6 15 29 34 16 100 children to do
Fall
Winter 0 4 29 51 15 99 Information desks Summer 0 2 29 43 25 99
Fall
Winter 2 7 27 44 20 100 Security officers Summer 0 2 32 38 28 100
Fall
Winter 0 6 36 39 19 100 Museum stores Summer 1 3 25 47 23 99
Fall
Winter 7 21 33 20 19 100 Cafés Summer 1 7 34 40 18 100
Fall
Winter 2 3 22 45 28 100 Restrooms Summer 0 2 20 47 31 100
Fall
23. Today, did you have the following experiences during your visit to this building?
No Somewhat Very Much Total
Winter 0 25 75 100 Enriching my understanding
Summer 1 31 68 100
Fall
Winter 20 18 63 100 Introducing children to art/history
Summer 21 24 55 100
Fall
Winter 2 17 81 100 Learning something new
Summer 1 24 75 100
Fall
Winter 3 28 69 100 Reflecting on the meaning of what Summer 2 29 69 100 I saw
Fall
Winter 5 27 68 100 Seeing things in new ways
Summer 4 31 65 100
Fall
Winter 8 27 66 101 Socializing with friends/family
Summer 10 26 64 100
Fall
Winter 7 27 66 100 Imagining or recalling other Summer 7 27 67 101 times/places
Fall
Winter 3 22 74 99 Being moved by beauty
Summer 5 21 74 101
Fall
24. Would the following have increased your enjoyment?
Winter Summer Fall
64 65 No Staff in galleries to answer questions
36 35 Yes
100 100 Total
57 63 No More written information in the exhibits
43 37 Yes
100 100 Total
61 62 No Hand-held electronic information devices
39 38 Yes
100 100 Total
49 62 No Exhibits to touch or manipulate
51 38 Yes
100 100 Total
25. Will you visit this building again in the next year?
Winter Summer Fall
46 40 Definitely
32 33 Probably
20 21 Not likely
3 6 No
101 100 Total
26. Where do you live? [Also see Table A.2]
Winter Summer Fall
96 95 United States
4 5 Other Country
100 100 Total 27. What is your age? [Also see Table A.3]
Winter Summer Fall
41.4 44.7 years [Average]
41 43.0 years [Median]
28. What is your sex?
Winter Summer Fall
62 54 Female
38 46 Male
100 100 Total
29. What is the highest level of education you have completed? [Also see Table A.4]
Winter Summer Fall
7 7 High school or less
5 8 One or more years of college, no degree 3 5 Associate degree
30 27 Bachelor’s degree 56 53 Graduate/professional 101 100 Total
30. Are you of Latino or Hispanic origin? [U.S. visitors only]
Winter Summer Fall
94 94 No
6 6 Yes
100 100 Total
31. What race do you consider yourself? [U.S. visitors only] (Choose one or more) Winter Summer Fall
6 7 African American
2 1 American Indian/Native Alaskan 5 5 Asian (Chinese, Indian, Japanese, etc.) 2 1 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
90 83 White
32. What can we do to make this building more approachable and inviting for Smithsonian visitors?
A.1 Group Composition
Type of Group Winter Summer Fall Unaccompanied visitor 12 14
Adult couple w/o youth 33 36 Adult group w/o youth 25 22 Adult couple with youth 13 8 Adult group with youth 11 10 One adult with youth 4 6
Youth group 0 1
School group 1 2
Other group 1 2
Total 100 101
A.2 Geographic Origins
Area Winter Summer Fall Percent
New England 16 6
Mid Atlantic 12 16
Metro Washington 39 27
South East 5 8
South Central 2 8
North Central 5 12
Midwest 4 3
Mountain 2 4
Pacific 4 8
Unspecified U.S. 6 2 Country other than U.S. 4 5
Total 100 99
A.3 Age, Five Year Intervals
Age Range Winter Summer Fall
12-14 1 1
15-17 4 4
18-19 2 2
20-24 12 8
25-29 7 6
30-34 10 7
35-39 9 10
40-44 12 12
45-49 10 8
50-54 9 10
55-59 13 8
60-64 5 10
65-69 4 3
70-74 2 4
75-79 1 3
80+ 0 2
Total 101 98
A.4 Educational Attainment, Visitors over 25
Educational Attainment Winter Summer Fall High school or less 2 1
One or more years of
college, no degree 3 4 Associate degree 1 5 Bachelor’s degree 29 27 Graduate/professional 65 62
Total 100 99
