Museums & Galleries and the International Visitor Experience
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Westminster
Department Name: Sch of Social Sci, Humanities & Language
Abstract
This proposal builds on a pilot study carried out by a team of modern linguists and intercultural specialists at the University of Westminster in 2006 which showed that the current quality and availability of information for international visitors at London's museums and galleries varies enormously, revealing preconceptions concerning communication and culture, and that it is often negative in subtle ways. In addition, the expectations of those visitors often differ widely from the information currently on offer, as focus group studies in France, Spain, Germany, Russia, the Arab Gulf States, and China showed. London's world-class and internationally renowned museums and galleries are, however, also well aware of the need to provide a suitable welcome for international visitors, in an increasingly competitive global market, and of the need to plan for the 2012 London Olympics in order to make Britain what the UK Government has called 'a generous host' and 'a cultural inspiration'.
But, while the websites and printed leaflets of several leading museums and galleries are good examples of the sector's recognition of the need for information to be available in languages other than English, the information remains variable, inconsistent and patchy. Printed and online information currently takes the form of translations of varying quality based on written information that originates in a British cultural perspective, showing no awareness of the needs, expectations and sensitivities of visitors from other cultural areas. The results of this series of research workshops will be a better understanding of the type of information to provide for international visitors to museums and galleries, taking into account their needs and expectations from a culturally informed perspective and thereby enhancing the visitors' experience in UK museums and galleries. The funding requested will enable further research to be undertaken into the production of information by one culture for consumption in another, and for the findings to be discussed with a view to establishing the best way to communicate the results of the research to the UK museum and gallery sector, and to suggest effective methods of implementing those findings. It is envisaged that this may take the form, for example, of a readily accessible and adaptable online 'toolkit'.
But, while the websites and printed leaflets of several leading museums and galleries are good examples of the sector's recognition of the need for information to be available in languages other than English, the information remains variable, inconsistent and patchy. Printed and online information currently takes the form of translations of varying quality based on written information that originates in a British cultural perspective, showing no awareness of the needs, expectations and sensitivities of visitors from other cultural areas. The results of this series of research workshops will be a better understanding of the type of information to provide for international visitors to museums and galleries, taking into account their needs and expectations from a culturally informed perspective and thereby enhancing the visitors' experience in UK museums and galleries. The funding requested will enable further research to be undertaken into the production of information by one culture for consumption in another, and for the findings to be discussed with a view to establishing the best way to communicate the results of the research to the UK museum and gallery sector, and to suggest effective methods of implementing those findings. It is envisaged that this may take the form, for example, of a readily accessible and adaptable online 'toolkit'.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Debra Kelly (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | How little is understood by institutions who wish to communicate with very specific audience groups (from international visitors to museums and galleries to community groups accessing healthcare in the UK) about cultural needs and expectations. The linguistic and cultural dominance of English, coupled with the unquestioned assumptions of those writing the materials leads to the production of very poor material in languages other than English. |
| Exploitation Route | Yes, as noted in many areas of community translation and indeed in translation more widely. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | http://www.westminster.ac.uk/museums-galleries-international-visitor-experience |
| Description | After hearing the findings of the pilot project and focus group research, all of the marketing and communications directors of the institutions involved in the first engagement meeting in November 2006 (Tate Britain, National Gallery, V&A, Westminster Abbey Museum, National Portrait Gallery and British Museum) were receptive to the idea of improving the quality of their information and of increasing their knowledge of how best to support their international visitors with effective communication that meets their cultural and linguistic expectations. Discussion also generated other areas of improvement, such as reorganising information for home visitors and developing the institutions' websites. The National Gallery in particular made changes to its strategy on the provision of information for its international visitors as a result of the project noting that: "despite the fact that preliminary research [by the pilot study] showed that the quality of its general information guides for international visitors already exceeds that of other leading UK museums and galleries, further research revealed a range of areas for radical improvement". Following participation in the workshop series, the National Gallery identified "provision of high-quality, culturally-informed and audience-targeted information as a priority area for development in the current climate of an increasingly competitive global cultural tourism market". The National Gallery also noted that, for its international audiences, the research allowed it to plan for culturally-specific resources - including guidebooks, audio guides, printed material and online information - of varying breadth and depth to first-time visitors and more deeply engaged users. It enabled the Gallery to help people prepare for their visits more effectively, engage with the collection more during their visit and continue their engagement after the visit. The Gallery also highlighted that the project was of benefit not only to international audiences, but also to the student community, those in UK and globally who study culture in an international context, and domestic multicultural audiences. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic |