Museum Visitor Research: The New Museum

Museum Visitor Research

Museum Visitor Research introduces students to the history, theory, and practice of visitor research in museums through readings, guest lectures and practical experience, including how diverse audiences experience exhibition content.

Using a visitor study designed by Assistant Professor Melissa Forstrom in collaboration with museum professionals, students gain hands-on museum experience with data collection, summative evaluation, analysis and reporting as they learn how to gather information about museum visitor experiences and how to evaluate museum programming. 

The Museum Visitor Research course is the result of relationships developed with the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City over several years. Notably, the only on-site summative evaluation undertaken by the New Museum has been created by Professor Forstrom and executed by Purchase College students.