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The Economics of Interactivity
Author(s) -
West Robert “Mac”
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
curator: the museum journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.312
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 2151-6952
pISSN - 0011-3069
DOI - 10.1111/j.2151-6952.2004.tb00118.x
Subject(s) - interactivity , exhibition , function (biology) , perception , institution , presentation (obstetrics) , psychology , public relations , sociology , business , computer science , multimedia , political science , art , social science , visual arts , medicine , radiology , evolutionary biology , neuroscience , biology
The increasing use of interactivity obliges museums to make decisions about the most appropriate interpretive strategies for exhibitions and experiences. Interpretive strategies have immediately apparent costs for an institution, as well as other less obvious implications. Interactive exhibits generally cost significantly more to develop, design, fabricate, and operate. There also are other, non‐quantifiable costs. For instance, environments might be very appealing to some visitors but less appealing to others. Some activities may inhibit social interaction among visitors. There is a danger that broken interpretive exhibits may convey a perception of low confidence in the museum, or that obsolete technologies may suggest inadequacy (especially in a science presentation). Finally, interactive exhibits that don't function optimally may create internal and public uncertainty about the core mission of the museum.