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Creating a Measure of Meaningful Science Museum Experiences

Sat, April 26, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (9:50 to 11:20am MDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 705

Abstract

A new tool for measuring Meaningful Science Museum Experiences (MSME) was developed, consisting of 15 items that explore various themes integral to meaningful visitor experiences. Surprisingly, the tool was found to be unidimensional, which facilitates its practical use by museum researchers for trend analysis across visitors and over time. Although overall meaningfulness scores did not vary by museum, differences among items underscore the importance for individual museums to tailor their usage of the tool according to their unique settings and missions. Demographic factors such as visitor frequency, membership status, and group composition significantly influenced meaningful experiences. The MSME demonstrated strong reliability and collective validity evidence for comprehensively evaluating visitor experiences across diverse museum contexts and visitor demographics.

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