Freer Gallery of Art 2015 Visitor Studies Part One: Entrance-Exit Survey Office of Policy and Analysis Smithsonian Institution Washington DC March 2016 2 Credits: Study design: Andrew Pekarik, Office of Policy and Analysis (OP&A) Project coordinators: Claire Eckert (OP&A), Elizabeth Eder (Freer|Sackler) Data collection: Freer|Sackler: Brian Abrams, Stephen Allee, Katelynn Averyt, Lee Cannon, Ellen Chase, Liz Cheng, Debra Diamond, Liz Eder, Nancy Eickel, Massumeh Farhad, Miranda Gale, Jer Gallay, Jennifer Giaccai, Lee Glazer, Neil Greentree, Nancy Hacskaylo, Andrew Hare, Rob Harrell, Carol Huh, Jeannette Jones, Howard Kaplan, Jane Kestner, Sally Kim, Matthew Lasnoski, Wen Li, Hetty Lipscomb, Teak Lynner, Shawn McRaney, Amber Meade, Nancy Micklewright, Courtney O’Callaghan, Allison Peck, Sonja Potter, Simon, Rettig, Ellie Reynolds, Karen Sasaki, Alison Schorr, Zeynep Simavi, Cheryl Sobas, Jan Stuart, Alice Tracy, Hayley Trezzo, Anna Troein, Lee Weaver, Hutomo Wicaksono, Laura Willumsen, Michael Wilpers, Jianguo Wu, Ann Yonemura , Katie Ziglar OP&A: Sarah Block, Jim Brady, Dorothea Brady, Sonia Haro-Garcia, Keturah Kiehl, Madeline Krouse, Patricia Lyne, Mike Madeja, Patrice Shelburne, Eliza Weeks Analysis and report: Andrew Pekarik Freer|Sackler liaison: Elizabeth Eder and Karen Sasaki Report editing: Whitney Watriss 3 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 4 KEY POINTS ............................................................................................................................................... 6 AUDIENCE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 RATINGS OF OVERALL EXPERIENCE ......................................................................................................................... 6 ANTICIPATED AND SATISFYING EXPERIENCES ....................................................................................................... 6 RATINGS OF FEATURES ............................................................................................................................................... 7 DESIRES FOR THE FUTURE ......................................................................................................................................... 7 ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................. 7 SUGGESTIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 9 PROVIDE STRONGER IDEA EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................................. 9 PROVIDE STRONGER PEOPLE EXPERIENCES ........................................................................................................... 9 PROVIDE MORE KINDS OF OBJECT EXPERIENCES ................................................................................................... 9 PROVIDE STRONGER PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES ........................................................................................................ 9 RESPOND TO VISITORS’ OTHER INTERESTS .......................................................................................................... 10 DESIGN FOUR-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAYS ................................................................................................................ 10 FINDINGS .................................................................................................................................................. 11 THE VISITORS ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 Age .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Gender ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Residence ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Ethnic Heritage ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Interests of Visitors .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Prior Visits to the Freer ..................................................................................................................................... 12 Prior Visits to Other Art Museums ................................................................................................................ 12 Awareness of the Freer ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Awareness of Asian/American Art in the Freer ...................................................................................... 13 Time in the Freer .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Visit Group ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 Experience Preference ........................................................................................................................................ 14 THE VISIT EXPERIENCE ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Expectations and Response – Overall Experience .................................................................................. 16 Expectations and Response – Anticipated and Satisfying Experiences ........................................ 18 Expectations ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 Experience Preference and Overall Experience Ratings ..................................................................... 19 Other Responses .................................................................................................................................................... 20 Desires for the Future ......................................................................................................................................... 21 ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................................. 23 A YOUNG AUDIENCE, PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE, HALF REGIONAL ............................................................... 23 MODELING OVERALL EXPERIENCE RATINGS OF EXITING VISITORS ............................................................... 24 Idea Score ................................................................................................................................................................ 25 Very Interested in Freer as a Collector ....................................................................................................... 25 Almost Lost Track of Time ............................................................................................................................... 26 Feature Ratings ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 Exceeding Expectation ....................................................................................................................................... 26 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................... 27 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................ 28 4 Introduction In preparation for the closing of the Freer Gallery of Art (Freer) in 2015 for infrastructure work and its scheduled re-opening in 2017, the staff of the Freer requested that the Office of Policy and Analysis (OP&A) conduct a year-long survey study of Freer visitors, to include surveys of both entering and exiting visitors. This study was accompanied by two other in-depth studies of Freer visitors in 2015 – an interview study and an observation study. Results of those studies are reported separately. The survey study employed an unusual technique for data collection. Surveys were conducted by museum staff on weekdays and by OP&A contractors on weekends. The entire year from January 5, 2015 through January 4, 2016 was divided into half-hour segments, and three out of four workdays were included as study days. Survey session times for those days were randomly assigned for the entire year. Each weekday session was a half-hour long, and included 15 minutes of exit surveys and 15 minutes of entrance surveys. Contractor-led weekend sessions were four hours long and alternated between Saturdays and Sundays (and also including holidays). Freer|Sackler staff who volunteered to administer surveys were on duty for a two-month period. They worked in three teams of two, using two iPads per person, and on average served a little more than once a week. Teams were debriefed on their experience at the end of their two months. Data was instantaneously uploaded to Qualtrics as surveys were completed and was available for review and analysis at any time. The teams intercepted every visitor who passed by their designated door in the assigned direction whenever an iPad was available. All three doors were covered (Mall door on Jefferson Drive, link to/from the Sackler Gallery, and door to Independence Avenue). Details: • Surveys were conducted on 247 days (two out of every three). On 188 of those days surveys were conducted by F|S staff (75% of all working weekdays). • 50 staff members (nearly half the total museum staff) volunteered as data collectors. They included individuals from all departments of the museum, including managers, curators, conservators, educators, exhibition staff, designers, editors, etc. • 1,767 visitors completed entrance surveys; 1,545 completed exit surveys. 57% of all eligible visitors during survey periods were intercepted, and 79% of intercepted visitors completed surveys (i.e., 45% of all visitors who passed by the survey teams during the study completed surveys). 5 • Participating staff enjoyed the experience, and most did not find it overly burdensome. There were both intended and unintended benefits of this data collection method: • Staff members noticed behaviors that they reported directly to the relevant departments. • Engagement with visitors during survey periods positively increased staff understanding of visitors, including the different purposes that bring them to the Freer. One data collector, for example, was surprised by the number of visitors who mentioned that they came to the Freer for its contemplative environment. • Participants made friends with staff members from other departments, with whom they did not usually interact. • Unexpected findings in the data during the year prompted changes in the Freer, and the impact of those changes could be measured directly and immediately because the data was continuous. The most notable example (discussed later in this report) was the change in signs outside the museum that had a major impact on first-time visitors’ awareness of what they would find in the Freer. 6 Key Points Audience • The Freer audience is relatively young, predominantly female, and one-half regional. • One in five identify as having Asian or Middle Eastern heritage. One in fifty live in Asia. • Three in five are very interested in Asian art/history/culture; half are very interested in Middle Eastern art/history/culture. • Three in five were making their first visit to the Freer, but five out of six had visited an art museum other than the Freer or Sackler in the past year. • One-third heard about the Freer from friends/family, and another third were wandering by. • One-quarter of all visitors have an experience preference in the Idea dimension (i.e., primarily drawn to abstraction/conceptualization). New visitors are equally distributed across the preferences (Idea, People, Object, Physical, No single preference), but among repeat visitors, nearly one-third have an Idea preference. 1 Ratings of Overall Experience • First-time visitors had low expectations (13% anticipated a Superior rating) but had a better experience in the end (22% Superior); repeat visitors had higher expectations (22% Superior), and the result was about what they expected (26% Superior). • Visitors with an Object preference were most likely to have anticipated a Superior experience, but in the end visitors with Idea or People preferences were the ones most likely to have reported a Superior overall experience. • Those with a Physical preference were most likely to anticipate a less-than-Excellent overall experience, and they were also most likely to have reported a less-than-Excellent overall experience. Anticipated and Satisfying Experiences • Three experiences were significantly more satisfying to exiting visitors than entering visitors had anticipated: o Seeing rare/valuable/uncommon things (Entrance 50%; Exit 60%) o Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm (Entrance 40%; Exit 58%) o Imagining other times/places (Entrance 32%; Exit 42%) • Visitors with Idea or People preferences were more likely than visitors with other preferences to have had unexpected satisfying experiences of imagining other times/places, and those with Idea preferences were also more likely to have unexpected satisfying experiences of seeing rare things. 1 The four dimensions are described in IPOP theory – Idea (conceptual, abstract thinking), People (emotional connections), Object (visual language and how things are made and used), and Physical experiences (somatic sensations). 7 Ratings of Features • Ratings for the quality of art were very high (45% Superior). • Ratings for the longer texts, floor plans and directional signs, and number of places to sit were relatively low (16-17% Superior; 44%-53% less than Excellent) Desires for the Future • Among possible future information services, more visitors were interested in knowledgeable staff in the galleries compared to the other proposed options, although those visiting with youth were especially interested in videos in the galleries. • Among possible new features, more visitors were interested in a highlights brochure and in people stories. o Those with Idea and People preferences were especially interested in having guidance for closer looking; visitors with People preferences were also more interested in music in the galleries; those with Object or Physical preferences were more interested in hands-on activities. o Those visiting with youth were especially interested in people stories and hands-on activities. o Younger visitors and females were especially interested in people stories, music in the galleries, and hands-on activities. o Older visitors were especially interested in audio guides. Analysis • Relative to the overall US population, Millennials (i.e., ages 18-34) are over-represented in the Freer audience. The Sackler has drawn an older audience by comparison. With respect to gender and residence, however, the Freer and Sackler audiences do not differ. • A statistical model identifies six independent predictors of a Superior overall experience rating on exiting the Freer: o The visit exceeded expectations o Rating the quality of the art higher than others o Rating the variety of the art higher than others o Was so engaged that s/he almost lost track of time o Was very interested in Charles Freer as a collector o Had a higher Idea score than others • The model is consistent with scientific theories of near-term happiness and with the principle that unexpected experiences outside of one’s experience preference are a cause of Superior overall experience ratings. Conclusion The Freer Gallery is doing well by its audience. New visitors were having a better experience than they expected, and the overall experience ratings on exit were at the same level as for Smithsonian museums overall. The Freer visit worked particularly well for those who have an experience preference in the Idea dimension, because these visitors were having unexpectedly satisfying experiences of imagining other 8 times or places and seeing rare things. And because of this positive outcome, Idea-preference visitors were also returning more than others. Imagining other times or places is an experience that combines both a physical element (by calling to mind a specific setting) and an emotional one (by projecting oneself in that place). Seeing rare things, on the other hand, is an object-centered experience involving aesthetic appreciation, attention to detail and craftsmanship, and consideration of how an object was made and/or used. Because the Freer Gallery has artworks of great variety from many different parts of Asia (and from America by way of England), it offers very rich opportunities for engaging visitors in imagining those places. In addition, because the objects are of such high quality and well-presented, they invite close examination and an aesthetic response. The data implies strongly that visitors who were drawn to abstract ideas were being “flipped” to Physical (imagining places), People (imagining what it felt like to be in those places), and Object (aesthetic) experiences. And it is no surprise that those with an Idea preference were also more eager to have guidance for closer looking. Ironically, visitors who were drawn to Object experiences were more likely than others to have anticipated a Superior experience when they arrived, but in the end their response was only average. In order to have been as excited as they had anticipated, they, too, would have needed to be “flipped” to Idea, People, or Physical experiences. That appears not to happened, and it is not surprising. Ideas were not strongly presented (as is evident from the Freer observation study), emotions and People stories were rare, and Physical experiences were few (beyond the seasonally available courtyard). In other words, there were no strong experiences in other dimensions to engage the Object-oriented visitor unexpectedly. The fact that visitors with a People preference also gave higher than expected ratings to their overall experience suggests that they, too, might have been having “flip” experiences. They were imagining other times or places more than anticipated, which could represent an unexpected Physical experience, but the data in this survey does not offer any possible explanation beyond that. Perhaps visitors with a People preference were unexpectedly having satisfying experiences of a type not offered among the survey options. One speculative possibility is that they might unexpectedly have had Object experiences such as “imagining what it would be like to own, use, or make these things.” 9 Suggestions Provide stronger Idea experiences As this study demonstrates, there is a need for strong experiences in the Idea dimension that could unexpectedly capture the attention and interest of those who are naturally drawn to other dimensions, especially the Object dimension. Possibilities include: • Maps and timelines • Info-graphics – aesthetic displays of information • Striking concepts that connect disparate objects/themes • Interesting factoids • Numbers and statistics • Photographs and/or objects integrated with texts where appropriate • Texts with easy-to-read font sizes and contrast • Questions that invite thought Provide stronger People experiences Here, too, the aim is to provide unexpected experiences for those drawn to Object experiences. Possibilities include: • Stories, especially the story of Charles Freer • Images of people • Emotional language in texts • Quotes from poetry, essays, and journals • Translations of texts on paintings and calligraphy • Incorporating contemporary artistic voices Provide more kinds of Object experiences • A highlights brochure • Guidance for closer looking • Videos that help visitors know how to look and what to look for • Explanations/illustrations of how things are made/used • Photographs that show objects in their original settings Provide stronger Physical experiences Because of the nature of the museum and its contents, strong evocations of place could be very effective: • Music in controlled areas • Seating that is more comfortable/flexible • Food/drink, if possible • Areas for drawing/sketching/composing • Immersive settings/video/photographs to emphasize place 10 Respond to visitors’ other interests • Enhance knowledgeable staff in the galleries • Offer an informational tour app for mobile devices Design four-dimensional displays The likelihood of inducing unexpected experiences can be greatly increased by creating displays (ideally one in each gallery) where the ideas, stories, artworks, and environment are all remarkable in their own right, but also closely interrelated. These IPOP displays should be tested with visitors in paper and/or prototype form to maximize their effectiveness. 11 Findings The Visitors Age Visitors were relatively young. More than half were under the age of 40, and one-quarter (26%) were between 20 and 29 years of age, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Ages of Freer Visitors Half were under 40, one-quarter in their 20s There were only minor changes in visitor ages over the year: • The youngest visitors (ages 18-19 and 20-24) were proportionately fewer from October through the end of the year. • Visitors aged 20-24 were more numerous from July through September. • Visitors aged 65-69 were more numerous between April and June. Gender Throughout the year more visitors identified as female (56%) than male (43%). Residence Nine out of ten visitors (89%) live in the United States. More than one-quarter (28%) live in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, with nearly half of these (13%) living within the District. Half of all visitors live within 100 miles of the National Mall. One in ten live outside the United States. 7% 13% 13% 11% 9% 18-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70 & over 12 Figure 2: Residence of Visitors Out of every ten visitors to the Freer 3 lived within 1 lived 20-40 1 lived 40-100 4 lived elsewhere 1 lived in 20 miles miles away miles away in the U.S. another country Among visitors from outside the Metropolitan Washington Area, most are from California and New York (4% each), followed by Pennsylvania (3%). Among foreign residents, most are from Europe (3%), Asia (2%), and Canada/Mexico (2%). Ethnic Heritage One in five visitors (22%) identify as having Asian or Middle Eastern heritage. One-third of them (7%) cite an East Asian culture – 4% China, 3% Japan, 1% Korea. Smaller percentages refer to their cultural heritage as Asia/Asian American (4%) or a region of South Asia (3% India/Pakistan/Bangladesh). Interests of Visitors Not surprisingly, the majority of visitors were very interested in Asian art (60%) and Asian history/culture (58%). Approximately half were very interested in American art (49%), Middle Eastern art (46%), and Middle Eastern history/culture (48%). Repeat visitors and those who visited other art museums were more likely to be very interested in these. About one-quarter (23%) was very interested in Charles Freer as a collector. Levels of interest varied somewhat over the course of the year. Visitors in the beginning of the year (January-March) and the end of the year (October-December) had higher levels of interest in Asian art and Asian history/culture . Interest in Charles Freer as a collector was higher among exiting visitors than among entering visitors in April-June and October-December. These differences were substantial (from 14% very interested on entrance to 27% on exit in April-June; from 21% very interested on entrance to 29% on exit in October-December). Prior Visits to the Freer The majority of visitors (63%) were making their first visit to the Freer when they were intercepted for the survey. Among the repeat visitors, almost half (45%) had visited two or more times in the previous twelve months. The remaining repeat visitors were equally divided between those who had been to the Gallery once in the prior twelve months (27%) and those had not visited in the prior twelve months (28%). Prior Visits to Other Art Museums Freer visitors were regular visitors to art museums. Only one in six (17%) of all Freer visitors had not been to an art museum other than the Freer or Sackler Gallery in the 13 previous twelve months. Two in five had been to other art museums four or more times in the past twelve months. See Figure 4. Figure 4: Visits to Art Museums Other Than Freer/Sackler in the Prior Twelve Months Awareness of the Freer The major sources of awareness of the Freer were family/friends and wandering by. One-third heard about it from family/friends (33%), a little less than one-third discovered it when they saw it (31%), a few learned of it both ways (3%), and a final third heard about the Freer some other way (33%). Among the other sources of awareness the most commonly cited were the Smithsonian or Freer|Sackler website (20%); another Smithsonian museum or the Castle (14%); and print media (11%). Altogether, these five sources reached 92% of the visitors. The remaining four sources – guidebooks, travel websites, social media, and broadcast media – provided little additional reach. Awareness of Asian/American Art in the Freer Among first-time visitors 39% knew before they came that the Freer mainly displays Asian art. Those who heard about the Freer from print media were most likely to know before they came (82%); those who wandered by were least likely to have known in advance (12%). See Figure 5. Figure 5: Likelihood of Knowing in Advance That Freer Displays Mostly Asian Art Among First-Time Visitors Who Learned about the Freer from Various Sources 17% 13% 30% 26% 14% Not at all Once 2-3 times 4-10 times 10+ times Freer Visitors frequently visit other art museums 12% 45% 46% 49% 62% 68% 72% 75% 82% Wandered by Another Smithsonian museum or Guidebook Travel website Family and Friends Smithsonian or Freer Sackler website Social media Broadcast media Print media 14 Many fewer first-time visitors (20%) knew in advance that the Freer also displays American art. Those who knew about the Freer from broadcast media were most likely to know (54%), followed by print media (43%) and the Smithsonian or Freer|Sackler website (42%). This result might reflect publicity around the REMIX exhibition at the Sackler Gallery, which focused on a contemporary American artist’s response to the Peacock Room by James MacNeil Whistler. Surprisingly, about one-third (31%) of first-time visitors entering the museum in the April-June period did not know that the Freer mainly displays Asian art until they read the survey question. In response to this finding, the museum changed the outdoor standing signs in August, adding “Asian Art” in large type. Immediately, more first-time entering visitors knew that the museum contained Asian art. In the period from October – December only 13% of entering first-time visitors did not know that by the time they stepped into the Freer. Nearly half (46%) of first-time visitors who entered the Freer did not know that it also displays American art. Since outdoor signs did not change with respect to American art, the percentage was relatively unchanged over the year. Time in the Freer Three-quarters of the visitors indicated that they had spent an hour or less in the Freer (75%); about a quarter claimed to have spent less than half an hour; and one-third reported more than one hour. In general, the time reported by exiting visitors was fairly close to the time that entering visitors expected to spend, except that reported visit times of more than one hour were higher than expected between July and September, and lower than expected between October and December. However, the observation study of Freer visitors during this period, which noted in detail how long visitors spent in the Gallery, suggests that these reported times are somewhat inflated. According the observation study, the average time in the Freer was 24 minutes, with 70% spending less than 30 minutes and only 4% spending more than one hour. Visit Group About one-quarter of visitors came alone (23%), and two-thirds came with one or more adults (66%). Less than one-tenth (8%) came with at least one person under 18. Experience Preference The survey included questions asking visitors to indicate their degree of self-identification with various types of leisure activities. To identify the degree to which individuals were drawn to four dimensions of experience in comparison to the overall average, responses to these questions were compared to a large dataset (20,000+ cases) of other museum-goers who had answered these questions previously. The four dimensions are described in IPOP theory – Idea (conceptual, abstract thinking), People (emotional connections), Object (visual language and how 15 things are made and used), and Physical experiences (somatic sensations).2 The IPOP scores are measures of how drawn visitors are to each of these four dimensions, in comparison to survey respondents in the overall dataset. When one of these scores is higher than the others, that dimension is identified as a preference.3 Among Freer visitors, one-quarter (24%) had an experience preference in the Idea dimension. See Figure 3.4 Figure 3: Experience Preferences of Visitors The Idea dimension was the strongest among visitors There was a significant difference in preference between new and repeat visitors. Repeat visitors were more likely to have an Idea preference and less likely to have a Physical preference, as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4: Experience Preferences of New and Repeat Visitors 2 Pekarik, Andrew J., J.B. Schreiber, N. Hanemann, K. Richmond, and B. Mogel. 2014. IPOP: A Theory of Experience Preference. Curator: The Museum Journal 57(1). 5-27. 3 Scores are standardized z-scores of standard deviation above/below the mean of 0.0. Two scores are considered different if they are more than 0.2 standard deviations apart. 4 In this report, only differences that are statistically significant at a level of 0.01 or less are reported. In other words, there is only a 1% probability that these differences are accidents of the sample and are not true for the population of all visitors to the Freer. In addition, when the association between two variables is statistically significant and illustrated in a figure, individual highlighted items are those whose adjusted, standardized chi-square residuals are 2.0 or greater. In other words, these are the cells that stand out most strongly as different from the others in a positive direction. 24% 19% 17% 18% 23% Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference 21% 30% 19% 18% 17% 17% 20% 13% 23% 22% New Visitor Repeat Visitor Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference Relatively even preferences Idea high; Physical low 16 The Visit Experience Expectations and Response – Overall Experience Entering visitors were asked how they would rate their overall experience in the Freer that day when they left, and exiting visitors were asked to rate their overall experience in the Freer that day. The response scale was Poor-Fair-Good-Excellent-Superior. Past experience with this scale has demonstrated that those who rate their overall experience Excellent are satisfied; those who rate Poor, Fair, or Good often have some degree of criticism; and those who rate Superior are generally the most excited by their visit. Almost no one marked Poor or Fair, and the data overall indicate that exiting visitors had had a better overall experience than entering visitors had anticipated, as shown in Figure 5. However, this ratings gain between entrance and exit samples came from the new visitors. First-time visitors on entrance had low expectations for their visit (39% less than Excellent; 13% Superior) compared to repeat visitors (19% less than Excellent; 22% Superior). First-time visitors on exit gave considerably higher ratings (25% less than Excellent; 22% Superior) than on entrance, while repeat visitors showed no statistically significant change (17% less than Excellent; 26% Superior). In other words, between entrance and exit the ratings of repeat visitors stayed the same, but the ratings of new visitors moved closer to those of repeat visitors. Figure 5: Anticipated and Actual Overall Experience Ratings Visitors with a preference in the Object dimension were more likely to anticipate that they would rate their experience Superior when they left the museum, as shown in Figure 6. On the other hand, visitors with a Physical preference were more likely to anticipate an overall experience that would be less than Excellent, as shown in Figure 7. 30% 23% 54% 54% 16% 23% Entrance Exit Less than Excellent Excellent Superior Less than Excellent ratings decrease Superior ratings increase 17 Figure 6: Preferences of Visitors Anticipating a Superior Overall Experience Figure 7: Preferences of Visitors Anticipating a Less-than-Excellent Overall Experience Among exiting visitors, however, those who had an Idea or People preference – not those with an Object preference – were the ones more likely to report that they had had a Superior overall experience, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8: Preferences of Visitors Reporting a Superior Overall Experience As predicted by entering visitors, those with a Physical preference were more likely to have rated their overall experience as less than Excellent. See Figure 9. 17% 13% 23% 15% 14% Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference 28% 30% 22% 17% 19% Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference 21% 25% 28% 34% 33% Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference 18 Figure 9: Preferences of Visitors Reporting a Less than Excellent Overall Experience Expectations and Response – Anticipated and Satisfying Experiences Entering visitors were also asked to choose from a list of seven experiences the ones they were especially looking forward to in the museum, and exiting visitors were asked to choose from the same list the ones that they had found especially satisfying during their visit. Only a few visitors did not pick at least one of these seven items (2% on entrance; 1% on exit). Three experiences were chosen significantly more often by exiting visitors than by entering visitors: Seeing rare/uncommon/valuable things; Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm; and Imagining other times or places. See Figure 10. Figure 10: Anticipated and Satisfying Experiences Three of seven experiences exceeded expectations The other four experiences – Gaining information or knowledge; Being moved by beauty; Enriching my understanding; and Feeling an emotional connection – matched expectation almost exactly. 23% 32% 49% 48% 52% 40% 50% 24% 42% 49% 51% 53% 58% 60% Feeling an emotional connection Imagining other times or places Enriching my understanding Being moved by beauty Gaining information or knowledge Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm Seeing rare/uncommon/valuable things Exit Entrance 19% 15% 23% 28% 20% Idea Preference People Preference Object Preference Physical Preference No single preference 19 There were a few minor differences across the year. Seeing rare things was less often reported as satisfying in the second and third quarters (i.e., between April and September). Expectations Exiting visitors were also asked how the visit compared to their expectations. One-third (34%) said that it had exceeded their expectations; two-thirds (64%) said it had met their expectations; and only 2% said it had not met their expectations. Experience Preference and Overall Experience Ratings As noted above, repeat Freer visitors were more likely to have a preference for Idea experiences, but first-time visitors were equally divided among the experience preferences. Why were repeat visitors more likely to have an Idea preference? Why did visitors with an Idea preference give their overall experience a higher rating than visitors with other preferences? A number of factors are probably involved, but one likely cause is that more of those visitors were having unexpected satisfying experiences. Visitors with an Idea preference as well as those with a People preference (and those with no single preference) were more likely to have unexpected experiences of imagining other times or places, as shown in Figure 11. Figure 11: Actual (on Exit) and Anticipated (on Entrance) Satisfying Experiences of Imagining Other Times or Places – by Experience Preference Similarly, visitors with an Idea preference (and those with no single preference) were more likely to have an unexpected experience of Seeing rare/uncommon/ valuable things, as shown in Figure 12. 27% 38% 36% 36% 39% 42% 41% 44% 48% 52% No single preference Physical Preference Object Preference People Preference Idea Preference Exit Entrance 20 Figure 12: Actual (on Exit) and Anticipated (on Entrance) Satisfying Experiences of Seeing Rare/Uncommon/Valuable Things – by Experience Preference Reports of feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm were higher on exit than on entrance for all visitors, no matter what their experience preference was. However, if we look just a bit more deeply and consider new and repeat visitors separately, we find that first-time visitors with an Idea preference are the ones most likely to report significantly different experiences with imagining and seeing rare things between entrance and exit. Other Responses Exiting visitors were asked to rate seven features of the museum: Longer texts providing context; Information on individual item labels; Quality of the art; Design/layout of spaces; Variety/diversity of the art; Number of places to sit; and Floor plans and directional signs. The rating scale was the same one used for the overall experience rating. Quality of art was rated the highest. Design and variety were rated at about the same level as overall experience. Longer texts, places to sit, and floor plans and directional signs received the lowest ratings. See Figure 13. Figure 13: Ratings of Freer Gallery Features 49% 53% 44% 36% 35% 34% 12% 34% 32% 39% 45% 44% 43% 43% 16% 16% 17% 19% 21% 23% 45% Number of places to sit Floor plans and directional signs Longer texts providing context Information on individual item labels Variety/diversity of the art Design/layout of spaces Quality of the art Less than Excellent Excellent Superior Highest rating Lowest ratings 55% 56% 56% 53% 51% 66% 64% 65% 59% 64% No single preference Physical Preference Object Preference People Preference Idea Preference Exit Entrance 21 These ratings were consistent across the year. The low rating for floor plans and directional signs did not mean, however, that the Freer Gallery was hard to navigate. When visitors were asked directly how difficult or easy it was to find their way around the Freer Gallery, three out of four visitors said it was relatively easy: • 1% very difficult; 3% difficult; 8% somewhat difficult • 12% neutral • 19% somewhat easy; 32% easy; 26% very easy Unhappiness with floor plans and directional signs probably had more to do with not knowing where to find particular types of art at the start of the visit than to difficulty in navigating the Freer. To address this possible need for better wayfinding, two narrow banners were added in the Mall lobby indicating which direction to go for different kinds of art. Analysis of the survey results after the banners were installed did not show any improvement in the rating of floor plans and directional signs. Exiting staff also rated their interactions with staff in the galleries. Two out of three visitors (63%) had interacted with staff. Half of those (52%) had interacted with staff at the information desk, 61% with security staff in the galleries, and 14% with tour guides. Tour guide interactions received the highest ratings (44% Superior), followed by security staff in the galleries (35%), and information desk staff (32%). Desires for the Future Visitors were asked to select possible new offerings of information services. They chose the ones they would have been interested in if they had been available. Visitors were most interested in having knowledgeable staff in the galleries (40%),5 a map of Asia in the galleries (33%), and an info tour for their mobile device (30%). There were no differences over time or between entrance and exit samples. See Figure 14. Figure 14: Interest in New Information Services Visitors were eager to engage with knowledgeable staff in the galleries 5 This item was removed from the exit survey after it became clear that 38% of visitors were interacting with security staff in the galleries. It was an actual information service, not a potential one. 7% 22% 25% 27% 30% 33% 40% Information in non-English languages Videos in the galleries Personally guided tours An introductory/orientation space An info tour app for my mobile device A map of Asia in the galleries Knowledgeable staff in the galleries 22 There were some demographic differences with respect to these interests. Videos in the galleries were more desired by visitors with youth (32% of them vs. 22% of others). Visitors were also asked to select possible new features. Among these, the highlights brochure (32%) and people stories (29%) had the strongest positive response. Visitors overall were least interested in hands-on activities. See Figure 15. Figure 15: Interest in New Features Visitors were most interested in a highlights brochure and people stories There were more demographic differences for possible new features: • People stories were more interesting to those visiting with youth (37% vs. 28% of others), to younger visitors (36% of those under age 40 vs. 24% of those age 40 or more), and to females (32% vs. 28% of males). • Music in the galleries was more interesting to those with a People preference (36% vs. 26% for all visitors), to younger visitors (32% of those under age 40 vs. 22% of those age 40 or more), and to females (30% vs. 24% of males). • Hands-on activities were more interesting to those visiting with youth (34% vs. 18% of others), to younger visitors (29% of those under age 40 vs. 12% of those age 40 or more), to visitors with an Object preference (26%) or Physical preference (23%) compared to all visitors (19%), and to females (22% vs. 18% of males). • Guidance for closer looking was more interesting to those with an Idea preference (32%) or People preference (30%), compared to all visitors (25%). • Audio guides were more interesting to older visitors (30% of those age 40 or more vs. 24% of those under age 40). 19% 25% 26% 26% 29% 32% Hands-on Activities Guidance for closer looking Music in the Galleries Audio guide People stories Highlights brochure 23 Analysis A Young Audience, Predominantly Female, Half Regional Compared to the U.S. population, Millennials (i.e., those between the ages of 18 and 34) were over-represented among the Freer audience in 2015, as shown in Figure 16. Figure 16: Ages of Freer Visitors Compared to the U.S. Population Ages This notable proportion of younger visitors is especially striking in view of the age profile of visitors surveyed in the Sackler Gallery over the past years. Across 23 exhibitions over the past eleven years, the median ages of surveyed visitors in the Sackler Gallery were as follows: • 18-19: 5% • 20-24: 8% • 25-29: 10% • 30-34: 8% This distribution of median ages among Sackler visitors is very close to the U.S. population age distribution. Although one might be tempted to suggest that the presence of the REMIX exhibition that opened in the Sackler starting in May might have affected the audience profile of the Freer, the evidence suggests otherwise. Compared to the Sackler median ages, the survey of REMIX visitors showed a higher percentage in the 20 to 24 age group only (14%), and the Freer age distribution for the three months of 2015 before REMIX opened was the same as for the year as a whole. It seems that the Freer draws a younger audience than the Sackler overall. 3% 9% 9% 9% 7% 13% 13% 11% 18-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70 & over U.S. Population (2013, excluding 80+) Freer Visitors 24 The gender distribution at the Freer was the same as the median for the Sackler Gallery. For every male who visited the Freer, 1.3 females visited.6 Visitor residence was also the same as for Sackler visitors - half of all visitors lived within 100 miles of the museum. Modeling Overall Experience Ratings of Exiting Visitors The single most important outcome is overall experience rating, since it measures the quality of the visitor experience in the museum. Because this dataset from this study is so large, statistical models can be used to investigate the factors that are significantly associated with the overall experience rating. Some of the factors to consider are the other outcome variables: o Expectation (Met or Exceeded) o Almost lost track of time (Yes or No) o Rating of long texts (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of label texts (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of quality of art (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of design (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of variety (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of places to sit (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) o Rating of floor plans/signs (less than Excellent, Excellent, Superior) Others are the experiences that visitors found especially satisfying: o Moved by beauty (Marked or Unmarked) o Feeling an emotional connection (Marked or Unmarked) o Enriching understanding (Marked or Unmarked) o Gaining information (Marked or Unmarked) o Imagining other times/places (Marked or Unmarked) o Seeing rare things (Marked or Unmarked) o Feeling relaxed (Marked or Unmarked) Finally, there are the variables that described visitor characteristics: o Making a first visit (Yes or No) o Frequency of visiting other art museums in the past year (Not at all, Once, 2-3 times, 4-10 times, More than 10 times) o Sex (Male or Female) o Age (18-29, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+) o Idea score (ranges from -3 to +2) o People score (ranges from -3 to +2) o Object score (ranges from -4 to +3) o Physical score (ranges from -3 to +3) o Very interested in Asian Art (Yes or No) o Very interested in Asian history/culture (Yes or No) 6 The ratio for this age range in the 2013 U.S. population was 1.05 females for every male. 25 o Very interested in American art (Yes or No) o Very interested in Middle Eastern art (Yes or No) o Very interested in Middle Eastern history/culture (Yes or No) o Very interested in Freer as a collector (Yes or No) A logistic regression model of the complete set of these variables can be used to predict whether or not a visitor rated their overall experience as Superior. A regression model shows the effect of an individual variable when all the other variables are held constant. In this way we can determine which factors independently predict a Superior rating among exiting visitors. The model predicts Superior ratings with 85% accuracy. Details of the significant factors are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Logistic Regression Model Predicting Superior Overall Experience Rating on Exit Coefficient Significance Odds Ratio Exceeded expectation 1.194 0 3.3 Higher rating for quality of art 1.056 0 2.9 Higher rating for variety 0.632 0 1.9 Almost lost track of time 0.572 0.01 1.8 Very interested in Charles Freer as a collector 0.591 0.008 1.8 Idea score 0.325 0.005 1.4 These six factors independently predict a Superior rating. Let’s consider them in order from background variables to outcome variables. Idea Score As noted above, visitors with an experience preference in the Idea dimension were not only happiest with their visit, they were also the most likely to return. We also saw that imagining other times/places and seeing rare things are two experiences that differ the most between entrance and exit for those with an Idea preference – especially those visiting for the first time. These unexpected experiences are likely to be an important reason why visitors with an Idea preference are the ones reporting the highest ratings for their overall experience and are the ones most likely to return to the Freer. According to the model, for every one point increase in Idea score, the likelihood of rating overall experience as Superior increases by a factor of 1.4. Thus the individual with the highest Idea score was 7 times more likely to rate Superior than the individual with the lowest Idea score. Very Interested in Freer as a Collector Visitors who indicated that they were very interested in Freer as a collector were twice as likely as other visitors to have rated their overall experience Superior (34% 26 vs. 16%). Presumably such visitors felt a personal, human connection to the art and its setting compared to those who saw the Gallery as an impersonal setting for art. Almost Lost Track of Time The question that asked visitors if they were so engaged that they almost lost track of time is an attempt to determine whether or not the visitor had achieved a state of “flow” during their visit. The state of flow is said to be achieved when the level of challenge or effort in an activity is neither too high nor too low. Those who answered “yes” to this question were more likely than other visitors to rate their overall experience Superior (31% vs. 14%), while those who responded “no” were more likely than other visitors to rate their overall experience as less than Excellent (32% vs. 14%). There was no association with ratings of Excellent – they were the same for those who answered “yes” and those who answered “no.” Feature Ratings There was a very close relationship between rating the quality of art Superior and rating the overall experience Superior: 43% of those rating art quality Superior rated their overall experience Superior, compared to 9% of those who rated art quality Excellent, and 2% of those who rated art quality as less than Excellent. Ratings for the variety/diversity of the art were also strongly associated with Superior overall experience ratings: 58% of those rating variety Superior also rated their overall experience Superior, compared to 21% of those who rated variety Excellent, and 6% of those who rated variety less than Excellent. Exceeding Expectation Exceeding expectation was the strongest factor predicting a Superior overall experience. This makes sense from two perspectives: • Scientific theories on the causes of near-term happiness identify previous certain rewards (comparable here to anticipated overall experience rating), low risk (comparable here to almost losing track of time), and the difference between experienced and expected rewards (comparable here to exceeding expectation) as key variables.7 • IPOP theory holds that when an individual is attracted by something that appeals to the dimension s/he prefers, engages in it, and then is “flipped” to a closely related experience in another dimension, that experience will be especially memorable and meaningful and will be regarded as a Superior experience. By definition, “flip” experiences exceed expectation. 7 See Rutledge, R. B., Skandali, N., Dayan, P., & Dolan, R. J. (2015). Dopaminergic modulation of decision making and subjective well-being. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35, 9811– 9822. 27 Conclusion The Freer Gallery is doing well by its audience. New visitors were having a better experience than they expected, and the overall experience ratings on exit were at the same level as for Smithsonian museums overall. The Freer visit worked particularly well for those who have an experience preference in the Idea dimension, because these visitors were having unexpectedly satisfying experiences of imagining other times or places and seeing rare things. And because of this positive outcome, Idea-preference visitors were also returning more than others. Imagining other times or places is an experience that combines both a physical element (by calling to mind a specific setting) and an emotional one (by projecting oneself in that place). Seeing rare things, on the other hand, is an object-centered experience involving aesthetic appreciation, attention to detail and craftsmanship, and consideration of how an object was made and/or used. Because the Freer Gallery has artworks of great variety from many different parts of Asia (and from America by way of England), it offers very rich opportunities for engaging visitors in imagining those places. In addition, because the objects are of such high quality and well-presented, they invite close examination and an aesthetic response. The data implies strongly that visitors who were drawn to abstract ideas were being “flipped” to Physical (imagining places), People (imagining what it felt like to be in those places), and Object (aesthetic) experiences. And it is no surprise that those with an Idea preference were also more eager to have guidance for closer looking. Ironically, visitors who were drawn to Object experiences were more likely than others to have anticipated a Superior experience when they arrived, but in the end their response was only average. In order to have been as excited as they had anticipated, they, too, would have needed to be “flipped” to Idea, People, or Physical experiences. That appears not to happened, and it is not surprising. Ideas were not strongly presented (as is evident from the Freer observation study), emotions and People stories were rare, and Physical experiences were few (beyond the seasonally available courtyard). In other words, there were no strong experiences in other dimensions to engage the Object-oriented visitor unexpectedly. The fact that visitors with a People preference also gave higher than expected ratings to their overall experience suggests that they, too, might have been having “flip” experiences. They were imagining other times or places more than anticipated, which could represent an unexpected Physical experience, but the data in this survey does not offer any possible explanation beyond that. Perhaps visitors with a People preference were unexpectedly having satisfying experiences of a type not offered among the survey options. One speculative possibility is that they might unexpectedly have had Object experiences such as “imagining what it would be like to own, use, or make these things.” 28 Appendices Total number of completed surveys 366 340 706 389 347 736 440 376 816 571 481 1052 1,767 1,545 3,312 Cooperation Rate 81% 82% 82% 80% 77% 79% 78% 69% 73% 82% 83% 82% 80% 78% 79% Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? Yes 65 58 62 70 63 67 68 69 68 56 58 57 64 62 63 No 35 42 38 30 37 33 32 31 32 44 42 43 36 38 37 (First-time Visitors Only, Entrance Only) When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art mainly displays Asian art? Before I came today NA 40 40 31 50 45 43 43 39 NA 29 34 69 38 56 34 34 61 When I read this question NA 31 26 0 13 0 11 22 0 (First-time Visitors Only, Entrance Only) When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art also displays American art? Before I came today NA 26 19 20 25 20 24 24 20 NA 30 30 80 32 80 31 31 80 When I read this question NA 43 50 0 43 0 46 46 0 (Repeat Visitors Only) How many times have your visited in the past 12 months? Not at all 27 26 26 43 23 33 34 28 32 27 18 23 32 23 28 Once 33 29 31 22 32 27 21 19 20 27 30 29 26 28 27 2-3 times 25 31 28 27 26 27 28 35 31 33 37 35 29 33 31 4-10 times 13 9 11 7 16 12 10 11 10 8 10 9 10 11 10 More than 10 times 3 5 4 1 3 2 7 7 7 4 5 5 4 5 4 Where did you hear about the Freer Gallery? (entrance only) Family and Friends 33 33 35 42 36 Wandered by 39 38 36 27 34 Smithsonian or Freer Sackler website 17 17 17 25 20 Another Smithsonian museum or Castle 13 15 14 14 14 Print media 8 12 11 14 11 Guidebook 7 9 8 6 7 Travel website 5 5 5 4 5 Social media 6 3 5 7 5 Broadcast media 1 2 2 4 2 Poor 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Fair 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 Good 33 21 24 23 34 22 25 17 29 21 Excellent 52 54 57 55 51 57 55 53 54 54 Superior 14 24 17 20 14 19 19 28 16 23 Less than Excellent 34 22 26 25 36 24 27 19 30 23 Excellent 52 54 57 55 51 57 55 53 54 54 Superior 14 24 17 20 14 19 19 28 16 23 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016)2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) How do you think you will rate your overall experience in the Freer Gallery today when you leave?/ Please rate your overall experience in the Freer Gallery today. 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) Percents Percents Percents Percents Percents When I came When I arrived When I arrived When I came/arrived When I came When I arrived When I arrived When I came/arrived Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Being moved by beauty 47 45 46 43 46 49 52 61 48 51 Feeling an emotional connection 26 23 22 23 20 23 24 26 23 24 Enriching my understanding 48 47 45 48 49 48 52 51 49 49 Gaining information or knowledge 51 51 50 51 53 56 52 54 52 53 Imagining other times or places 34 43 29 37 32 44 31 44 32 42 Seeing rare/uncommon/valuable things 49 65 45 54 54 57 52 63 50 60 Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm 36 56 43 52 40 64 40 60 40 58 None of these 1 1 2 0 2 0 3 0 2 1 Less than Excellent Excel- lent Superior Less than Excellent Excel- lent Superior Less than Excellent Excel- lent Superior Less than Excellent Excel- lent Superior Less than Excellent Excel-lent Superior Longer texts providing context 43 39 18 46 42 11 45 39 17 43 38 19 44 39 17 Information on individual item labels 38 43 19 38 48 14 39 40 20 31 47 21 36 45 19 Quality of the art 10 44 47 14 47 39 15 44 42 12 39 50 12 43 45 Design/layout of spaces 31 44 25 34 51 16 35 39 26 35 40 25 34 43 23 Variety/diversity of the art 31 45 24 37 46 17 38 42 20 34 42 24 35 44 21 Number of places to sit 52 31 17 52 37 11 47 36 18 48 34 18 49 34 16 Floor plans and directional signs 53 31 16 52 36 12 55 29 16 50 32 18 53 32 16 Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit CombinedHow difficult or easy was it to find your way around the Freer Gallery today? (Exit only)Very difficult 1 1 2 1 1Difficult 2 3 2 3 3Somewhat difficult 8 7 9 7 8Neutral 9 13 12 12 12Somewhat Easy 22 19 18 19 19Easy 34 31 31 32 32Very Easy 24 27 26 26 26 Did your visit to the Freer Gallery meet your expectations? (Exit only) It exceeded my expectations 32 31 36 36 34 It met my expectations 65 68 62 61 64 It did not meet my expectations 3 1 2 3 2 Please rate your expeerience with the following aspects of the Freer Gallery today (Exit only, Excluding no opinion) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) Which of the following experiences were you especially looking forward to in the Freer Gallery today?/ Which of the following experiences were especially satisfying for you in the Freer Gallery today? 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Less than 15 minutes 8 5 7 3 4 4 15-20 minutes 15 14 15 16 19 18 15-30 minutes 23 28 25 20 24 22 30-40 minutes 36 30 32 32 38 35 NA NA NA NA NA NA 30 minutes-one hour 49 38 44 40 44 41 74 75 One hour 28 31 30 32 27 30 More than one hour 19 27 23 37 28 33 26 25 An hour and a half 12 16 14 14 14 14 Two hours or more 9 10 9 5 3 4 NA NA NA NA NA NA Yes 59 51 54 56 55 No 41 49 46 44 45 Not at all 17 16 16 20 19 20 21 16 19 11 16 13 17 17 17 Once 13 12 13 17 14 15 14 14 14 12 11 12 14 13 13 2-3 times 33 35 34 29 29 29 26 26 26 33 31 32 30 30 30 4-10 times 26 25 25 23 27 25 26 25 26 26 27 27 25 26 26 More than 10 times 11 13 12 11 12 12 14 18 16 17 15 16 14 15 14 An info tour app for my mobile device 32 30 31 30 29 30 30 30 30 30 27 29 31 29 30 Knowledgeable staff in the galleries 46 NA 44 NA 37 NA 36 NA 40 NA An introductory/orientation space 25 31 28 22 23 22 27 31 29 25 29 27 25 29 27 Videos in the galleries 19 25 22 23 21 22 19 26 22 22 22 22 21 23 22 Personally guided tours 24 21 23 23 23 23 26 29 27 27 23 25 25 24 25 A map of Asia in the galleries 34 32 33 34 32 33 Information in non-English languages 5 8 7 5 5 5 9 6 8 7 8 7 7 7 7 In which languages? (as a percent of all visitors) Chinese 1.4 Music in the Galleries 33 26 30 24 20 22 29 26 28 29 23 26 29 24 26 Hands-on Activities 21 20 20 19 14 17 23 19 21 21 18 19 21 18 19 People stories 31 28 29 30 28 29 28 31 29 29 28 28 29 29 29 Audio guide 25 26 25 27 23 25 26 29 28 27 24 26 26 25 26 Highlights brochure 31 32 31 31 28 30 35 35 35 35 31 33 33 32 32 Guidance for closer looking 27 22 25 25 21 23 27 23 25 29 24 27 27 23 25 Spanish 1.1 Japanese 0.7 French 0.5 Other 3.3 Which of the following information services would you be (have been) interested in, if they had been available during your visit today? Which of the following features would you be (have been) interested in if they had been available in the Gallery today? How many times in the past 12 months did you visit any OTHER art museum besides the Freer and Sackler? Were some parts of the Freer Gallery so engaging that you almost lost track of time? (Exit only) About how long do you think you will spend in the Freer Gallery today? / About how long did you spend in the Freer Gallery today? 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Did you interact with any staff in the Freer Gallery today? No 36 41 35 37 Yes 64 59 65 63 With whom did you interact? Information desk staff 44 50 58 52 Security officer 61 NA Tour guide 9 13 18 14 Staff in the galleries 46 Security staff in the galleries 63 Security staff in the galleries 70Staff/Security staff in the galleries 61 Custodial staff 1 NA Please rate your interaction with this staff Information desk staff Poor 1 2 0 1 Fair 0 5 1 2 Good 23 14 17 17 Excellent 52 48 45 48 Superior 24 31 37 32 Less than Excellent 24 21 18 20 Excellent 52 48 45 48 Superior 24 31 37 32 Security officer Poor 1 NA Fair 5 NA Good 16 NA Excellent 47 NA Superior 32 NA Less than Excellent 22 NA Excellent 47 NA Superior 32 NA Tour guide (too few cases) (too few cases) Poor 2 1 Fair 2 1 Good 11 10 Excellent 44 43 Superior 41 44 Less than Excellent 15 12 Excellent 44 43 Superior 41 44 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Security Staff in the galleries Poor 0 2 0 1 Fair 0 4 3 3 Good 21 14 18 17 Excellent 47 37 48 44 Superior 32 43 32 35 Less than Excellent 21 20 21 21 Excellent 47 37 48 44 Superior 32 43 32 35 Custodial staff (too few cases) NA How interested are you in the following? American Art Not/slightly interested 7 8 7 8 8 8 8 7 8 9 7 8 8 8 8 Somewhat interested 49 40 45 43 41 42 45 43 44 43 41 42 45 41 43 Very interested 45 52 48 48 51 50 47 50 49 48 52 50 47 51 49 Asian Art Not/slightly interested 4 5 5 5 7 6 3 5 4 5 5 5 4 5 5 Somewhat interested 38 27 32 42 37 40 36 44 39 30 33 32 36 35 35 Very interested 58 68 63 53 56 54 62 51 57 65 62 64 60 60 60 Charles Freer as Collector Not/slightly interested 34 29 31 35 22 29 32 26 29 31 24 28 33 25 29 Somewhat interested 44 45 44 51 51 51 46 49 47 48 47 48 47 48 48 Very interested 22 26 24 14 27 20 22 25 24 21 29 25 20 27 23 Asian history/culture Not/slightly interested 6 6 6 5 7 6 3 6 4 6 4 5 5 6 5 Somewhat interested 37 28 33 43 42 42 41 45 43 32 34 33 38 37 33 Very interested 58 67 62 52 51 52 57 50 54 62 62 62 58 58 58 Middle Eastern Art Not/slightly interested 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 10 8 8 7 8 7 9 8 Somewhat interested 45 42 44 48 49 49 47 49 48 42 48 45 45 47 46 Very interested 47 49 48 44 43 43 48 41 45 50 45 48 47 45 46 Middle Eastern history/culture Not/slightly interested 6 9 7 5 8 7 4 10 7 9 7 8 6 9 7 Somewhat interested 45 40 43 48 48 48 47 48 47 42 46 44 45 46 45 Very interested 50 51 50 47 44 46 49 42 46 50 47 48 49 46 48 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Is your cultural heritage Asian or Middle Eastern? No 78 81 79 81 80 80 76 75 76 77 79 78 78 78 78 Yes 22 20 21 19 20 20 24 25 24 23 21 22 22 22 22 With which cultural heritage do you identify? (in percent of all visitors) Asia/Asian American 4 East Asia 7 (China 4) (Japan 2) (Korea 1) West Asia 1 South Asia 3 (India 2) SE Asia 1.4 (Fillipino 0.7) Middle East 1 Other 1 Where do you live? United States 91 92 91 87 93 90 88 83 86 91 86 89 89 88 89 Other Country 10 8 9 13 8 10 12 17 14 9 14 11 11 12 11 Residence (Distance from the Mall) 5 mile radius 22 12 17 11 11 11 15 12 14 21 19 20 18 14 16 10 mile radius 7 7 7 4 6 5 8 5 6 10 9 10 8 7 7 20 mile radius 7 11 9 7 8 8 8 7 7 8 7 8 8 8 8 40 mile radius 5 7 6 5 7 6 7 2 5 7 4 5 6 5 5 100 mile radius 3 5 4 4 5 4 2 3 3 4 5 4 3 4 4 250 mile radius 10 14 12 11 9 10 8 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 Other U.S. 36 36 36 46 47 46 39 46 42 32 33 33 38 40 39 International 10 8 9 13 8 10 12 17 14 9 14 11 11 12 11 Metropolitan Washington 32 26 29 21 24 22 28 21 25 36 31 34 30 26 28 U.S. Visitor residence by state District of Columbia 18 9 14 8 9 8 12 11 12 17 14 16 14 11 13 Virginia (outside the DC suburbs) 9 10 10 6 6 6 7 6 6 9 8 8 8 7 8 Virginia suburbs 5 10 7 7 6 7 6 3 5 8 9 8 7 7 7 Maryland Montgomery County 6 6 6 5 5 5 6 3 4 7 4 6 6 4 5 Maryland (ouside the DC suburbs) 3 6 5 3 5 4 5 1 3 5 3 4 4 4 4 Maryland (Prince George's County) 1 1 1 0 1 1 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 sub-total 42 42 43 29 32 31 39 26 32 47 39 43 40 34 38 California 2 2 2 5 4 5 6 7 6 3 3 3 4 4 4 New York 2 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Pennysylvania 2 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 Florida 1 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 Massachusetts 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Texas 2 1 2 3 2 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 New Jersey 3 2 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 North Carolina 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 Washington 3 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 0 1 1 2 1 1 Illinois 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 sub-total 18 23 20 28 24 28 24 28 25 19 20 20 24 24 23 37 other states and Puerto Rico 40 35 37 43 44 41 37 46 43 34 41 37 36 42 39 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined Entrance Exit Combined International Visitor Residence by Region Europe 3 Asia 2 North America 2 Australia 1 South America 1 Other 0.3 No answer 1 What is your age? 18-19 6 10 8 7 7 7 7 9 8 3 6 4 6 8 7 20-24 16 12 14 13 9 11 18 16 17 12 11 12 14 12 13 25-29 17 11 14 11 10 11 16 11 14 13 12 13 14 11 13 30-34 13 11 12 9 9 9 11 14 12 13 8 10 11 10 11 35-39 6 11 9 9 11 10 7 8 8 10 8 9 8 9 9 40-44 4 9 6 8 7 8 6 7 7 7 9 8 7 8 7 45-49 8 7 8 7 7 7 7 8 7 8 7 7 7 7 7 50-54 9 7 8 7 7 7 7 9 8 9 8 8 8 8 8 55-59 6 7 7 9 6 8 5 5 5 7 10 8 7 7 7 60-64 7 8 7 9 10 9 7 8 7 7 9 8 7 9 8 65-69 4 5 4 5 12 8 6 4 5 7 7 7 6 7 6 70 & over 4 3 3 5 6 5 3 3 3 6 5 5 5 4 4 What is your sex? Male 45 47 46 39 40 39 42 46 44 41 42 41 42 44 43 Female 54 50 52 60 59 59 56 54 55 57 57 57 57 55 56 Transgender 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Prefer not to answer 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 Who are you visiting with today? I am alone 26 22 24 18 24 20 24 23 24 23 26 24 23 24 23 One or more adults 65 69 67 72 62 67 67 66 67 67 64 66 68 65 66 One or more youth under 18 6 13 10 9 9 9 8 9 9 7 8 7 8 10 8 Mean IPOP Scores Idea 0.09 0.03 0.06 0.12 0.21 16 0.12 0.17 0.14 0.23 0.17 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.15 People 0.06 -0.09 -0.06 0.1 -0.05 0.03 0 -0.03 -0.02 0 -0.03 -0.02 0.03 -0.07 -0.02 Object 0.1 0.13 0.12 0.08 0.12 0.11 0.23 0.09 0.16 0.1 0.09 0.1 0.13 0.11 0.12 Physical 0.12 0.1 0.11 0.02 -0.01 0.01 0.14 -0.02 0.07 -0.01 0.01 0 0.06 0.02 0.04 iPOP Experience Preference Idea Preference 21 20 20 24 27 25 21 27 24 26 27 27 23 25 24 People Preference 21 13 17 21 18 19 17 20 18 20 18 19 20 17 19 Object Preference 14 21 17 17 20 18 19 13 16 16 17 16 16 18 17 Physical Preference 18 22 20 20 14 17 17 16 17 17 19 18 18 18 18 No single preference 26 26 26 19 21 20 26 23 25 21 19 20 23 22 23 1st Quarter (Jan 5-April 5, 2015) 2nd Quarter (Apr 6-Jul 6) 3rd Quarter (Jul 7 - Oct 5) 4th Quarter (Oct 6 - Jan3, 2016) All (Jan 5, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016) NOTE: "Statistical Significance" is defined here as a chi-square p value less than 0.01 In such instances, colored cells are those with adjusted standardized chi-square residuals greater than 2.0 or less than -2.0, as follows: Significantly high between entrance and exit Significantly low between entrance and exit Significantly high across Quarters Significantly low across Quarters Freer Entrance Survey Final Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? m No m Yes Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? Yes Is Selected When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art mainly displays Asian art? m Before I came today m When I arrived m When I read this question Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? Yes Is Selected When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art also displays American art? m Before I came today m When I arrived m When I read this question Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? No Is Selected How many times have you visited the Freer Gallery in the past 12 months? m Not at all m Once m 2-3 times m 4-10 times m More than 10 times Where did you hear about the Freer Gallery? [Mark one or more] q Family/Friends q Guidebook q Travel website (e.g., TripAdvisor) q Smithsonian or Freer/Sackler website q Broadcast media (radio, tv, etc.) q Print media (magazines, newspapers, etc.) q Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc.) q Another Smithsonian museum or Smithsonian Castle q I wandered by How do you think you will rate your overall experience in the Freer Gallery today when you leave? m Poor m Fair m Good m Excellent m Superior Which of the following experiences are you especially looking forward to in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q Being moved by beauty q Feeling an emotional connection q Enriching my understanding q Gaining information/knowledge q Imagining other times or places q Seeing rare/uncommon/valuable things q Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm q None of these About how long do you expect to spend in the Freer Gallery today? m less than 15 minutes m 15-30 minutes m 30 minutes - One hour m More than one hour How many times in the past 12 months did you visit any OTHER art museum besides the Freer and Sackler Galleries? m Not at all m Once m 2-3 times m 4-10 times m More than 10 times Which of the following information services would you be interested in, if they were available in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q An info/tour app for my mobile device q Knowledgeable staff in the galleries q An introductory/orientation space q Videos in the galleries q Personally guided tours q Information in non-English languages q A map of Asia in the galleries Answer If How interested would you have been in the following services if they had been available in the Freer Gallery today? Information in non-English languages Is Selected Which language? Which of the following features would you be interested in, if they were available in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q Music in the Galleries q Hands-on activities q People stories q Audio guide q Highlights brochure q Guidance for closer looking How interested are you in the following: Not/slightly interested Somewhat interested Very interested American Art m m m Asian Art m m m Charles Freer as collector m m m Asian history/culture m m m Middle Eastern art m m m Middle Eastern history/culture m m m Is your cultural heritage Asian or Middle Eastern? m Yes m No Answer If Is your cultural heritage Asian or Middle Eastern? Yes Is Selected With which cultural heritage do you identify? Where do you live? m United States. Please specify ZIP code: ____________________ m Another country. Please specify country: ____________________ What is your age? m 18-19 m 20-24 m 25-29 m 30-34 m 35-39 m 40-44 m 45-49 m 50-54 m 55-59 m 60-64 m 65-69 m 70 & over What is your sex? m Male m Female m Transgender m Other m Prefer not to answer Who are you visiting with today? [Mark one or more] q I am alone q One or more adults q One or more youth under 18 Help us to understand your interests. For each of the following items, please indicate the degree to which that activity describes you. I like to... Not me at all A little me Me Very much me ...bring people together m m m m ...construct things m m m m ...divide things into categories m m m m ...go camping m m m m ...help others in person m m m m ...identify patterns m m m m I like to... Not me at all A little me Me Very much me ...jog/run for fun m m m m ...know how things are made m m m m ...learn philosophy m m m m ...play competitive sports m m m m ...shop m m m m ...spend my leisure time with other people m m m m Thank you for your assistance! The Smithsonian Institution is grateful for your opinions and feedback as we work to make future visitor experiences more satisfying. Freer Exit Survey Final Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? m No m Yes Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? No Is Selected How many times have you visited the Freer Gallery in the past 12 months? m Not at all m Once m 2-3 times m 4-10 times m More than 10 times Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? Yes Is Selected When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art mainly displays Asian art? m Before I came today m When I arrived Answer If Is this your first visit to this building, the Freer Gallery of Art? Yes Is Selected When did you learn that the Freer Gallery of Art also displays American art? m Before I came today m When I arrived Please rate your overall experience in the Freer Gallery today. m Poor m Fair m Good m Excellent m Superior Which of the following experiences were especially satisfying for you in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q Being moved by beauty q Feeling an emotional connection q Enriching my understanding q Gaining information/knowledge q Imagining other times or places q Seeing rare/uncommon/valuable things q Feeling relaxed/tranquil/calm q None of these Please rate your experience with the following aspects of the Freer Gallery today: No Opinion Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior Longer texts providing context m m m m m m Information on individual item labels m m m m m m Quality of the art m m m m m m Design/layout of spaces m m m m m m Variety/diversity of the art m m m m m m Number of places to sit m m m m m m Floor plans and directional signs m m m m m m How difficult or easy was it to find your way around the Freer Gallery today? m Very Difficult m Difficult m Somewhat Difficult m Neutral m Somewhat Easy m Easy m Very Easy Did your visit to the Freer Gallery meet your expectations? m It exceeded my expectations m It met my expectations m It did not meet my expectations About how long did you spend in the Freer Gallery today? m Less than 15 minutes m 15-30 minutes m 30 minutes - one hour m More than one hour Were some parts of the Freer Gallery so engaging that you almost lost track of time? m Yes m No How many times in the past 12 months did you visit any OTHER art museum besides the Freer and Sackler Galleries? m Not at all m Once m 2-3 times m 4-10 times m More than 10 times Which of the following information services would you have been interested in, if they had been available in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q An info/tour app for my mobile device q An introductory/orientation space q Videos in the galleries q Personally guided tours q Information in non-English languages q A map of Asia in the galleries Answer If How interested would you have been in the following services if they had been available in the Freer Gallery today? Information in non-English languages Is Selected Which language? Which of the following features would you have been interested in, if they had been available in the Freer Gallery today? [Mark one or more] q Music in the Galleries q Hands-on activities q People stories q Audio guide q Highlights brochure q Guidance for closer looking Did you interact with any staff in the Freer Gallery today? m No m Yes Answer If Did you interact with any staff in the Freer Gallery today? Yes Is Selected With whom did you interact? q Information desk staff q Tour guide q Security staff in the galleries Answer If Did you interact with any staff in the Freer Gallery today? Yes Is Selected Please rate your interaction with this staff. Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior If With whom did you interact? Information desk staff Is Selected Information desk staff m m m m m If With whom did you interact? Tour guide Is Selected Tour guide m m m m m If With whom did you interact? Staff in the galleries Is Selected Security staff in the Galleries m m m m m How interested are you in the following: Not/slightly interested Somewhat interested Very interested American Art m m m Asian Art m m m Charles Freer as collector m m m Asian history/culture m m m Middle Eastern art m m m Middle Eastern history/culture m m m Is your cultural heritage Asian or Middle Eastern? m Yes m No Answer If Is your cultural heritage Asian or Middle Eastern? Yes Is Selected With which cultural heritage do you identify? Where do you live? m United States. Please specify ZIP code: ____________________ m Another country. Please specify country: ____________________ What is your age? m 18-19 m 20-24 m 25-29 m 30-34 m 35-39 m 40-44 m 45-49 m 50-54 m 55-59 m 60-64 m 65-69 m 70 & over What is your sex? m Male m Female m Transgender m Other m Prefer not to answer Who are you visiting with today? [Mark one or more] q I am alone q One or more adults q One or more youth under 18 Help us to understand your interests. For each of the following items, please indicate the degree to which that activity describes you. I like to... Not me at all A little me Me Very much me ...bring people together m m m m ...construct things m m m m ...divide things into categories m m m m ...go camping m m m m ...help others in person m m m m ...identify patterns m m m m I like to... Not me at all A little me Me Very much me ...jog/run for fun m m m m ...know how things are made m m m m ...learn philosophy m m m m ...play competitive sports m m m m ...shop m m m m ...spend my leisure time with other people m m m m Thank you for your assistance! The Smithsonian Institution is grateful for your opinions and feedback as we work to make future visitor experiences more satisfying. Please hand back the iPad to the Freer Gallery staff member.