Late-night museum events for adults: from the educational to the social aspect of the museum visit

PDF (ελληνικά)
Published: May 22, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/hjre.33638
Keywords:
late-night events Gen Y adult-events museum evaluation Industrial Gas Museum
Anastasia Doxanaki
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8859-5875
Vasiliki-Charalabia Pappa
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8582-2341
Katerina Dermitzaki
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2205-2074
Abstract

Nowadays, museums face many challenges. Their goal is to educate and entertain their visitors through activities that will gradually transform the museum space in the eyes of the public, from static to lively and creative. Late-night events, which we increasingly encounter in museums in recent years, meet this need, overturning the stereotypical image of the museum as a purely educational environment. Late-night events allow museums to promote their content and collections in new and creative ways, such as night tours, sleepovers, music, etc., enhancing the social dimension of the visit. As a result, the museum becomes a place where people can learn, socialize and have fun at the same time.


The paper initially presents the results of research conducted in one hundred and six (106) Greek museums in order to outline the museum landscape regarding the character of late-night events. What are their characteristics, to which audience groups do they address? Are they purely recreational and/or educational in nature?  At the core of this reflection, the paper then focuses on the evaluation of the "Let's Be Late!" event at the Industrial Gas Museum of Athens, which targeted adult audiences. It studies the activities of the event, the demographics of the participants and their behavioral patterns. The findings indicate that late-night events have the potential to attract a larger number of visitors and develop bridges with a new adult audience. They also emphasize the social nature of the events. It also becomes obvious that the recreational dimension of the museum visit is promoted, through which the Museum attempts to achieve its educational objectives.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a CC-BY-NC-SA that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Αδάμ-Βελένη, Π. (2007). «Επόμενη στάση: “Μουσείο”». Το Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης συστήνεται στο κοινό του, στο Αδάμ-Βελένη, Π. & Τζαναβάρη, Κ. (επιμ.), Το αρχαιολογικό έργο στη Μακεδονία και στη Θράκη 21 (pp.197-206). Θεσσαλονίκη: ΥΠΠΟ/Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Θεσσαλονίκης.
Andreasen, A.R. (1991). Expanding the Audience for the Performing Arts. Washington: Seven Locks Press.
Atkinson, R. (2012). Evaluating Science Museum Lates. Museum Practice. Retrieved 21/03/2023 from: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museum-practice/late-night-events/14112012-evaluating-late-night-events
Axelsen, M. (2006). Using Special Events to Motivate Visitors to Attend Art Galleries. Museum Management and Curatorship, 21(3), 205-21. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.musmancur.2006.06.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09647770600302103
Barron, P., & Leask, A. (2017). Visitor Engagement at Museums: Generation Y and ‘Lates’ Events at the National Museum of Scotland. In Museum Management and Curatorship, 32(5), 473- 490. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2017.1367259 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2017.1367259
Barbosa, B., and Brito, P.Q. (2012). Do Open Day Events Develop Art Museum Audiences?, Museum Management and Curatorship, 27(1), 17-33. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2012.644694 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09647775.2012.644694
Βιομηχανικό Μουσείο Φωταερίου. (χ.χ.). Επίσκεψη- Κύρια Διαδρομή. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: https://gasmuseum.gr/index.php/episkepsi-sto-mouseio/diadromes-viomixanikou-mouseiou/kiria-diadromi
Chang, E. (2006). Interactive Experiences and Contextual Learning in Museums. Studies in Art Education, 47(2), 170–186. Retrived 23/03/23 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3497107 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00393541.2006.11650492
Crawley, G. (2012). Staging Exhibitions. Atmospheres of Imagination. In S. MacLeod, L. Hourston Hanks, & J. Hale (Eds.), Museum Making: Narratives, Architectures, Exhibitions (pp. 12–20). London: Routledge.
Culture24. (2009). Museums at Night 2009. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: https://www.culture24.org.uk/sector-info/art70421
Culture24. (2018a). A Culture of Lates. A Report into the Historic, Current and Potential Role of UK Museum Lates within the Context of the Night-Time Economy. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: https://www.keepandshare.com/doc/8215333/a-culture-of-lates-lo-res-culture24-pdf-2-0-meg?da=y
Culture24. (2018b). Late like a Local. Museum Late’s Contribution to the Cultural Tourism Offer. Retrieved 23/03/23 from https://www.culture24.org.uk/lates-research/
Dedova, M. (2013). Development of Public Cultural Services Management: Study of the Night of Museums. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference Current Trends in Public Sector Research, January 2013, 21-28. Retrieved 23/03/23 from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299354178_Development_of_Public_Cultural_Services_Management_Study_of_the_Night_of_Museums
DiMaggio, P., & Useem. M. (1978). Social Class and Arts Consumption: The Origins and Consequences of Class Differences in Exposure to the Arts in America. Theory and Society, 5(2), 141- 161. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01702159
Dodds, K., & Funnell, L. (2019). Popular culture. In International Encyclopedia of Human Geography (second ed., pp. 223-228). Elsevier. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102295-5.10854-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102295-5.10854-6
Doxanaki, A., Demitzaki, K., Tzortzi, K., Florou, M., & Andriopoulou, D. (2020). Experiencing a Museum After Dark: The Practice of ‘Lates’ in the Industrial Gas Museum of Athens. In A. Kavoura, E. Kefallonitis, & P. Theodoridis (Eds.) Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism. Springer. 745-754. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36126-6_82 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36126-6_82
Doxanaki, A., & Linardakis, M. (2022). An Analysis of Public Decision Making to Visit Archaeological Museums in Greece Using the Discrete Choice Model. Curator, 65, 187-207. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12458 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/cura.12458
Dudzinska-Przesmitzki, D. & Grenier, R.S. (2008) Nonformal and Informal Adult Learning in Museums. Journal of Museum Education, 33(1), 9-22. Doi: 10.1080/10598650.2008.11510583 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10598650.2008.11510583
Δοξανάκη, Α., (2013). Τα αρχαιολογικά μουσεία και η επικοινωνία τους με το κοινό: ανασταλτικοί παράγοντες επιρροής στο μοτίβο της επισκεψιμότητας των αρχαιολογικών μουσείων της Αθήνας. Το Μουσείο 6-7, 60-71.
Δοξανάκη, Α., & Παππά, Β.Χ., (2021). Νυχτερινές εκπαιδευτικές δράσεις για οικογένειες με παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας. Η δράση Teddy’s Night του Βιομηχανικού Μουσείου Φωταερίου της Αθήνας, MusEd: Μουσείο, Σχολείο, Εκπαίδευση, 2(1), 29-43. Doi:https://doi.org/10.26220/mused.4212
Ελληνικό Παιδικό Μουσείο (χ.χ.) Καινοτομίες. Ανακτήθηκε από: https://www.hcm.gr/innovations/
Evans, G. (2012). Hold Back the Night: Nuit Blanche and All-Night Events in Capital Cities. Current Issues in Tourism 15 (1/2), 35–49. Doi: https://10.1080/13683500.2011.634893 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2011.634893
Falk, H. J., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning. American Association for State and Local History.
Falk, H. J., & Dierking, L.D. (2016). The Museum Experience Revisited. London: Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315417851
Falk, J.H., Moussouri, T. & Coulson, D. (1998), The Effect of Visitors’ Agendas on Museum Learning. Curator: The Museum Journal, 41, 107-120. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2151-6952.1998.tb00822.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2151-6952.1998.tb00822.x
Fleming, B. (2016). Night in the Museums. The Antioch Review, 74(2), 287–308. Doi: https://doi.org/10.7723/antiochreview.74.2.0287 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7723/antiochreview.74.2.0287
Fyfe G. & Ross M. (1996). Decoding the Visitor's Gaze: Rethinking Museum Visiting. The Sociological Review, 43(1), 127–150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.1995.tb03428.x
Germain, F. (2014). Une Expérience Singulière: Visiter de Nuit un Musée. La Lettre de l’OCIM, 156, 17–23. Doi:https://doi.org/10.4000/ocim.1460 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/ocim.1460
Gilmore, A., & Rentschler, R. (2002). Changes in Museum Management: A Custodial or Marketing Emphasis. Journal of Management Development, 21(10), 745–760. Doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02621710210448020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710210448020
Gyimóthy, S. (2009). Casual Observers, Connoisseurs and Experimentalists: A Conceptual Exploration of Niche Festival Visitors. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 9(2-3), 177-205. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250903157413 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250903157413
Heath, C., & vom Lehn, D. (2004). Configuring Reception: (Dis-)Regarding the ‘Spectator’ in Museums and Galleries. Theory, Culture & Society, 21(6), 43–65. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276404047415 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276404047415
Heath, C., Luff, P., vom Lehn, D., Hindmarsh, J. & Cleverly, J., (2002). Crafting Participation: Designing Ecologies, Configuring Experience. Journal of Visual Communication, 1(1), 9-34. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/147035720200100102 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/147035720200100102
Heath, C., vom Lehm, D. & Osborne, J. (2005). Interaction and Interactives: Collaboration and Participation with Computer-Based Exhibits. Public Understanding of Science, 14, 91-101. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662505047343 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662505047343
Hindmarsh, J., Heath, C., vom Lehn, D. and Cleverly, J. (2002). Creating Assemblies: Aboard the Ghost Ship. CSCW: Proceedings of the 2002 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 156-165. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/587078.587101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/587078.587101
Hindmarsh, J., Heath, C., vom Lehn, D. and Cleverly, J. (2005). Creating Assemblies in Public Environments: Social Interaction, Interactive Exhibits and CSCW. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 14, 1-41. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10606-004-1814-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10606-004-1814-8
Hood, M.G. (1993). After 70 Years of Audience Research, What Have We Learned. Visitor Studies: Theory, Research and Practice I, 17-27. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10645579209445757 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10645579209445757
Hood, M.G. (1995). Audience Research Tell us Why Visitors Come to Museums-and Why They Don’t, In C. Scott (Ed.), Evaluation and Visitor Research in Museums: Towards 2000 (pp.3-10). Powerhouse Publishing.
Hooper-Greenhill, E. (2007). Museums and Education: Purpose, Pedagogy, Performance. London and New York: Routledge. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203937525 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203937525
Jackson, A., & Leahy, H. R. (2005). ‘Seeing it for real…?’ Authenticity, theatre and learning in museums. Research in Drama Education, 10(3), 303–325. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13569780500275956 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13569780500275956
Junankar, P.N. (2008). Acceleration Principle. In: The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. Palgrave Macmillan: London. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95121-5_202-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95121-5_202-2
Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, B. (1998). Destination Culture. Tourism, Museums, and Heritage. London: University of California Press.
Kirchberg, V. (1996). Museum Visitors and Non-Visitors in Germany: A Representative Survey. Poetics, 24(2-4), 239-258. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-422X(96)00007-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-422X(96)00007-1
Kirchberg, V. (1998). Entrance fees as a subjective barrier to visiting museums. Journal of Cultural Economics, 22, 1-13. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007452808105 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007452808105
Leask, A., & Barron, P. (2013). Engaging with Generation Y at Museums. In M. Smith & G. Richards (Eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Cultural Tourism (pp.369-404). Oxon, UK: Routledge.
Leask, Α., Fyall, A., & Barron, P. (2013). Generation Y: Opportunity or Challenge – Strategies to Engage Generation Y in the UK Attractions’ Sector. Current Issues in Tourism, 16(1), 17-46. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2011.642856. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2011.642856
Leja, M. (2012). Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Ark. The Art Bulletin 94(4), 652– 655. Retrived 23/03/23 from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/43188786
Longhurst, B., Bagnall, G., & Savage, M. (2004). Audiences, Museums and the English Middle Class. Museum & Society, 2(2),104-124.
Lucardie, D. (2014). The Impact of Fun and Enjoyment on Adult's Learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 142, 439-446. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.696 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.696
Macdonald, S. (2007). Interconnecting: Museum Visiting and Exhibition Design. CoDesign, 3:S1, 149-162. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/15710880701311502 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15710880701311502
Merriman, N. (1991). Beyond the Glass Case. London:UCL.
Mitra, R. & Fyke, J.P. (2017). Popular Culture and Organizations. In C.R. Scott, J.R. Barker, T. Kuhn, J. Keyton, P.K. Turner & L.K. Lewis (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118955567.wbieoc164 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118955567.wbieoc164
Mohr, K., Backman, K. F., Gahan, L. W., & Backman, S. J. (1993). An Investigation of Festival Motivations and Event Satisfaction by Visitor Type. Festival Management and Event Tourism, 1, 89–97. Doi: https://doi.org/10.3727/106527093792337619 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/106527093792337619
Neuborne, E., & Kerwin, K. (1999). Generation Y: Today's Teens – the Biggest Bulge Since the Boomers – May Force Marketers to Toss their Old Tricks. Business Week. Retrieved 23/03/23 from http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_07/b3616001.htm
Νικονάνου, Ν. (2015). Μουσειοπαιδαγωγικές μέθοδοι: συμμετοχή-εμπειρία-δημιουργία. Στο Ν. Νικονάνου, Α. Μπούνια, Α. Φιλιππουπολίτη, Α. Χουρμουζιάδη & Ν. Γιαννούτσου (Επιμ.), Μουσειακή μάθηση και εμπειρία στον 21ο αιώνα (pp. 51-85). Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Ακαδημαϊκών Βιβλιοθηκών. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: http://hdl.handle.net/11419/712.
Oxford Bibliographies. (2021). Popular Culture. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/OBO/9780199756384-0193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199756384-0193
Pendergast, D. (2010). Getting to Know the Y Generation. In P. Benckendorff, G. Moscardo, & D. Pendergast, (Eds.), Tourism and Generation Y (pp. 1–15) Cambridge: CAB International. Doi:https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845936013.0001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845936013.0001
Prentice, R. (1989). Pricing policy at heritage sites. How much should visitors pay? In D. T. Herbert, R. Prentice, & C. J. Thomas (Eds.), Heritage sites: strategies for marketing and development (pp. 231-271). Aldershot.
Παππά, Β.Χ., & Δοξανάκη, Α. (2021). Μια νύχτα στο μουσείο: αξιολόγηση της oικογενειακής δράσης Sleepover του Βιομηχανικού Μουσείου Φωταερίου της Αθήνας. Στο Πρακτικά 6ου Πανελληνίου Συνεδρίου "Εκπαίδευση και Πολιτισμός στον 21ο αιώνα", Δ’ Τόμος, pp. 257- 267.
Sound Diplomacy, & Seijas, A. (n.d.). Sound Diplomacy. A Guide to Managing your Night Time Economy. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: https://www.sounddiplomacy.com/managing-your-night-time-economy
Stockman, N. (2018). Lates research. Retrieved from: https://weareculture24.org.uk/lates-research/
Stockman, N., & Duru, E. (2021). Rap under the Rubens. How after-hours events can help break down barriers to museum participation. An exploration into how the Emerge Festival and other evening programmes reach underrepresented communities. Retrieved 23/03/23 from: https://www.keepandshare.com/doc/8262204/rap-under-the-rubens-full-report-pdf-9-0-meg?da=y
Στογιαννίδης, Γ., & Χατζηγώγας, Σ. (2013). Βιομηχανικό Μουσείο Φωταερίου. Το εργοστάσιο φωταερίου της Αθήνας. Η ιστορία, η τεχνολογία, οι άνθρωποι και το μουσείο. Αθήνα: Τεχνόπολις Δήμου Αθηναίων.
Talbot, D. (2007). Regulating the Night: Race, Culture and Exclusion in the Making of the Night-time Economy (1st ed.). London: Routledge. Doi:https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315604541 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315604541
Tate B.N., (2012). Museums as Third Places or What? Accessing the Social Without Reservations. Museums & Social Issues, 7(2), 269-283. Doi: 10.1179/msi.2012.7.2.269 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/msi.2012.7.2.269
Φιλιππουπολίτη, Α. (2015). Προγράμματα ελεύθερου χρόνου: οικογένειες, παιδιά, ενήλικες. Στο Ν. Νικονάνου, Α. Μπούνια, Α. Φιλιππουπολίτη, Α. Χουρμουζιάδη & Ν. Γιαννούτσου (Επιμ.), Μουσειακή μάθηση και εμπειρία στον 21ο αιώνα (pp. 111–125). Σύνδεσμος Ελληνικών Ακαδημαϊκών Βιβλιοθηκών. Retrieved 23/03/23 from http://hdl.handle.net/11419/712.
Χουρμουζιάδη, Α. (2022). Εισαγωγή στον εκθεσιακό σχεδιασμό. Κάλλιπος, Ανοικτές Ακαδημαϊκές Εκδόσεις. Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.57713/kallipos-67.
Yalowitz, S.S., & Bronnenkant, K. (2009). Timing and Tracking: Unlocking Visitor Behavior. Visitor Studies, 12(1), 47 - 64. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10645570902769134 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10645570902769134