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Abstract
This paper, the third part of the research report, focuses on museums as sources for
information and learning and what this means in terms of people choosing museums
over other sources. The primary source of data used for this purpose is the focus
groups, with secondary information sourced from the surveys, coupled with a range of
other research and literature. A model of decision-making and information access is
presented and unpacked, giving insights into how respondents felt about the role of
museums in a contemporary and information-rich world.
Much has been written about the educational and learning role of museums
and their roles in community development and access. Yet, in this increasingly rich
and complex information age, less emphasis has been given to the roles that museums
have as credible sources of information. Access to information and knowledge is
probably at the greatest point now in our history than it has ever been. Therefore the
resulting problems and stresses that this brings, coupled with how to actually use
information are core issues that museums need to urgently address. Further to this
there is a view that museums need to move from being suppliers of information to
facilitators, providing tools for visitors to explore their own ideas and reach their own
conclusions.
How information is used, and by who, is another key issue for museums, with
individuals needing help to negotiate and use information in making decisions.
This
means that the decision-making process people go through when accessing
information and then using it becomes critical. What are the different sources of
information and how do people choose between them when looking for information
about a specific topic? How do these interact with and build on each other? Do
visitors believe that museums have a role in influencing or shaping people’s
decisions?
It was found that although participants in the research were clear about the
general educational role of museums, particularly in children’s learning, the results
suggest that when presented with difficult and controversial issues the ways they see
museums dealing with these needs serious reflection about the capability and
authority we have to do this. Museums were strongly viewed as being one of a range
of information sources and an important catalyst for learning, being accessed and
actively used by many different kinds of people.
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