How many times have you visited this museum before participating in this survey?
about 10
Briefly describe the nature of the museum:
Science and Technology
Is the museum specifically intended for children? If so, for what ages?
No
THE CHILDREN'S REACTIONS
What exhibits or demonstrations were the highlights of the visit for the kids? (If there were several, describe each separately)
Connexions.
What did they show? Why were they so great?
It showed Canadian communications technologies.
There were many computer terminals to show interactive references. Although the access was slow on the limited touch screen, my kids liked them when a musical instrument played the tune, etc.
Did all the kids have the same reaction (give direct quotes if you can)? If not, why?
My older kid (6) liked computer terminals more then the younger one (4) who preferred more concrete exhibits.
What exhibits or demonstrations were the LOW points of the visit for the kids? (If there were several, describe each separately)
Agricultural exhibits.
What did they show? Why were they so awful?
They show methods for making dairy products, etc. It wasn't the kind of technology my kids gets excited about.
Did all the kids have the same reaction (give direct quotes if you can)? If not, why?
Yes. Direct quotes "" (silence with no interest).
What comments did the kids make as they left the museum?
OK.
We want to come back again.
Do they want to return? Why or why not?
Yes.
THE EXHIBITS
On average, how would you, the engineer(s), rate the museum's exhibits for
Physical condition:
Good enough for locomotives, antique cars, etc.
Good for space exhibits.
Accuracy:
OK for most stuff.
Currency:
Extremely bad for the computer exhibits, displaying mainframe and minis as the state-of-the-art.
Effectiveness of presentation:
What did you, the engineer(s), like best about them?
I liked the Connexions and space exhibits for their emphasis on science and technology in Canadian context.
What would you, the engineer(s), have wished were different?
I would like to see some guidance as to how to proceed, or what to see next. I like exhibits where temporal and spacial contexts are well organised. This comment applies to most museums I have visited.
Those electro-mechanical stuff tends to break down. Kids (and me) dislike it when nothing happens after pushing a button!
Was the museum appealing? Why or why not?
The building was extremely unappealing since it was originally built as a warehouse.
Did you feel that the museum appealed to girls and boys even-handedly?
Yes. I saw no evidence of over-emphasising either sex.
Do you feel that the museum was accurate on its assessment of its appeal to its stated ages?
N/A since there was no stated ages.
What other evaluations do you have?
The museum should be on the World-Wide Web.
Do you want to go back to the museum? Why or why not?
Would you recommend it to others?
Yes, as long as the admission is free.
INCIDENTALS
Admission charge (in both local currency and U.S. dollars):
For first adult:
$0 CAD
For each child (list separately):
$0 CAD
Parking fee:
$0 CAD
Other unavoidable charge:
$0 CAD
TOTAL:
$0 CAD
Was the admission charge mandatory or a "suggested donation"?
The admission charge was not mandatory for Thursday evenings.
In your opinion, is the admission charge high, about right, or a good value? Did your opinion change as the result of your visit?
As of 1995-07-01, the mandatory admission became in effect at all times.
Did you eat in the cafeteria? In your opinion, how was the food? What was your total bill? In your opinion, were the prices low, reasonable, or high for the quality?
No. We did a picnic outside the museum.
How quiet or noisy is the museum?
It was very noisy with lots of kids.
How well were crowds handled by the staff?
Not very well. There were very few staff in the museum.
Were there enough bathrooms? Were they clean and well-supplied?
There were not enough, but they were reasonably clean.
What are the principal wares in the gift shop? Did you or the kids indulge?
My kids liked dinosaur models. I liked science kits sold there.
Did anyone get lost? How was that handled by the staff?
Nobody was lost.
Additional comments (as many as you wish):
PLEASE RETURN YOUR RESPONSES BY WEDNESDAY, NOV. 15, 1995 to Trudy E. Bell, Senior Editor, IEEE Spectrum, 345 E. 47th St., New York, NY 10017; fax: 212-705-7453; e-mail: t.bell@ieee.org. Please DO NOT CALL the Spectrum offices!
