WAM knows its audience is not homogenous. Visitors are endlessly diverse, but dividing them into discrete segments that share more similarities than differences helps us make sense of visitor diversity in a way that we can both manage and monitor. Visit Modes help us understand and respond to the full range of visitor experiences.
A Visit Mode is a group of people with shared needs. Effective visit mode systems enable us to communicate with these groups, address their needs in our strategies and measure their responses. These needs are not usually determined by basic demographics, but by visitors’ more fundamental drivers, attitudes and approaches.
Visit Modes are defined by the following characteristics:
-
Motivation for visiting
-
Professional / academic involvement in the subject matter
-
First-time / repeat attendance
-
Family / non-family group
-
Age
|
Mode |
Description |
Board Needs |
% |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Learning Families |
Mixed age groups, wanting fun and educational trip for children |
Ease of access and movement, interpretation for parents and children, child friendly facilities and activities. |
6% |
|
Kids First Families |
Mixed age groups wanting to spend time together and have a fun trip for children. |
Ease of access and movement, child friendly facilities and activities, different levels of service to meet diverse age needs. |
11% |
|
Aficionados |
As per actualises, but with professional or academic connection to museum subjects. |
High quality access to collections, critical engagement, access to expert staff. A quiet, reflective space. |
1% |
|
Actualises |
Spiritually and emotionally motivated visitors who want to commune with objects in the collection, and use their existing knowledge as a base to go deeper. |
High quality access to collections, critical engagement, access to expert staff. A quiet, reflective space. |
5% |
|
Sensualists |
Visitors wanting a deeply moving experience through engagement with collections and objects. |
Access and space to objects and collections, interpretation, aesthetic appeal of displays. |
10% |
|
Researchers |
Specialists wanting to deepen their knowledge further by engaging deeply with the collection. |
Journey of discovery, layered information, finding out new things. |
2% |
|
Self-improvers |
Non-specialists wanting to deepen their knowledge further by engaging deeply with the collection. |
Journey of discovery, layered information, finding out new things. |
18% |
|
Sightseers |
First time visitors making a general visit. Mainly tourists who want to ‘do’ the museum. |
Ease of access, comfort, orientation, good facilities. |
32% |
|
Urban Cool |
Visitors under the age of 35, using the museum as a social space to spend time with friends and family. Want to feel a sense of ownership. |
Welcoming environment, comfort, orientation, accessible exhibitions, warm. |
6% |
|
Social Spacers |
Repeat visitors, meeting with others at the museum. Use the museum as a sociable space and want to feel a sense of ownership in their surroundings. Over 35. |
Ease of access, comfort, orientation, good facilities, warm welcome, accessible exhibitions. |
9% |