Do Object Rotations Cause Repeat Visits?

Why do our visitors come back?

Often because we have “something new” for them.

But not every kind of “new” works this way.

A whole new temporary exhibition can be an event. It has a name, an opening date, a closing date, press coverage, and member previews. It’s visibly new.

A single rotated (swapped out) object might be “new,” but not in the same way.

Most visitors won’t notice one artifact changed unless the museum tells them. That’s true even if we rotate a whole display case.

One main reason for rotation is preservation. We do it to avoid damage to the collections. This might also give a sense of freshness, but does it, on its own, draw significant visitors who wouldn’t have come otherwise?

Theoretically, a medium-sized rotation could work differently. If a special little room, a big wall, or a very large case had a name, a schedule, and was worthy of a marketing plan, it could generate repeat visits.

Here’s the thing:

Small object changes should not be relied upon to also drive significant demand from outside audiences. For “new” to be a draw, it has to be big enough to warrant promotion.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Rotation. The planned replacement of artifacts within an exhibition over time. Objects are swapped out to protect them from light exposure, to refresh interpretation, or to show more of the collection.