Ignite the Power of Art Advancing Visitor Engagement in Museum Experiences Bonnie Pitman, Ellen Hirzy

How do visitors like to experience art? What makes for an enriching museum visit? The Dallas Museum of Art undertook a groundbreaking seven-year research initiative to answer these questions, examining how people connect with art and identifying preferences and differing behaviours. "Ignite the Power of Art" publishes these findings and provides a new understanding of museum visitors. It describes how these studies have been used to build attendance, enhance exhibits, and develop new programmes such as the Center for Creative Connections, the online Arts Network, and the Late Nights event series, all at the Dallas Museum of Art. Furthermore, the book describes how this research, which goes far beyond traditional demographic data and analyses, has transformed the Museum, unleashing a profound change in institutional thinking and paving the way for sustained innovation. Also included are interviews with community leaders who offer their perspectives and insights on the Dallas Museum of Art's remarkable revitalization.

Bonnie Pitman is the Eugene McDermott Director at the Dallas Museum of Art and serves on the Board of American Association of Museums. Ellen Hirzy is an independent writer and editor for museums, arts organizations, and other nonprofits.

"Bonnie Pitman writes with a leader's analytic vision and capitalizes on the institutional experience of the Dallas Museum of Art's staff and an overall commitment to research. . . . This book adds to a growing museum theory base of different ways to think about visitors."--Susy Watts, "Museum"--Susy Watts "Museum "

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