A presentation from Museums and the Web 2010. The proliferation of iPhones, Smart-Phones and now “Super-Phones” continues to expand the tools available to museums for mobile interpretation and raise the expectations of their audiences. This paper provides a survey of recent trends in the museum industry to adapt to new audience expectations, and, more broadly, to assess the effect of mobile devices, the ubiquitous Internet and social networking on visitor expectations. Addressed from the industry perspective, it looks at the movement of the industry to multi-platform and media experiences as well as the challenges institutions face in developing and launching these new mobile features into the gallery experience. Are these efforts enough? Specifically, how closely aligned are museums’ objectives and their vision of mobile interpretation with the quickly evolving expectations and needs of their audience? Presented in this paper are the results of two pieces of research. The first set is on cultural and art professionals and focuses on how their institutions have implemented mobile interpretations and how they plan to execute mobile guide strategies in the future. The second is a set of visitor surveys and guide evaluations completed at major US and European museums and historic sites over the past three years. Session: Mobiles: A Panel [mobile] see http://www.archimuse.com/mw2010/abstracts/prg_335002210.html

1. Trends In Mobile Interpretation

4. iPod/MP3 2001 Smart Phone 2007 The Mobile Revolution Keeps Moving… Tablets 2010

5. Source: Source: Cisco Systems, "Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI): Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, 2009-2014" with Informa Telecoms & Media, In-Stat and Gartner, February 9, 2010 US and Western Europe Smart Phone Forecast (Percent of Mobile Phones) 32% 25% 55% 49%

6. Top Online and Digital Activities in the Past Week S10. When is the last time you did each of the following online? Source: Nielsen Research, 2009

7. Using the internet for personal use Watching TV Sources: Forrester Research, 2009 Media Behaviors Vary Significantly by Age Hours

8. Usage of Community Sites Among Museum Audio Guide Visitors Q. Do you use … (social media sites) Source: National Gallery, London (2009) /Fusion Research + Analytics

10. Q. What country are you located? Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Cultural Institution Survey: Regional Representation

11. Q. Which of the following best describes your institution? Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Cultural Institution Type

12. Q. Which of the following best describes the type of handheld guide your Institution currently offers? Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Cultural Institution Existing Mobile Guides

13. Q. Which of the following best describes how your Institution distributes handheld guide players to visitors? Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Mobile Guide Visitor Access

14. Q. What are the main objectives for using handheld guides at your Institution? (Please select a maximum of three options) Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Mobile Guide Institution Objectives

15. Q. Which of the following services were carried out In-House by museum staff, and which were completed by contractors? Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Mobile Guide Development and Management

16. Q. How challenging were the following in the development and operation of the handheld guide system? (top 2 box) 1 = Not a Challenge, 5 = Very Challenging Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Mobile Guide Development Management Challenges

17. Q. How do you see your Institution's handheld guide evolving in the next five years? (Please select a maximum of three options). Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 The Future: Mobile Guide Evolution in the Next 5 Years

18. Q. How important are the following to you / your Institution as information sources on handheld guides? (Top 2 box ) 1 = Not Important, 5 = Very Important Source: International Handheld Guide Survey 2009 Primary Sources Of Information On Mobile Guide Trends

20. The Size of the Mobile Guide Audience Q. In general, how often do you use audio guides when visiting museums? Source: Discovery/Antenna Audio 2008 UK Museum and Historic Site Research *Visitor self reported usage of mobile guides represents the proposition to use guides at cultural sites. Actual guide conversion rate (guide user to visitors) will likely be lower than the estimates provided in this research.

21. Motives to Use Mobile Guides Q. What motivated you take the audio guide during your visit today? Source: Discovery/Antenna Audio 2008 UK Museum and Historic Site Research

22. Q. Would you prefer to take an audio only tour or an audio guide with both audio and images/video? (% strongly/somewhat prefer) Source: Discovery/Antenna Audio 2008 UK Museum and Historic Site Research Guide Format Preference

23. Q. Would you have preferred a guide that provided… Source: English Heritage, Down House/Fusion Research + Analytics Guide Format Preference

24. Tier I Tier II Tier III Q. What words best describe your guide experience? Source: English Heritage, Down House/Fusion Research + Analytics Under 35 year olds used 50% more words to describe their guide experience than older visitors

25. Q. . Would you have preferred a guide that provided… Source: English Heritage, Down House/Fusion Research + Analytics Guide Format Preference by Age Group

26. Q. . Would you recommend this video guide to a friend? Source: English Heritage, Down House/Fusion Research + Analytics Likelihood to Recommend Multimedia Guide by Age

27. Q. Did the audio guide make your experience today..... Source: Discovery/Antenna Audio & Fusion Research + Analytics Guide Effect on Visitor Experience 19% 51% 31% Percent of guide users

28. Q. How important are the following potential new audio guide features to enhancing your audio guide experience. Source: Discovery/Antenna Audio & Fusion Research + Analytics Importance Of New Guide Features 75%

29. Q. What personal device would you most prefer to use? (Please select only ONE) Source: Discovery/Berlin Museum Island survey /Fusion Research + Analytics Mobile Guide Personal Device Preference