Children's museums are beginning to host adult-only play events to provide opportunities for play among older visitors. The presentation will examine such events at three children's museums to understand the motivation, benefits to adults, and how play can be incorporated for adult guests. Initial results show these events are well-received, increase attendance, and attract new audiences while also being lucrative for the museums. The events provide a way for any museum type to allow play among adult visitors.

1. Box 349485, Seattle, WA 98195-9485
206.616.1437 | degrees@pce.uw.edu | museum.washington.edu
Play On: Adult-Only Play Events at Children’s Museums
Presentation by Devon Kelley
Thursday, May 12, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Boardroom, 22nd
Floor, UW Tower
Directions: http://www.washington.edu/facilities/uwtower/getting-here
Play is an important part of an adult visitor’s museum experience. While recent research
shows that adult visitors benefit from opportunities to play, much like their younger counterparts,
many museums are slow to incorporate play into their exhibits and programming for adults.
Recognizing the benefit of play for visitors, some children’s museums are beginning to host adult-
only events so older visitors can play with their exhibits and programming. The purpose of this
research is to examine adult-only play events at Madison Children’s Museum, Hands On Children’s
Museum, and Children’s Museum of Phoenix to understand the museums’ motivation to host such
events, the benefits to adult visitors, and how museums in general can incorporate opportunities to
play for their adult guests. Results indicate that these adult-only play events are being well-received
by audiences, are increasing attendance numbers, and attracting new audiences to the children’s
museums. Findings also show that these events are lucrative for the museum and could be adapted
for use by any museum type.
Keywords: adult visitors, children’s museums, play, learning, visitor experience.
5/9/2016