The document summarizes the Observation Survey, a tool used to observe and measure visitor behavior in museums. It can be used to: 1) Survey visitor paths, analyze time spent and stops, and identify what attracts or is ignored by visitors. 2) Evaluate exhibits, accessibility, and how visitors use museum services. 3) Evaluate communication and effectiveness of permanent and temporary exhibits. The Observation Survey tool collects real-time data on mobile devices and displays it on a web application for analysis. It aims to evaluate displays and communication, optimize data collection, and train museum staff. Several Italian museums have experimented with the Observation Survey tool.

2. The observation survey
The Observation Survey is useful to observe, to code and to measure the
times of permanence and to interprete the visitors’ behaviors during
their visit in the museum.
The direct observation of the visitors’
behavior is particularly useful for:
Surveys the visit paths
Analyses the times of Evaluating the potential of
permanence and the stops communication of the museum
Pointing out what (objects, Evaluating the accessibility and
showcases, tags,…) attracts the the services of the museum and
most the visitors’ attention or the ways the visitors use them
what is ignored (attractiveness
and rejection) Evaluating the effectiveness of
permanent and temporary
exhibits

3. The observation survey

4. The observation survey

5. The observation survey

6. Miranda Project
It aims at:
Evaluating the display /
path
Verifing the communication
A. Tools and devices
system of the museum
B. Training
Optimizing and simplifying the
data collection and
interpretation
C. Research and support on site
Reinforcing the skills of the
museum staff
Creating a repository of
organised information
concerning all the museums
involved

7. A - Tools and devices
The technological infrastructure of Miranda
1- Creation of a model 2- Observation on site 3- Data display
Web based interface Touch screen
for creating a graph interface on mobile
model devices
Web application for
data searching and
reports writing

8. Reserved working area
Web Interface for the museums staff

9. Creating a museum graph
The whole museum display is represented as a graph made of
significant points: in these points the times of permance of the
visitors are registered.

10. Observation on site
An interface loaded on a mobile touch screen device allows the
researcher to register in real time the visit paths, dividing them
into a series of oriented arches, which connects the points in the
graph.

11. Registering the visitors’ behaviors
In these points you can also register the data regarding the visitors’
behaviors during their visit using an iconic system which classifies
the points in different typologies.

12. B - Training
The museum staff is trained and supported
step by step.
Methodology and observation survey
Learning how to use specific tools
Analysis of the museum space and creation
of a model of the display
Observation on site
Data entry
Elaboration and representation
Analysis and use of the data

13. C - Research and support on site
Sharing the aims with the museum
Creating a model of the museum space
Behaviors identifying
Training the museum staff
Field phase

14. The display of the data

15. Data display

16. Data display

17. Data display

18. Data display: the thermography

19. Museums experimenting Miranda
Musei Capitolini – Rome
Museo Nazionale del Cinema Turin
Castello di Rivoli – Museo d’Arte Contemporanea
Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli – Turin
Regional Museum of Natural Science
…and many others