The document discusses the Ford Education Center at the National Postal Museum. The Center provides interactive touch screens that allow visitors to access digital museum content and collections. It was created in 2002 with funding from Ford and updated in 2007-2008 to better integrate the museum's website. The goals are to provide digital access onsite, bring postal and philatelic themes together, and connect the online and physical museum experiences. Features include interactive games and timelines to engage visitors.

1. at the National Postal
Museum

3. • The Ford Education Center
consists of five new and
engaging interactive touch
screens on the National Postal
Museum’s floor.
• It allows visitors to access
museum content through varied
media and experiences and
provide a welcome environment
for them to take a break!
• Using the Ford Education Center
should also help visitors realize
the value and depth of our
website and onsite resources.

4. Overview
• Goals
• Brief History
• Mission
• Audiences
• Features

5. • Goals:
• To provide on-site access to the digitized museum
collection
• Create a space in the museum where
– postal & philatelic themes come together,
– and web-site & gallery experience come together

6. • Brief History
• 2002: the Ford Motor Company donated $1.5 to
NPM’s Education Department in part to create an
exhibition in the museum atrium
• 2003: Opening of the Ford Education Center
(version 1.0)

7. • May 2006: the National Postal Museum launched
Arago™, its new website
Arago is dedicated to providing on-line access to the vast
collections and treasures of the National Postal Museum. This
award-winning website is a gateway to treasures on display and
behind-the-scenes. www.arago.si.edu
• 2007-08: integrate Arago and the Ford Education
Center to better serve our museum visitors’ access
to digitized collections

8. Missions
• Reinforce the Museum experience
• A place where the museum comes together thematically
• Offers content through varied media & experience
• Provides a welcome environment, as a break during
museum exploration
• Facilitates visitor interaction between the galleries and the
Ford Education Center
• Encourages interaction within a group of visitors
• Use Arago to access the museums collections and digital
assets directly and through mediated interface

9. Missions
• Extend the Museum experience beyond visit
• Ensures that visitors recognize the Arago & web-site
Highlights extend to their homes & schools
• Engages a dialog with the visitors. Personalize the museum
experience.

10. Audiences
• Primary Audience
– Families
• Secondary Audience
– First time visitors
– Curious museum guests
– Other People Motivation

11. Features

12. 0.0 Home screen
Goal: orient museum guests

13. 1.0 Virtual Vault
Goal: Get a mediated access to Arago

14. 2.0 Timelines of Postal History
Goal: Recognize the progression of events by
making connections between postal and
philatelic themes

15. 3.0 Museum’s Must Sees
Goal: Have a deeper understanding of 15 “hit”
objects on display in the galleries

16. 4.0 Matching Game
Goal: Engage with the museum themes by
matching pairs and identifying topical groupings
of objects

17. 5.0 All Aboard to Sort the Mail
Goal: Experience the challenge of sorting the mail
on board of a moving train

18. 6.0 The ABCs of Stamp Collecting
Goal: Be introduced to the basics tools and
methods of philately

19. 7.0 Museum FAQs
Goal: Direct educators, including parents, to
resources directly applicable to their museum
visit agenda

20. 8.0 Speak Out!
Goal: Give feedback and qualitative information
about the Ford Education Center’s experience

21. 9.0 Welcome to the Postal Museum
Goal: Introduce hearing impaired and Spanish
speakers to the museum themes and galleries

22. Schedule

23. Time frame
July - Sept Nov - Jan - Mar - May - July - Sept
Aug - Oct Dec Feb Apr June Aug - Oct
07 07 07 08 08 08 08 08
Planning
Kick-Off
Executing
90%
Testing
Opening

24. Next Steps
 Summative evaluation during spring
2009
 Publish results from summative in the
summer-fall of 2009

25. Budget
• Our final budget was just under $200,000
• We went over on a couple of details
because NPM raised its demands on
contractor and accepted to go out of scope