Making Meaning in Art Museums 2

Making Meaning in Art Museums 2 is the second of two projects looking at the theme of art museums and their visitors, or ‘interpretive communities.’ The research was funded through a grant from the (former) Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB).

Background

The first project was carried out at Wolverhampton Art Gallery and was detailed in Making Meaning 1: Visitors' Interpretive Strategies at Wolverhampton Art Gallery (2001).

Aims and objectives

For this second study the Long Gallery at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery was selected as the research site. Using qualitative methods, the research asked the following questions:

• What interpretive strategies and repertories are deployed by art museum visitors?
• Can distinct interpretive communities be identified?
• What are the implications for the communication policies within art museums?

Outcomes

Making Meaning in Art Museums 2: Visitors’ Interpretive Strategies at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery (Report, 2001) (PDF, 177KB)