ABOUT THE DENVER EVALUATION NETWORK
There is no better way to ensure museums’ longevity
and vitality than to elicit input from your audiences and respond
constructively. Cultural organizations are beginning to realize the power of
public value and the importance of aligning with community needs and interests.
Without these voices informing decision-making, museums lose their vibrancy and
worth. It’s time for museums to listen.
But for many museums the act of “listening” is out of their comfort zone. As they strive to learn more about their audiences and communities, museum staff often realize that they are not equipped to do the work of evaluation. Additionally, many institutions have yet to understand the true value of listening. In these instances any form of evaluation or visitor studies has been set aside, with little or no consideration other than what might be required by funders.
The Denver-area Evaluation Network (DEN) would like to see that change.
In 2010, the Audience Insights Department at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) decided to test a theory: Would museum evaluations and visitor studies be more effective if they were conducted jointly rather than as separate institutional projects? At that time DMNS was the only museum in the Denver metropolitan area with an internal evaluation department. It was known, however, that the Denver area was rich with potential partners.
Over the next two years, as more partners were recruited, a new theory developed: Could institutions of all sizes and budgets work together to create a community of evaluators? Could the Denver area be the test market for building evaluation capacity while sharing resources and data across the institutional board? Denver Evaluation Network (DEN) members realized that there was need to build the evaluation capacity outside of the Denver area, as there was a thirst for knowledge within its regional colleagues. With two years of experience behind them, DEN members decided to take things to the next level.
In 2012, DMNS applied for an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 21st Century Professionals grant. Designed to provide intensive professional development (PD) for the 15 DEN institutions and to provide evaluation resources to many more throughout the Mountain-Plains region, the goal of the Building the Evaluation Capacity of Museum Professionals in the Mountain-Plains Region project has been to positively impact evaluative thinking, implementation, and use in Denver and beyond. As partners gained the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to conduct internal evaluations, they became better equipped to make informed decisions, engage and align with their communities, and hold true public value.
During the 2012-2014 grant cycle, DEN members experienced many enlightening moments that validated the value of this project. We are eager to advocate for the benefits of an evaluation network and to share our discoveries, both logistical and motivational.
But for many museums the act of “listening” is out of their comfort zone. As they strive to learn more about their audiences and communities, museum staff often realize that they are not equipped to do the work of evaluation. Additionally, many institutions have yet to understand the true value of listening. In these instances any form of evaluation or visitor studies has been set aside, with little or no consideration other than what might be required by funders.
The Denver-area Evaluation Network (DEN) would like to see that change.
In 2010, the Audience Insights Department at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) decided to test a theory: Would museum evaluations and visitor studies be more effective if they were conducted jointly rather than as separate institutional projects? At that time DMNS was the only museum in the Denver metropolitan area with an internal evaluation department. It was known, however, that the Denver area was rich with potential partners.
Over the next two years, as more partners were recruited, a new theory developed: Could institutions of all sizes and budgets work together to create a community of evaluators? Could the Denver area be the test market for building evaluation capacity while sharing resources and data across the institutional board? Denver Evaluation Network (DEN) members realized that there was need to build the evaluation capacity outside of the Denver area, as there was a thirst for knowledge within its regional colleagues. With two years of experience behind them, DEN members decided to take things to the next level.
In 2012, DMNS applied for an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) 21st Century Professionals grant. Designed to provide intensive professional development (PD) for the 15 DEN institutions and to provide evaluation resources to many more throughout the Mountain-Plains region, the goal of the Building the Evaluation Capacity of Museum Professionals in the Mountain-Plains Region project has been to positively impact evaluative thinking, implementation, and use in Denver and beyond. As partners gained the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to conduct internal evaluations, they became better equipped to make informed decisions, engage and align with their communities, and hold true public value.
During the 2012-2014 grant cycle, DEN members experienced many enlightening moments that validated the value of this project. We are eager to advocate for the benefits of an evaluation network and to share our discoveries, both logistical and motivational.
