Interview with Blake

They have finished construction design on the children's museum. They are ready to break ground this summer. Open late summer 2012.

All of the supporting businesses support a multi-museum complex for families.

Three main museum areas: Farmland, Dinosaur museum, Gardens.

The museum of natural curiousity is a children's museum. The real push for the children's museum is to think of an exhibit or activity as engaging a family as a whole. There are spaces for every age and every part of the family. It is not really a children's museum, but a family museum.

Blake handles programming and volunteers in all parts of the property.

Blake and his team...spent sometime in the dinosaur museum in December to see what kind of interaction and experience visitors were having and they were having as visitors. Brought the team together to discuss.

Project that impacts all aspects of Thanksgiving Point, facilitation based that raises the awareness of inter-connectivity of areas of the properties, (started calling this the ambassador program), incentive program for people wanting to be ambassadors, master gardners is a good example, art museums are good at this with their volunteer docent programs.

In the museum, there is a power in human interaction within the area.

John Faulk (researcher of museum experience)...Life-long learner.

3 areas: (internal staff training, create visitor curiosity about the entire property, facilitate parent-child/family interaction/engagement)

Guided experience to visitor's curiousity related to Thanksgiving Point. How much time do they have? What are their interests? When is it appropriate to approach a guest unsolicited? Are they reflecting or browsing or resting and don't want to be bothered?

Working with people requires a diagnostic method to determine what help they need.

General property training: Start with program staff (prototype group), move to staff (internal cross-training), move to docent/volunteers, move to members (invested visitors)...

Identify the connections between the properties...customize the experience using the diagnostic method by casually suggesting connections.