This qualitative research study comprised of six case studies explores museums’ practical usage of social media as an organization public relations tool. Analyzing six different museums using both surveys and interviews, this research provides a strategic, theory-based framework for any organization to utilize social media effectively by increasing public trust and engagement. Understanding the role that social media plays within organizational public relations is crucial for both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Because nonprofit organizations are often operating under time, personnel, and financial constraints, the accessibility and zero-cost of social media are hugely advantageous tools for non-profits organizations. However, without a strategy, their efforts to build meaningful relationships with their publics using these tools is futile. Museums are an under-studied but important field under this non-profit umbrella. The general ineffectiveness of museum usage of social media also target a key problem with social media usage by museums—the focus is on marketing, rather than on public relations, which leaves the communications from these institutions feeling robotic, inauthentic, and difficult with which to engage. Using Hon and Grunig’s (1999) four elements of OPR (Organizational Public Relations)—satisfaction, trust, control mutuality, and commitment—and the coorientaton model, this study provides insights into how museums and their patrons perceive the museum’s attempts at building OPR through social media. Findings indicate that while most museums and their patrons are in alignment of their perceptions of the museums’ efforts, many museums are ranking low on all four elements of OPR. In order for any organization to fully utilize social media, it must be used not simply as an arm of marketing or sales, but as an indispensable tool of building satisfaction, trust, control mutuality, and commitment, which in turn, lead to higher levels of engagement and future behavior intentions.

In the past few decades, the ways in which we look at heritage, and what the idea of heritage entails, has evolved and changed dramatically. We are constantly working on coming to grips with its complex nature and its multi-facetted ramifications. The aim of this thesis is to explore future strategies for museums in their continued work with collecting, preserving, and managing our cultural heritage in order to become more sustainable institutions. Furthermore, the thesis investigates historically what has led to the current crisis of accumulation and a profusion of heritage, with the intention of substantiating and providing background to the alternatives presented for the future of museum collections. In addition to a literature review of past research on the subject, an analysis of collection management plans and conducted interviews from four museum institutions in Sweden was carried out. The participating institutions were the National Historical Museums, Stockholm City Museum and Medieval Museum, the National Museums of World Culture and Museum Gustavianum. The results find that a rapid expansion of the concept of heritage to incorporate a large range of new forms of material and immaterial memory, alongside an exponential growth in the number of objects and places that are identified, collected and exhibited as cultural heritage, has contributed to a crisis of accumulation. Globalization as well as a large production growth of material things have also been assisting factors. The five strategies put forward to help museums become more sustainable institutions are: identify what your museum needs to focus on, now and in the future; if your museum does not have a collections management plan it is vital to write one; implement deaccessioning as an active collections management tool; with culture in the forefront, strive for sustainable development regarding both collections management and other museum activities; and collaborate and cooperate more with various interested parties to benefit collections development. This is a two years master’s thesis in Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies.

Bibliography: pages 107-117. / The following thesis focuses on the relationship between archaeologists, museologists and the broader community, in terms of educational programmes. It consists of a case-study comprising an educational project based on theoretical ideas of People's Archaeology as influenced by theories of Freirean education. The process of the educational project is illustrated through the description of interviews and workshops. The case-study indicates that there is a gap between academic and community percpetions of the role of archaeology and museums. Results from interpretations indicate that much more research emphasising the constitution, situation and perceptions of specific communities, especially those which have previously been marginalised by broader society, is needed in order to improve the educational services which museums and archaeologists offer to the community.

La investigación presenta una síntesis académica sobre el rol que cumplen las tecnologías del siglo XXI en la experiencia al interior de los museos y la satisfacción que brinda a los visitantes, entre ellos los turistas. Existe una cantidad significativa de investigaciones que abordan la temática de museos inteligentes, aquellos museos que implementan tecnologías con el fin de poder preservar y conservar las piezas que están en exhibición. Por otro lado, los museos inteligentes en el sector turismo han adquirido un papel importante debido a la nueva forma de realizar turismo al interior de los museos con la ayuda de las herramientas tecnológicas como la realidad aumentada, las impresiones 3D, entre otras que permiten interactuar con las piezas sin el temor a dañarlas. El principal aporte de esta investigación es el de sistematizar y analizar los resultados de las investigaciones académicas disponibles sobre el tema. Se trata de una investigación bibliográfica basada en una revisión descriptiva y evaluativa de fuentes académicas. Se presentan las tecnologías más usadas durante la experiencia de visita al interior del museo; las razones de su uso y su relación con la satisfacción de los visitantes de la visita realizada. Destacándose la importancia y necesidad de que los museos implementen las herramientas tecnológicas en sus salas de exposición para adaptarse a nuevos perfiles, atraer a los visitantes entre ellos a los turistas y brindarles una experiencia interactiva. / The research presents an academic synthesis on the role of 21st century technologies in the experience within museums and the satisfaction it brings to visitors, including tourists. There is a significant amount of researches to present the theme of smart museums, those museums that implement technologies in order to preserve and keep the pieces that are on display. On the other hand, smart museums in the tourism sector have acquired an important role due to the new way of doing tourism inside museums with the help of technological tools such as augmented reality, 3D printing, among others that allow to interact with the pieces without the fear of damaging them. The main contribution of this research is to systematize and analyze the results of the academic research that currently exists on the subject. It is a bibliographic research based on a descriptive and evaluative review of academic sources. The study presents the most commonly used technologies throughout the visitors’ experience in the interior of the museum; the reasons for its use and its relationship with the satisfaction of visitors regarding the visit made. It is very important that museums to implement technological tools in their showrooms to adapt to new profiles of visitor, attract visitors and tourists and provide an interactive experience. / Trabajo de investigación

Gender equity has been a national and global aim for over half a century (Ceci & Williams, 2007; National Center for Education Statistics, 2003; National Science Board, 2008). While gains have been made, one area where inequity remains is spatial reasoning ability, where a large gender gap in favor of males has persisted over the years (Else-Quest, Linn, & Shibley Hyde, 2010; National Science Board, 2008; Ruble, Martin, & Berenbaum, 2006). This gender gap in spatial reasoning has had substantial societal impact on the career interests of females in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), contributing to the larger societal need to engage non-dominant groups in these fields to reduce outsourcing (Ceci & Williams, 2007; Jaschik, 2007; Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009; White, 1992). Both spatial reasoning ability and STEM career interest have been related to science museum visits (Hamilton, Nussbaum, Kupermintz, Kerkhoven, & Snow, 1995; Salmi, 2001, 2002). However, researchers have also found a gender gap in favor of males in regard to science museum attendance and experiences once at the museum (Borun, 1999; Crowley, 2000). There are many suggestions for increasing female engagement at science museums and creating equitable experiences, but few have been systematically studied (Kekelis, Heber, & Countryman, 2005; Koke, 2005; Maher, 2005; Taylor, 2005). This research investigated gender equitable exhibit development by enhancing a geometry exhibit with several female-friendly design features and analyzing video data to determine the effects on girls' engagement and social interactions with their caregivers. The findings suggest that incorporating several female-friendly design features leads to significantly higher engagement for girls (evidenced by greater attraction and time spent). This study also looked for any unanticipated negative effects for boys after incorporating the female-friendly design features. It is encouraging that this study was unable to detect any unintended negative effects for boys; however, such non-significant results are inconclusive and should not dissuade future research and design teams from continuing to check for unanticipated ill effects of female-friendly design features for boys. While the positive effects for girls were significant, it is important to note that they were not significantly more positive for girls than for boys; further research is needed to determine whether the female-friendly design features create a more equitable experience for girls, or a more positive experience for everyone. This study did not identify any significant differences in parent-child verbal social interactions between the two versions of the exhibit; however, the pattern of results suggests that gender discrepant parent explanations, as found by Crowley, 2001 in a children's museum, may be less of a concern for girls in science centers, providing an interesting area for future study. This research presents evidence to support incorporating female-friendly design features in future science exhibit development projects, and indicates areas where future studies are still needed to gain a deeper understanding of their effects.

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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, March 2016. / Heritage tourism has emerged as an important part of tourism growth in the new South Africa. It contributes significantly in demonstrating the diverse cultural offerings that the country has to offer. Struggle heritage is one of the elements that attract tourists to visit South African museums. Using a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative data, this study explored the motivations, experiences and understanding of heritage of 100 local tourists at Liliesleaf Farm Museum (50 respondents) and the Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum (50 respondents), both based in Johannesburg. This research adds to the debates on how people perceive heritage and how important it is to them. The findings suggest that South Africans desire to visit heritage sites but due to the unavailability of information and inadequate communication between museum marketers and the public, local tourists are less likely to visit. Overall, this study suggests that although creating memorable and unique visitor experiences is essential, being in regular contact with repeat and prospective visitors is paramount for the growth and sustainability of the museum and the continued dialogue of the struggle, as well as the development and advancement of Heritage Tourism in South Africa. / GR 2016