Family Memberships and Kids

Great kid benefits for Family and above memberships!

I wanted to do a mid-week post about a little change to our Family Kid's Membership cards to help you engage with our youth at the Museum, as my Friday post will talk more about engaging kids at the desk:

First what is the Kid's Membership card and the benefits associated?
For Family memberships and above any youth 17 and under receive their own Membership card!
It is a really cute card with Fireflies on the front.
With this card they can bring in an adult with them that is not listed on the membership card. WHAT does this mean!???

Example#1
If a youth comes to the Museum and brings, lets say, their nanny, but the nanny is not listed as one of the adults on the card- the nanny would still be able to get in.

Example#2
A grandmother purchased a membership and added her grandchildren to the membership. The grandmother, grandchildren (with membership card) and the children's parents come for a visit- 3 adults and youth- they would all get in under the membership since each youth can bring in an adult with them. Since this scenario is very confusing, it is not something we should use as a selling feature, but just to know when they come to visit with their kid's card.
Example #1 is a great selling feature, especially for grandparents.
When processing Example #2, use the Guest Pass for the additional adult that is with the youth.

Lani and I have discussed 2 little improvement to the kid's cards:

#1 Right now we do not give out the kid's cards when a family and above membership is purchased, but I think that is a missed opportunity to interact with kids at the desk.
So, when time permits- you can now fill out kids membership cards and give them to the kids on-the-spot! Mark on the membership form in the notes section that you handed out the kid's cards, so Membership does send a second set in the mail.
When you give the cards to them, make it fun and special that they are now a member!!
If it is busy you do not have to do this, just let them know about the frequent visit program and that they will receive the cards in the mail.


BE SURE TO MARK ON THE MEMBERSHIP FORM THAT YOU ALREADY GAVE OUT THE KIDS CARDS!

#2 When a youth presents their membership card at check-in- make it special that they are presenting it to you. Let me tell you what a big deal it is for them to remember to bring it- we should reward them and make it worth while.
We now have an incentive program to reward them when the present their card at the desk!!
In the 1st cabinet their are stamp letters. Each time a youth presents their card we will give them a letter. Once they spell out the word PHXART, they will get a prize!

Here is what you can do with  kids to get them excited about being a member:
When a family checks in with their family membership, ask the kids if they brought their cards. Sometimes they may not event know about them!
Let them know about the frequent visit program, and ask them if they would like a temporary card with a stamp on it for their visit. Tell them we can combine it next time they come in with their card.
If they lost their card, you can give them a new one!

have fun with this- you will see how much it  turns an apprehensive youth into one that is excited about the Museum:)

Springis in the Air...

Spring is in the air, so this post is on how one "bad egg" can spoil the roost.

WARNING this post may have some sensitive material from an unhappy visitor, but is only for example purposes and NOT FINGER POINTING.

I was so happy to see the Yelp review that says that reflected how helpful and happy we are to visitors!
Recently, though, we received a comment from a visitor explaining their unsatisfactory visit to the Museum. They were unhappy with several things, but in the first portion they mentioned  they did not receive, nor were offered, a map or daily sheet not to mention a scavenger hunt or i'm here for the youth.


I know there could have been many reasons why this happened, but this is an opportunity for reflection, and now we have a first star to attain for our 5 STAR DEPARTMENT!

To receive our first star we must always provide tools to the visitor to help navigate the Museum to get the most out of their visit. This goes along with our Mission Statement to be a vibrant destination!

 

*First Star*:

Hand out a map and daily sheet to every visitor/group that comes to the Museum and write direction on the map.

This includes groups, members and during free time.

Here is a tip I do:
I rarely offer a map or daily sheet. I always assume they want it and hand it to them. I let them make the decision to leave it or take it with them. This also puts me in the habit of writing on the Membership voucher.
There is an assumption to not hand maps or daily sheets to Members because either they don't want it or they already know the layout.
Don't assume-
Always give or ask a member if they want a daily sheet or map!

I am still seeing people give directions to people and not writing it on the map.
**Remember it takes the same amount of time to write the arrow on the map as you are giving the directions. Be sure to put circle the lobby to remind them where they started.

Think back on the time when you first started here and getting the layout of the Museum was confusing; now add in someone telling you to put a sticker on/ sign here/ buy a membership!! Are you going to remember everything they said?

 

Here is the comment for you to review. I see within the comment other things VS could have done to alleviate some of the other displeasures that occurred in the Museum. Please make comments as to how VS could have helped with this family- besides offering the map- I would like to hear what else we could have done to help because the visit starts with us.

Remember: It does not matter who this was, and I don't want us to try to figure it out, because we have ALL slacked on giving maps/daily sheets to everyone- me included!!

 

My family and I went to the museum today (April 3) and it was an interesting visit.  I was a little put off from the beginning as the person who waited on my husband at the front desk didn't ask if we wanted a map or tell us anything about the museum and we could hear some of the other people at that front desk saying what was good etc.

 

Then, my daughter's small backpack was an issue which when I agreed to carry it as a purse was not a problem.  As it was smaller than many purses and a couple of camera bags I wasn't sure why it was an issue in the first place as my daughter was carrying it like a purse but the nice person at the front put a tag on it if I agreed to carry it.  However, after waiting in line for Da Vinci exhibit it was since she had sketching pens in it.  If there had been a list at the beginning of the line I would have been more understanding but this was at the end of the wait and I (the adult)was carrying the bag. This list talked about cameras water etc not children's art supplies which by the way are sold in your museum store.

 

Also, a museum personnel was a little over the top with my daughter as she was a gallery ahead and I found it unnecessary.  My daughter is more aware of art and museums than most adults and as I didn't see a sign and we were not told that since she was under 13 she couldn't view the galleries without being attached to us not very welcoming to the out of town visitor. 

 

After that I observed that there were very few children in the regular galleries outside of what appeared to be a school group tour.  The children's gallery is a lovely idea but not the only part of the museum that children should be exposed to during a visit.

 

The other issue that just wrapped up the non welcoming aspect was we went to the museum's cafe and wanted to sit outside and we were told it was closed. I asked what hours did it close as there were people eating outside and I was told it was too hot and they were short of servers.  There were two servers serving the people outside and they continued the entire time we were eating. 

 

On that note the volunteers in the museum gift shops were lovely.

 

I have worked for three museums in the past and it was always stressed that the visitors were as an important part as the art or exhibit to the museum structure.

 

You have a lovely museum and hopefully on our next visit it will be more welcoming.

 

PS:
Most comments do not get widely circulated when they go through the correct comment card channel, but this one did not, so many eyes reviewed this comment before it got to me.  Although it was not bad, per se, but how awesome would it have been if this circulated comment being passed around was positive about VS being helpful?
Hence the statement that one bad egg can spoil the roost. All the good comments we receive can have a damper when one of these comes through.
So my suggestion is to treat all visitors the way we want to be represented.
Do I think if we do this that we will never have receive a bad comment again? No, but the chances will be slimmer and when they do have a bad visit at the Museum at least VS was a positive for them. Maybe that will be enough to have them give us another chance.

You are all wonderful at providing great customer service, please keep up the great work!!!

Just Keep Swimming!

We have all been working SO hard lately with our non-stop attendance flow and daily job responsibilities. You ladies are all so impressive! Thank you for always giving 110% to our visitors and to each other. 

Just to keep things into perspective, and to share a little moral support while we push through the last couple weeks of Leonardo, here are some lovely quotes from a very impressive and inspirational woman, Georgia O'Keeffe.

[go upstairs to check our her paintings, they will make you feel good :) ]

(For when the line is out the door and you just can't even.)

(For when you're berated over a pen...)

(Leave a stressful day at the door when you leave. You're all doing amazing things for our department and the Museum. People are noticing.)

(We are very proud to be able to work at such an amazing place with such amazing, passionate people.)

New Art Museum in LA

There is a new art museum opening this fall (September) in LA: The Broad Museum!

Check out the website.

Who else think it looks like a cheese grater... or a speaker?...

 

 Read more about the building design and collection here.

 Who wants to go on a field trip?...

Touch the art?! Cue panic attack.

"The No. 1 unspoken rule in an art museum: Don’t touch. Museum guards are strategically placed throughout museums to ensure harmful oils on visitors’ hands won’t corrode artwork.

But at the current exhibition at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, touching is encouraged."

Read the article here.

 WHAT?!
 
 How cool is this interpretation for an art museum? They are not acutally touching the real pieces of art, but what do you all think of this concept?

As someone who can see pretty well (with the help of contact lenses), it's hard for me to imagine walking through an art museum and not being able to see the what is hanging on the walls- the colors, the facial expressions, the shadows, the shiny frames... I experience art visually- my other senses are hardly involved at all. Maybe I can smell fresh paint from a recent gallery installation, or listen to the murmurs of other patrons/ tours. However, most of the time, experiencing art is 100% visceral based on my eye sight as I am not allowed to touch, let alone taste, a painting.

It is interesting to me that I want to use my other senses, specifically touch, to experience the art based on what I am looking at. How badly have you wanted to touch the silk or fur of a gown in the fashion gallery? Or, wanted to run your fingers on the grooves of paint on Louis McElwain's painting upstairs (I can't say I've ever wanted to lick a painting, nor smell one, but I'm sure some other bold patron has tried at least once when Security isn't looking)?

Felix Gonzalez-Torres. Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA)

Granted, some artworks do ask you to use your other senses. For example, Felix Gonzalez-Torres's "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in LA) wants you to take a piece of candy and eat it. Video works of art have sounds to accompany the work. Some installations and sculptures want you to play and interact with the art, too ("Fireflies", anyone?). Art is not exclusively for the eyes only, but can you fully grasp the content and the context for the piece without seeing it?... What do you think?

What are your thoughts about this exhibition in Madrid? Do you think that it can provide a true likeness for what a painting looks like for those who cannot see it? If you described your favorite painting to a friend who had no idea what it looks like, do you think you could covey what it looks like by describing how you interpret it with your other senses?

Leave your thoughts in the comment section! I would love to read what you think.

Welcome Katie!

We're glad you are a member of our little staff! 

 

5 Star Museum Service

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Do you have your resolutions for 2015? We at Visitor Services we always have a new years resolution. It is to constantly be improving on our providing the best customer service at the Museum by creating an informative, welcoming environment. We make these improvements based on customer feedback and using  current customer service trends and information to be a leader in the industry when it comes to customer service. Let's become the leader in Museum Visitor Services!!

With that being said this year our VS New Year's Resolution theme is to be a "5 star Museum".

I will have blog posts that pertain to our goal and rolling out some new exciting things to help us with the "5 star" industry standards!!

As always I REALLY would like feedback from you on how we can obtain and sustain the 5 star rating. Please comment here or via email.

To start off,  I would like to give you the official Visitor Services Core Values-
This form is located on the VS WIKI on the 5 Star page.