ERIC Number: EJ864109
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 24
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-9165
EISSN: N/A
Constructing Spatial Meaning: Spatial Affordances in Museum Design
Wineman, Jean D.; Peponis, John
Environment and Behavior, v42 n1 p86-109 2010
Informal education in museums is structured through movement in space. This article summarizes a range of research that examines the role of spatial layout in shaping the ways in which visitors explore, engage, and understand museums and museum exhibitions. It is demonstrated that behavior patterns are systematically linked to spatial characteristics of access and visibility. Furthermore, it is suggested that these patterns of access and visibility construct a spatial discourse that flows in its own right, although not entirely separate from the curatorial message. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Museums, Informal Education, Building Design, Interior Space, Space Utilization, Motion, Human Body, Behavior Patterns, Navigation, Visual Discrimination, Exhibits, Selection, Geographic Location
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California; Ohio; Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A