Survey of Visitors to Museum's Web Space

Introduction:
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. This survey will build a better understanding of why people visit a museum's Web space and how that visit may relate to an actual visit to the museum's physical space. This study, to be conducted in-house and online, is in collaboration with various museums and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Although this survey is voluntary, your participation is important if the survey results are to be accurate. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential. The survey report will be made available on the Web site of the Canadian Heritage Information Network (www.chin.gc.ca) once the study is completed.

Important note: This survey will be posted on the Virtual Museum of Canada (www.virtualmuseum.ca) and the websites of various other museums from July 16 to September 24. If you have already answered the survey, we would like to thank you for your participation. You should only answer once, as the questions remain the same throughout the period.

  1. In the past twelve months, how often did you visit the Virtual Museum of Canada (www.virtualmuseum.ca)?

    Never
    Once
    2 to 4 times
    5 to 8 times
    More than 8 times

  2. In the past twelve months, how often did you visit the Web space of a Canadian museum?

    First visit
    2 to 4 times
    5 to 8 times
    More than 8 times

  3. In the past twelve months, how often did you visit the Web space of a museum from another country?

    Never
    Once
    2 to 4 times
    5 to 8 times
    More than 8 times

  4. How often do you physically visit Canadian museums?

    Never
    Less than once a year
    About once a year
    A few times a year
    Once a month or more

  5. How did you find out about the site of the museum from which you took this survey? (select only one)

    Link from a museum Web site
    Link from the Virtual Museum of Canada Web site (www.virtualmuseum.ca)
    Link from another site
             Please specify which site:
    Internet search engine
    Someone told me about the site
    I learned about it through the media (newspaper, magazine, television, etc.)
    Other
    Please specify:

  6. In visiting this site today, were you:

    Planning a visit to a museum -> Go to question 8
    Following-up on a recent visit to a museum -> Continue with question 7
    Neither -> Go to question 8

  7. Did you also visit the Web site BEFORE visiting the museum?

    Yes
    No

  8. What are you looking for on a museum’s Web space? (mark all that apply)

    Information for professional research
    Information for a college/university project or course
    Information for any other type of school project
    General information about the museum (directions, opening hours, admission fees, etc.)
    Schedule of special events (exhibitions, lectures, films)
    Information on the collections (specific object or objects)
    Learning resources (for school programs)
    Information on the museum’s facilities (rooms for booking, etc.)
    Virtual exhibitions
    Web-based activities (entertainment, fun and games, contests, etc.)
    Discussion forum with other visitors
    Online question sessions with museum staff
    e-boutique / online shopping
    Discount offers
    Other
    Please specify:

  9. What kind of information on the collections do you expect to find on a museum’s Web space? (mark all that apply)

    General information
    Description of objects in the collections
    Images of/from the collections
    Other
    Please specify:

  10. What do you think are the three main goals of a museum’s Web space? Put a “1” in the box beside the item you think is the most important, a “2” beside the second most important and a “3” beside the third most important.

    Promotion/marketing
    Provide support for the museum’s research mission
    Provide support for the museum’s educational mission
    Provide information about the museum’s hours, events, services and facilities
    Increase access to the museum’s information and related resources
    Provide information that enchances your understanding or experience of the collections beyond what is found in the physical museum

  11. Are you…

    Male
    Female

  12. What is your age group?

    14 or under
    15-24
    25-34
    35-54
    55-64
    65 and over

  13. Where do you currently live?

    Canada
    USA
    Mexico/Central America/South America
    Europe
    Africa
    Asia
    Oceania