Leisure Criteria of Family Participation and Nonparticipation in Museums

Abstract

Six Important Concepts, or attributes of leisure participation, are identified as basic criteria of leisure choices. Criteria valued by the family-centered audience differ from those prized by museum programmers and frequent museum visitors. The family audience is primarily interested in social interaction, active participation, and entertainment values in leisure, while museum staff focus on providing educational opportunites. Changing family structures and lifestyles challenge museums to offer experiences that new styles of families will find appealing and content that frequent museum visitors seek and find satisfying.