ABSTRACT

A study on the Exhibit Space Design Characteristics of Local Museums
- Focusing on the satisfaction survey of the Yongdong area local Museums -

Seouk-Jung Park
Department of Interior Design
Graduate School
Kwandong University
Academic Advisor Professor Jung-In Moon


Since the local government election in 1995, wide spread local government era started in Korea. Thus, the imminent issues of the local governments were to seek unique culture and identity and to secure fund for local autonomy. Accordingly, the local governments began to establish local museums in a competitive manner. Such played a role in laying a foundation for culture and tourism industry.
The role of local museums founded after the local autonomy system collects, preserves and studies local natural environment and historical features to show and educate them at the exhibit space to visitors. At the same time, it works to create business profit as a cultural tourism industry.
At the initial stage, the exhibit space of museum was the collection and preservation of resources. Along with the development of science and technology, there have been extensive changes in the exhibit pace. Now the exhibit space of the museum needs to focus on the variety of visual media to attract visitors besides intrinsic roles of displaying physical data. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze design characteristics of exhibit space of museums in Yeongdong to propose basic resources for new construction and remodeling.
The spatial scope of this study includes 3 cultural zones of Yangyang, Sokcho, Gangneung and Samcheok in the Yeongdong area. Local museums were established before and after the local autonomy in these areas. And, the division of 3 cultural zones in the Yeongdong area in Gangwon is based on the division on Yangyang dialect zone, Gangneung dialect zone and Samcheok dialect zone defined by linguists. As most museums were established with history and culture as their themes, the museums in this area are in line with such context. Accordingly, as the spatial scope of the study was based on history and culture, and language is reflected sociality of the area with close relation with natural condition, dialect can be a standard to classify cultural zones.
The scope of contents in this study is as below.
Firstly, for the theoretical examination on the exhibit space design, the study examined the concept, classification and role and function of exhibit space.
Secondly, for the accurate analysis on the design characteristics of exhibition space, quantitative and qualitative analysis must be made. Therefore, this study carried out status survey on the design characteristics of exhibit space and questionnaire survey to visitors and specialists.
Based on literature survey, the theoretical study was carried out, and empirical survey using questionnaire survey to visitors of 4 museums was made together. Specific research methods are as below.
Firstly, basic data was sorted out through literature survey on the secondary data, book, online data and other publications. The theoretical frame was established by basic understanding of the museum and by the discussion of exhibition and exhibition space systematically.
Secondly, by reviewing literature survey, article and internet data, the questionnaire survey was formed for empirical analysis for visitors. The collected data was analyzed for frequency analysis and technical statistics using SPSS(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) 18.0 window.
The research results are as below.
Firstly, as the number of visit to the museum, 1 visit was the highest with 43.9%. It was followed by 2~3 visits with 38.2%. It means most visitors visited the museum less than 3 times.
Secondly, as for the objective of visit, simple visit was the highest with 58.7%. It means the use of museum with simple leisure with family is more than any visit with special objective.
Thirdly, as for inconvenience in the space of museums, the inconvenience of movement traffic was the highest with 31.8%, which was followed by lack of management (21.2%), lack and inconvenience of resting place (11.3%). It means when establishing a new museum, movement traffic must be considered carefully with sustainable management afterwards.
Fourthly, as for additional space in the museum, resting place was the highest with 46.8% followed by experience space (29.3%) and exhibition space (10.6%). Together with the previous cases of inconvenience, it must be considered from the design or remodeling design for museums. It is necessary to secure resting space and experience space to figure out needs of visitors.
Fifthly, as for the additional program, experience program was the highest with 53.8% followed by exhibition guide program (22.4%) and program by age (21.7%). This means that people want experience program and 3D exhibit guidance program development beyond one dimensional exhibit guidance. And because the age of visitors are unspecified, it is urgent to develop a program to cover up from children to the aged with 60s.
Sixthly, as for satisfaction of museum space composition, the exhibition space was the highest with 3.51. It was followed by size and scale of exhibition space (3.47) and circulation type of exhibition room (3.46). To the contrary, the satisfaction was rather low on amenities (3.04), convenience facilities for the aged and the weak / the disabilities (3.13). Thus, convenience facilities for the aged and the weak / the disabilities must be considered.
Seventhly, as for the satisfaction of exhibit design, partial color response was the highest with 3.47. It was followed by the finishing material (3.45) and exhibition method (3.45). To the contrary, the satisfaction on the internal household furniture (3.24) and entrance/exit design (3.37) were rather low. Therefore, design factors on the internal household furniture and entrance/exit design must be considered.
The characteristics of exhib