Integrated Marketing Campaign: KU Natural History Museum

E B

C

I R U

S U

account executive

research director

KITTY TANKARD

KENZIE ANDERSON

public relations executive

media & social media director

OLIVIA WILKES creative director

TANYA GROVER

SARAH JOHNSTON creative director

MORGAN TWIBELL presentation director

COCO HARRINGTON University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications JOUR 640 Fall 2017 Professor Tien-Tsung Lee

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction......................................................1 Executive Summary....................................4 Situation Analysis.........................................6 Target Audience..........................................12 Primary Research........................................14 SWOT Analysis.............................................17 Campaign Logistics...................................19 Campaign Theme.......................................21 Creative Brief...............................................23 Event Tactics...............................................25 Renovation Tactics...................................28 Advertising Tactics...................................30 The Big Picture...........................................33 Appendices...................................................36

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EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Goal & Objectives Our goal is to transform the KU Natural History Museum into a top-of-mind destination for KU students, for purposes of both recreation and education. To achieve this, we identified two main objectives: increase traffic into the museum by 10% and increase participation in events by 15% by the end of the campaign in December 2018.

The University of Kansas Natural History Museum is located on Jayhawk Boulevard on the University of Kansas-Lawrence campus. The museum has more than 8 million specimens of plants and animals, with collections including DNA samples, sound recordings, images, and field notes. The museum has an annual visitation rate of 50,000, with a majority of these visitors spanning from Kansas City to Topeka. Currently, the Natural History Museum prides itself in supporting local and state schools through various educational programs.

Strategy The creative strategy of our campaign works to inspire curiosity among KU students about the museum and all that it offers in order to increase interest by encouraging their diversion from the daily college routine. By strategically using the element of curiosity to transform a place not many people know about into it into a multifaceted, topof-mind destination, we aim to fulfill our overall goal.

Informing potential visitors about all of the various purposes of the museum under the guise of curiosity will help to create interest in visiting the museum, thus increasing museum traffic and fulfilling our first objective.

Furthermore, by encouraging students to deviate from the usual ways they spend their free time will motivate them to participate in various museum events, fulfilling objective number two.

This campaign addresses three primary marketing problems that the museum is trying to solve: a limited awareness about the museum and its offerings, the opportunity for improvement in visitor traction (especially in terms of repeat visitors), and a lack of interest in natural history itself, especially among KU students. The campaign will last the duration of the fall 2018 semester, beginning August 20 and concluding December 20. Our campaign theme relies on key idea of curiosity and the slogan “Be Curious,” which we believe represents a unique potential for an emotional connection with our target audience.

Target Audience The target audience for this campaign is students of the University of Kansas on the Lawrence campus. KU currently has 24,891 students enrolled at its Lawrence campus, consisting of 48.6% women and 51.2% male. We are targeting both undergraduate and graduate students, with the average age of our target audience being 21.

Tactics Our advertising plan places effective and attentiongrabbing print, digital, and video advertisements that are consistent with our campaign theme in on-campus venues and throughout Lawrence. The proposed plan will promote the museum by highlighting the features and benefits most appealing to the target audience, thus increasing traffic into the museum. Our interactive promotions will take advantage of KU’s surrounding campus to the museums advantage and gives it a chance to leave a fun, lasting impression on students. Other tactics include the development of new events tailored to the needs and interests of KU students and a proposal to renovate the museum’s third floor.

SWOT Analysis When addressing the museum’s current marketing situation, we first determined that the stationary exhibits, lack of community awareness, and small staff were the museum’s primary flaws. Considering this, the disinterest in natural history from the target market, potential lack of external funding for renovations and competition from other venues were other primary areas of vulnerability for the museum. On the other hand, we found that the museum’s positive qualities included its excellent location, popular events, and historical significance. Drawing from these strengths, we saw opportunities to further tailor events towards our target audience, play up the facility’s unique architecture and campus significance, and renovate the third floor. Accordingly, we used these opportunities as guidelines to build our campaign.

Budget This campaign uses $9,290.50 of the $10,000 budget.

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SITUATION

ANALYSIS

SITUATION ANALYSIS CLIENT OVERVIEW Social Media The KU Natural History Museum is active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The museum posts daily on Facebook. These posts promote events, share science articles, reflect current events in the science world, and support scientists and students. Most of the Facebook posts contain original photos. Some contain hashtags. The page has almost 3,700 followers and the posts usually receive between 10 and 50 likes. The Natural History Museum is less active on Twitter, with only 36 posts. The posts are infrequent and they contain photos displaying exhibits. The museum uses Twitter about five times a month, usually to notify followers about changes to the museum.

Company History In 1893, Kansas was represented at the World’s Fair with various specimens and fossils collected in Kansas. When they returned, the representatives needed a place to keep the specimens, and thus created the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, located on the University of Kansas-Lawrence campus (Humphrey, 2017).

Exhibits, Programs, & Events Annual visitation to the museum is around 50,000 people.

For admission, there is a suggested contribution of $7 for adults and $4 for children. The museum consists of four floors including an expansive panorama, live snakes and insects, fossils, parasites and microbes, and plants and animals specific to the Great Plains. The exhibits are consistent, meaning they do not rotate throughout the year. The museum offers several school programs and summer camps for grades K-12. The programs are taught and developed by in-house professionals. The Biodiversity Institute hosts events for families, adults, and students alike, ranging from a KU Carnival of Chemistry on KU’s campus to “Science on Tap” at Freestate Brewing Company. Employees also recently constructed a mobile museum which displays specimens and can be wheeled anywhere (Humphrey).

News Coverage In February 2016, the KU Natural History Museum was named the top natural history museum among public universities by Best College Reviews. Events and discoveries that take place at the museum are often reported by local and regional news publications and websites like KU Today, Columbia Daily Tribune, Topeka Capital Journal, and Lawrence Journal World.

Research & Resources At the KU Biodiversity Institute, students and scientists study the species, ecosystems, and cultures in order to understand and predict our planet’s future. The museum boasts the fourth largest reptile and amphibian collection in the world and is considered a research hub for the neotropics. These researchers offer web resources with more than 250,000 users per year (Patton, 2013). The Natural History Museum is entirely funded by the Biodiversity Institute and uses public funding to advertise. The museum has six full-time employees, eight KU student employees, and 45 other people working in the research and collections (“About,” 2014).

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SITUATION ANALYSIS Industry Trends: Mobile apps. Although museums are increasingly using mobile apps, the PGAV’s Voice of the Visitor Survey indicated a low success rate among museum apps (Read). Our proposed campaign would work to inspire more physical engagement with the museum by using technology to advertise and encourage students to share posts about the museum rather than encourage its use in the museum through an app. This goes along with the museum’s simplicity in its exhibit’s presentations.

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW By the Numbers: 850 million visits to American museums each year (“Museum Facts”)

Creative spaces. The National recognized creative spaces as a trend among museums in 2017, especially in order to attract young adults.

These commons areas encourage engagement and a sense of community among visitors. This would also encourage repeat visitation. Museums around the country are renovating to allow for these spaces (Lane, 2017).

#1 ranking of museums as trustworthy sources of information (“Museum Facts”)

48% visitation rate of museums in the U.S. among respondents, giving museums the highest visitation rate among competitors, followed by historical landmarks and zoos (Read, 2017)

Pop-up exhibits. This trend allows for museums to display information and exhibits in a new and exciting way, taking pieces of the museum into the public which sparks dialogue and reaches new audiences (Lane). This is a trend the KU Natural History Museum takes part in, through its mobile museum (see photos below).

16% visitation rate of science centers in the US among respondents, giving science centers the lowest visitation rate (Read)

15% membership utilization at museums. This was the low among competitors (Read)

62% incidence of repeat visitation at museums, with a very strong 19 percentage point growth rate in 2017 (Read)

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SITUATION ANALYSIS COMPETITION OVERVIEW

The Natural History Museum’s competitors are divided into two segments. Direct competitors are those that are located in Lawrence and include museums with different focuses, as well as a nearby community spot located on campus for students and visitors. Indirect competitors are museums and science centers that are located in nearby cities.

DIRECT COMPETITORS: The Spencer Museum of Art is also located on the Unviersity of Kansas campus, making it a direct competitor, as KU students could be drawn to either museum. The Spencer Museum’s recent major renovations have gained public interest. However, the audience may differ because the focus of this museum is on art, rather than natural history. The Spencer also offers rotating exhibits, unlike the KU Natural History Musuem (“Exhibitions” 2017).

The Watkins Museum of History features more recent human history than natural science, also attracting a different audience. According to the museum’s website, it provides “educational resources and activities, programs and public events, and changing exhibits that explore the heritage of Douglas County and connect the past with issues that affect our communities today.” This museum does offer similar community events, but these are less geared toward students than the Natural History Museum’s events. Its location on Massachusetts Street in downtown Lawrence plays a factor in, as it is slightly less accessible to students. The Watkins Museum of History offers rotating exhibits as well (“The Watkins Museum of History”).

The KU Memorial Union works as a competitor in that it is a popular spot on campus for students to relax or study. The Union is also a well-known spot to hold events and a place where students expect events to be held (“Welcome”). If the Natural History Museum wants to become a recurring “hangout” spot for students, it should market the added benefit of the museum environment.

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SITUATION ANALYSIS INDIRECT COMPETITORS: Science City in Kansas City, MO, has a high rate of repeat visitors at 87% (Read). This could be due to the interactive benefits that a museum can’t offer. Science City features traveling exhibits, a theater, and a planetarium.

The science center focuses hands-on activities geared toward children (“About Science City”).

The Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, KS, appeals toward children and adults with modern architecture and robust adult, children, and school programs. The Center offers teaching resources for K-12 teachers, but does little to reach out to the nearby Kansas State University, and it is not located on campus or affiliated with the university. It displays temporary and permanent exhibits. The Discovery Center holds events for young people with events like Canteen and Cocktails and families like Breakfast with Santa. It also offers rotating exhibits (“Flint Hills Discovery- About.”)

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO, is an established historical art museum, known for its architecture. The museum draws a crowd of adults, families, and young people alike through events and rotating exhibits, but its focus on art is different than that of the KU Natural History Museum’s (“The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art”).

The Museum at Prairie Fire in Overland Park, KS, although further geographically, is the competitor with the most similar focus because of its emphasis on natural history. The museum opened in 2014 and is a popular spot for photo opportunities with its modern and colorful architecture. It features exhibits with fossils and artifacts similar to those at the Natural History Museum, although it also offers Virtual Reality exhibits. Events cater to adults and children alike. The Museum at Prairie Fire has the benefit of rotating exhibits (“Museum at Prairie Fire”).

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SITUATION ANALYSIS

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The Natural History Museum’s direct competitors Spencer Museum of Art and Watkins Museum of History both may have an advantage in their rotating exhibits. The cyclical change in exhibits would improve the chance of repeat visitors, which would in turn increase loyalty and possible donations.

Many of the museum’s indirect competitors offer a threat by pulling our client base of families and children because of their different focuses and presence in surrounding metro areas.

However, they do not offer the same benefits for students as the Natural History Museum as they have different focuses.

Altogether, the museum’s direct competitors either have a different focus or are further away geographically. Most have a strong focus on children and families. There are no competitors, direct or indirect, that have the same focus on natural history and are located on a college campus. This isolates the Natural History Museum as the only museum focusing on both science and history that is so easily accessible to college students.

IN SUMMARY: The KU Natural History Museum is a winning establishment in its rich and unique history, location on a college campus, activity on social media, and contributions to scientific research. The museum industry as a whole continues to grow yearly, and museums across the nation are working to merge their focus on the past with technology and trends of the present. While technology is a key component in looking towards the future, mobile apps have not seen huge success.

However, community-based trends such as creative spaces in museums and popup exhibits create a dialogue about the

museum both in and outside of its walls.

The Natural History Museum participates in the trend of pop-up exhibits with its mobile museum. It has the opportunity to create a creative space for visitors, especially students, as our proposed renovation demonstrates, and to use technology in affordable and effective ways by encouraging visitors to spread awareness through social media. The museum’s competitors differ with their rotating exhibits or alternative focuses. The KU Natural History Museum is unique in its focus on natural history combined with its accessibility for college students.

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TARGET

AUDIENCE

TARGET AUDIENCE Brand-It’s Inc. proposes the KU Natural History Museum should choose the KU student population as its target audience. The museum is not only centrally located on campus, but on arguably the most mainstream street of campus, Jayhawk Boulevard. Therefore, location alone makes KU students an ideal target audience, as most students walk down this street and potentially right past the museum multiple days throughout the week.

BY THE

Our Thoughts: Our campaign takes advantage of a unique angle to market toward KU students of the millennial generation. The incredibly busy lives of college students can be overwhelming. It is refreshing to embrace feelings reminiscent of childhood, such as curiosity, in order to get a break from the stress of college life. Marketing the museum as a way to satisfy curiosity and offer engaging experiences in the midst of structured daily routines yields KU students as an ideal target audience.

NUMBERS...

STUDENT POPULATION

STUDENTS & THE MUSUEM

**according to University of Kansas Office of Institutional Research & Planning

48% of KU students have never been to the musuem

Students enrolled at KU (2017): 24,891 Average age = 21 (undergrad + graduate)

81.54% of respondents aren’t aware that the largest Biodiversity Institute Research Program in the nation is housed in the KU Natural History Musem 67% of respondents weren’t aware the musuem offers free events around Lawrence

48.6 % female // 51.2 % male

FOR EXAMPLE...

6% of college students choose to visit museums in their space time

Sarah is a 22-year-old senior at KU. This year she is working to complete her Journalism major and minors in German and Leadership Studies. In addition to taking 12 credit hours this semester, her weekly schedule involves giving campus tours as a Student Ambassador, working at the Office of First-Year Experience, and attending meetings for extracurricular activities including Peer Leadership Consultant and Rock Chalk Revue. On her busiest day, she has four classes, work, and normally at least one meeting.

Just beginning his life as a KU student, Sam is an 18-yearold freshman. Having decided on the business path, he is majoring in Marketing and taking 14 credit hours this semester. His week is filled with studying for his prerequisite business classes in addition to interning for the Student Senate. Because Sam is pledging the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, he has to stick to a very strict schedule.

On his busiest day, he attends four classes, a pledgeship meeting, a Student Senate meeting, and Phi Gamma Delta study hours.

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PRIMARY

RESEARCH

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS PRIMARY RESEARCH OVERVIEW In order to produce an effective marketing campaign for the KU Natural History Museum, Brand-It’s Inc. collaborated with Aesthetic Advertising and a KU Research Methods class to employ two methods of primary research. We distributed an online survey (see Appendix A, page 37) and conducted a focus group catered toward our target audience (see Appendix B, page 42). The goal of the survey and focus group was to explore the levels of awareness and interest (or potential lack thereof) KU students have about the Natural History museum, in addition to how they choose to spend their free time and their opinions of museums in general.

Core Findings Almost half of the respondents have not visited the KU Natural History Museum (Figure 1).

81.54% of respondents are not aware that the Biodiversity Institution Research Program is housed in the KU Natural History Museum (Figure 2).

67% of respondents are not aware that the KU Natural History Museum offers free events around Lawrence.

Respondents prefer to spend their free time going out to eat, watching or attending sporting events, and shopping.

Method We collaborated with other teams to develop a 37-question online survey. After generating the survey via Qualtrics, the online survey link was sent to numerous consumers representing our target market. Our survey was open from October 9, 2017 until October 23, 2017, and we were able to gather 156 responses from KU students.

The majority of respondents reported strong interest in visiting the KU Museum of Natural History for a class, but expressed strong disinterest about doing so in their spare time.

Facebook is the most effective social media outlet for learning about events hosted by the museum (Figure 3).

Most respondents believe information provided by a fraternity or sorority would be an extremely effective way to receive information about museum events.

Almost 30% of respondents reported email to be an effective outlet to learn about museum events.

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FOCUS GROUP ANALYSIS Method The focus group (see Appendix B, page 42) occurred on October 24, 2017 at 7:30pm in room 204 of StaufferFlint Hall on the University of Kansas campus. It consisted of 11 participants between the ages of 18 and 21, nine females and two males. The conversation lasted roughly 21 minutes. The goal of the focus group was to explore the perspectives of our target market and how the KU Natural History Museum can improve their marketing efforts and thematic promotions in order to increase student awareness.

Core Findings >> Participants believe there should be more advertising to promote the museum via social media and throughout the KU campus.

>> Students identify a difficulty in squeezing in time to visit a museum while maintaining the busy life of a college student.

>> Specific media outlets including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter could be utilized more effectively to catch the attention of a greater reach of KU students.

>> It is vital to keep the museum exhibits new and fresh.

>> Some of the participants felt the museum was strictly geared towards children.

“I think they should advertise it more and get the word out in ways that would appeal to college students.”

>> Most participants are not aware the KU Natural History Museum is free of charge. >> An ideal museum visit is interactive and engaging.

“I feel like it’s gotta be engaging.”

Interpretation of Findings The insights gained from our team’s survey and focus group reinforced that most students aren’t aware of the KU Natural History Museum’s location on campus or what it has to offer inside. Furthermore, most students aren’t aware the museum offers free entrance, which is a huge factor when considering the tight budget of a college student.

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“I think a lot of it has to do with price. ‘Cause I mean as college kids you don’t have that much money to spend.”

Based on these survey and focus group findings, we determined the best way to reach our target market are by strengthening the KU Natural History Museum’s advertising on social media platforms, using the KU email database as a communication resource, and promoting on campus and throughout Lawrence with print advertisements. Given the heavy traffic on Jayhawk Boulevard, print advertisements should catch the eye of many students. Furthermore, every student on campus has access to a KU email account, meaning the museum’s event information could land directly in our target’s inbox.

SWOT

ANALYSIS

SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Location - on Jayhawk Boulevard & right next to the Union Numerous community events

WEAKNESSES

Home to a World’s Fair famous exhibit

Stationary exhibits Lack of community awareness Small employee base

New events can be created & tailored more towards the target audience The museum’s unique architecture - we can play up the facility itself as a building on campus & part of Lawrence history Renovations on the 3rd floor

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Millennial lack of interest in natural history Potential lack of necessary external funding for renovations Competition from other indoor activities & facilities in the Lawrence area

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CAMPAIGN

LOGISTICS

CAMPAIGN LOGISTICS GOAL: To transform the KU Natural History Museum into a topof-mind destination for KU students, for purposes of both recreation and education.

Objective 1: Increase traffic into the museum by 10% by December 2018.

Objective 2: Increase participation in events by 15% by December 2018.

STRATEGY:

EVENTS: Be Eager & Engaged.

Inspire curiosity among KU students about the museum and all that it offers in order to increase interest by encouraging their diversion from the daily college routine.

Create new events tailored toward millennial interests, needs, and desires to generate curiosity and encourage visitation.

1. World’s Fair Gala Event

2. “Curious Connections” Networking Events

ADVERTISING: Be Aware & Active.

RENOVATIONS: Be Studious & Social.

Repurpose Bug Town to create a commons area for students to study and clubs to meet.

1. “Curisority Cafe”

Advertise to KU students by playing upon the museum’s strengths and millennial lifestyles to evoke curiosity.

1. Print and video ads 2. Interactive promotions

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CAMPAIGN

THEME

CAMPAIGN THEME BE CURIOUS is the theme of our campaign.

The purpose of this slogan is to elicit curiosity in KU students and ultimately, solidify their interest in visiting the museum as a result of this curiosity. The idea behind this theme derives from the disconcerting truth that within the whirlwind that defines the college experience, students are often left lacking the time or energy to pursue any endeavor generating curiosity.

On any given day in the average college student’s life, these busy millennials are weighed down with classes, tests, essays, group projects, work, applying for jobs, socializing, and maybe if they’re lucky, sleeping. But what if, instead of going from class to the Union to class to the library, or any other sort of combination of daily routines students might have, they allowed themselves time to actually pause, look around KU’s beautiful campus, and try something new?

Our BE CURIOUS campaign theme is all about encouraging college students to break outside their normal task-driven routines and embrace curiosity as a natural human instinct. The KU Natural History Museum offers an ideal outlet for satisfying such curiosity, and its convenient location and intriguing subject matter further supports the appeal for visiting. With this theme, we strive to revive

authentic curiosity in typically overworked college students in order to draw them into the KU Natural History Museum for academic, recreational, and networking purposes.

It is important to note that the KU Natural History Museum currently runs a campaign with a similar theme titled “Curiosity Starts Here.” We believe our theme is significantly distinct in a way that could enhance the museum’s appeal and increase its traffic.

Ultimately, we believe that “Curiosity Starts Here” implies that people -- including our target audience of KU students -- are inherently curious about the museum and the treasures it holds. However, as we have discovered in our primary research, this is not necessarily the case. In general, KU students and millennials are often too busy to be curious and at times, not significantly interested in science-oriented museums when offered other activities and venues.

“Be Curious” is a call-to-action focusing more on the target audience rather than the building, thus creating a more powerful emotional appeal. This is why our campaign focuses on eliciting curiosity in KU students. Because once they become curious, the KU Natural History Museum can quench that curiosity.

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CREATIVE

BRIEF

CREATIVE BRIEF The creative strategy of this campaign is to make KU students more curious about the KU Natural History Museum, ultimately convincing them to visit and attend museum events. Through our promotional and advertising tactics, students will discover how they can explore all that the KU Natural History Museum has to offer.

Client /// KU Natural History Museum Project /// Launch a campaign directed to the University of Kansas student population.

Run Dates /// August 20, 2018 - December 20, 2018

What to keep in mind about the audience /// Students tend to stick to their daily routines instead of pursuing spontaneous activities sparked by curiosity, such as visiting a museum.

Budget /// $10,000 Advertising Mandatories /// The KU Natural History Museum logo and the slogan “Be Curious.”

Why they should believe it /// The KU Natural History Museum is a nationally renowned facility with 50,000 annual visitations, thus offering a strong positive recreational and educational value for students. The museum’s locational convenience, unique architecture, and variety of events represent an ideal distraction for students to create new experiences outside of their structured daily routines.

What we are selling /// An enjoyable, educational experience and an opportunity for KU students to be more engaged on campus by acting upon curiosity about the museum.

What we want to accomplish /// To convince KU students to visit the museum and attend museum events.

Tone /// Daring, Explorative, Adventurous, and Imaginative.

Who we want to connect with /// University of Kansas students.

Why care about the product /// The KU Natural History Museum contains a wide range of exhibits and artifacts representing intriguing natural history.

Scope of Campaign /// Integrated mix of print and video advertising, interactive promotions, and social media.

Main Thought ///

BE CURIOUS. 23

EVENT

TACTICS

BE EAGER & ENGAGED TACTIC ONE: Create new events tailored toward millennial interests, needs, and desires to generate curiosity and encourage visitation.

These events will generate curiosity about the museum and encourage KU students to visit. While the museum does currently hold successful events, the events primarily target K-12 students. The museum does have some events that are tailored toward millennials, but these could be expanded upon. We plan to develop and execute events of interest to KU students of the 18-24 year-old age range, who obviously have different interest levels and academic needs than younger students and adolescents.

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1. World’s Fair Gala Event 2. “Curious Connections” Networking Events

WORLD’S FAIR GALA EVENT

The purpose of this event will be to honor the museum’s connection to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, where the Biodiversity Institute’s famous Panorama of North American Wildlife was displayed, representing Kansas at one of the most iconic global expositions of the nineteenth century. The World’s Fair has historically held an aura of mystery and intrigue within popular culture, making this an appropriate theme for our “Be Curious” campaign. It has also been a topic in media entertainment throughout the past centuries. Because of this, we think hosting an event with this theme would be appealing for college students.

is to provide a small peek into all the musuem has to offer, ideally sparking curiosity and further interest for visiting the museum. After the tour, event attendees will gather on the main floor around the Panorama, which will be the main event space. A keynote speaker will present the history of the Panorama and the museum’s connection with the World’s Fair while students indulge in a tasting of iconic Chicago delicacies that were first introduced at World’s Fair in 1893, including the classic Chicago Hot Dog, Vienna Beef sausage, De Cecco pasta, and an array of desserts such as Hershey Chocolate. Students will then be free to mingle and explore the museum.

What is it?

Event tickets will be $10. Students aged 21 and older will receive one free drink ticket, but may also purchase on-campus-approved alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) at a pop-up cash bar situated on the first floor of the museum. Non-alcoholic “mocktails” will also be available at the cash bar for younger students. An event backdrop where attendees can take photos will be staged near the front of the museum.

Attendees will be encouraged to post the photos on social media using the hashtag #WorldsFairKU and location “Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas” (see Appendix C, page 43).

Students will experience the museum during its after hours and travel back in time to the 1893 World’s Fair. The event is open to all KU students. Event workers will be dressed in 19th century, Victorian era attire, representing the clothing style that was popular during the time of the fair. Event attendees dress in semi-formal attire. The event will take place at the museum on a Friday evening in late October around Halloween due to the costume aspect. Upon arriving at the museum, small groups of students will be led on a brief tour of the museum. The goal of the tour

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BE EAGER & ENGAGED Why this event?

This event offers a social experience as well as food and beverages as incentives for KU students to come inside the museum. For some students, this may be their first time inside the museum. The goal is to “hook” students once they’re inside the museum. Our aim is to get them physically inside the museum and incorporate interactive activities that entice students to stay and explore the museum. We want students to adopt the perception that the Natural History Museum is fun and capable of providing an enjoyable social experience. We will provide a unique environment for young people to socialize, while also experiencing and learning about the museum’s exhibits. Through the potential for students’ social media interactions about the event, we strive to amplify conversation about this event and the museum itself.

Promotions In order to ensure highest possible attendance, we plan to advertise the event throughout the month before by promoting it on the museum’s social media platforms (see Appendix C, page 43). Additionally, we aim to utilize the KU email database by sending an email to all KU students about the event the week before (see Appendix D, page 44). We will measure the event’s effectiveness by taking attendance and tracking social media impressions.

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“CURIOUS CONNECTIONS” NETWORKING EVENTS

Why this event?

College students are always looking for ways to expand their professional network and build career-focused connections. Just as the museum provides knowledge of the natural world, these events will promote knowledge and inspire curiosity as students learn about the many opportunities of the professional world. Students and professionals alike will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the museum during the event, as well.

Promotions The networking events will be promoted by asking KU professors to share the details with students and contacting KU schools to notify students about the event through LinkedIn and the KU Email Database.

The purpose of these events is to encourage students to explore their area of study while inside the museum. Students will dive into subjects in which they are interested and will be encouraged to learn more within the museum’s walls. Students will associate the museum with a thirst for knowledge and a place for opportunity, therefore tying into our theme of “Be Curious.” Not only is there much to learn with the history and research taking place within the museum, but it is also a community spot that can impact students’ futures.

What is it?

Students will have the opportunity to meet professionals in their field and establish relationships that could lead to additional opportunities.

Students are invited to join these professionals for coffee, a continental breakfast, and networking at the Natural History Museum. We suggest hosting two events per semester. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with potential employers within their respective academic fields.

The event is free; students will register at a “check-in” table at the front of the museum, providing their names and contact information.

Following the networking, students will take a short tour of the Natural History Museum from a guide. Photos will be taken and posted on social media and the Natural History Museum’s website.

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RENOVATION

TACTICS

BE STUDIOUS & SOCIAL This renovation will add another positive feature of visiting the museum by adding an additional purpose for the facility, subsequently promoting more awareness and visitation traffic. The inclusion of creative spaces is cited as one of the major trends for museums today (The National). We recommend repurposing the Bug Town installation on the third level of the museum to produce a space where KU students can relax, work, study, or mingle. This study spot would be located in a prime, central location of campus, making it a perfect option for any student that needs a place to spend time between classes or events on campus. The study spot would promote conversation, creativity, and knowledge among students, playing upon the museum’s academic and historical environment.

This would be a unique study spot unlike other building on campus.

“CURIOSITY CAFE” The current Bug Town installation targets children with its play tunnels, mini movie theater, and live bugs. We recommend moving these activities to another area geared towards children and repurposing Bug Town as a study hub called “Curiosity Cafe” for KU students. We chose Bug Town as the area to repurpose because students can access that area through a separate entrance.

We suggest updating the interior and design of Bug Town to make it more appealing to college students for studying or socializing. Specific details of the redesign would include a sign displaying “Curiosity Cafe,” repainting the walls, installing wood flooring, and creating a coffee-house like atmosphere in terms of decor. Space attributes would include comfortable tables and chairs, a java machine, water machine, and more electrical outlets for charging electronic devices.

The campaign budget will provide cost estimates for promoting the new Curiosity Cafe, but does not account for the cost of renovations.

Promotions We plan on placing eye-catching signage around popular areas on campus to create awareness among students for the newly renovated study space. Although the Kansas Union offers study spaces that are similar to this potential renovation, we believe there is so much ongoing activity happening in the Union that many students would appreciate the addition of a newer and more low-key study environment. This signage will be creative yet informational and include the necessary information about the study spot, such as the potential for KU clubs to meet, a coffee machine, and hours of operation.

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TACTIC TWO: Repurpose Bug Town to create a commons area for students to study and clubs to meet.

ADVERTISING

TACTICS

BE AWARE & ACTIVE TACTIC THREE: Advertise to KU students by playing upon the museum’s strengths and millennial lifestyles to evoke curiosity through print, video, and interactive promotions.

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Our ads will be located throughout campus to showcase the benefit of the Natural History Museum’s location as a “hidden gem” on Jayhawk Boulevard.

Our proposed video ad will be directed toward large amounts of students at University of Kansas sporting events and incorporate KU values and traditions to remind students of the museum’s place in KU’s history. There will be numerous exciting promotional interactive tactics on campus in order to gain earned media and interest from students.

1. Print & Video Ads 2. Interactive Promotions

PRINT & VIDEO ADS Print Advertisement: The Brand-it’s proposed advertising campaign will include print advertisements published in the University Daily Kansan and printed as flyers to be displayed in campus buildings. We will have four 1/8 page ads printed in the UDK on the third Tuesday of each month. 500 flyers will be printed in August to be posted in Wescoe, the Union, other buildings on campus, and popular places around Lawrence. They will also be digitized and published on social media.

The ads will run from Aug. 20, 2018 to December 18, 2018 (the length of KU’s fall semester). The advertisements will be a 5-part series, with each ad asking a different natural history-based question. In order to answer the question, the viewer must scan the QR code located at the bottom. This will link to a video where an employee from the Natural History Museum will explain the answer and show off the Natural History Museum’s displays and behind-thescenes features (see Appendix E, page 45 for full ad).

QUESTION: HOW MANY SPECIES CAN YOU FIND ON JAYHAWK BOULEVARD?

BE

I R U C

US

ANSWER:

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Video Advertisement: Our proposed video advertisement will be a 30-second spot featured on social media and at a home KU football game. The ad will show students walking down Jayhawk Boulevard and a voice-over will describe the sometimes monotonous routine of many students. They will be urged to “be eager and engaged; be studious and social; be aware and active,” and finally, to “be curious.” Students will then be featured in short interview segments describing what makes them curious. Finally, the voiceover will urge the listener to find their curiosity and follow it, insinuating the KU Natural History Museum as the destiniation.

BE AWARE & ACTIVE

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INTERACTIVE PROMOTIONS Large Lizard Structure: Outside of the museum will stand a giant cold-air inflatable lizard, similar to a parade float. The lizard will be displayed from August 2028, the first week of school. A sign next to the lizard will say, “Inside these doors, lies the fourth largest reptile and amphibian collection in the world with over 350,000 specimens. Be curious.”

A professional camera and a KU Natural History Museum employee will be stationed in front of the structure to capture photos of students posing with the lizard. The camera will contain a filter with the Natural History Museum logo in the corner and the photos will be immediately texted and emailed to students, encouraging them to post the photos to social media. Students will be asked to use the hashtag #BeCuriousKU.

“

Use the resources available on campus like Jayhawk Blvd. Since they are doing construction right now, bring the museum outside as much as they can. Maybe have something out front to draw people in. They could have something cool outside that people can touch or interact with, so people would actually want to go inside.

- focus group participant

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Animal Tracks:

:

Ancient animal tracks from animals like dinosaurs and mammoths will be temporarily painted onto the sidewalks of campus with waterproof liquid chalk. The animal tracks will lead inside the Natural History Museum’s doors. Inside will be a bowl of “fossil candies,” with a small note attached that explains where to find that animal’s display. The animal track campaign will run once in September and once in November.

We plan on publicizing the interactive promotions through news releases to local news outlets. There is a large potential for word-of-mouth attention surrounding these events, as they can’t be avoided on campus and encourage social media interaction (for promotional news release, see Appendix F, page 46).

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THE BIG

PICTURE

PREDICTIONS & EVALUATIONS

EVENTS Prediction: An increase in participation in new events hosted by the museum, and therefore an increase in general visitation.

Evaluation: New events like the World’s Fair Gala and the “Curious Connections” Networking Events will encourage students to view the museum as a place of opportunity in social and professional respects. We suggest analyzing the success rate by measuring attendance of events and museum visitation in the two months following each event.

RENOVATIONS Prediction: An increase in general visitation.

Evaluation: With the added benefit of Curiosity Cafe, the study spot will attract new audiences. We suggest measuring visitation rates in the months following the renovation.

ADVERTISTING Prediction: An increase in awareness and conversation about the museum.

Evaluation: Through print advertisements, video advertisements, and our interactive promotions, we expect to see an increase in conversation about the museum through word-of-mouth and social media. We recommend evaluating conversations on social media by monitoring “shares” and “likes” of the video and of original earned media from students’ posts of the 3D lizard structure using the corresponding hashtag.

& OVERALL We believe this campaign will fulfill our initial goal of transforming the KU Natural History Museum into a top-of-mind destination for KU students, for purposes of both recreation and education. Furthermore, the tactics we developed focusing on events, renovations, and advertising will contribute to achieving our two objectives of increasing traffic into the museum by 10% and increasing participation in events by 15% by the conclusion of our campaign in December 2018.

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BUDGET BREAKDOWN

THE DETAILS...

World’s Fair Gala Event: $1,502.00 (16.2%) “Curious Connections” Networking Events: $605.00 (6.5%) Interactive Promotions: $668.00 (7.2%) (Lizard structure costs and “animal tracks” materials)

Print Advertising Costs: $1,253.00 (13.5%) (UDK and promotional flyers)

Video Advertising Cost: $5,000.00 (53.8%) (Home football game)

Renovations signage: $262.50 (2.8%) **see Appendix G-J for specific budget details.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: survey questionnaire Survey performed on Qualtrics.com Intro Hello, we are conducting a research project for the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas regarding campus facilities. We would like to thank you for taking the time to complete this survey, your answers are greatly appreciated and helpful.

Your participation is completely voluntary and all answers will be kept anonymous. You do not have to complete the survey and if at any time you feel uncomfortable you may leave the survey. Please select the answer you identify with the most. The survey should take about five minutes to complete. Thank you again for your participation.

Filter Question Are you currently attending the University of Kansas or did you graduate from the University of Kansas?

Yes

No (If no, skip to end of survey) Awareness In this section, you will be asked about the different facilities available to you as students and as the general public.

2. Which of the following are you aware of ? (Please select all that apply)

Allen Fieldhouse

Booth Family Hall of Athletics

DeBruce Center

Dyche Hall/Museum of Natural History

Lied Center

Memorial Stadium

Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center

Spencer Museum of Art 3. Please rank the following from most visited to least visited. (Maybe phrase this as “on a scale of 1-5 how often do you visit these places? That way we can get a more accurate reading.)

Allen Fieldhouse

Booth Family Hall of Athletics

DeBruce Center

Dyche Hall/Museum of Natural History

Lied Center

Memorial Stadium

Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center

Spencer Museum of Art 4. I am aware that the Museum of Natural History is in Dyche Hall on Jayhawk Blvd Yes No

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APPENDIX A: survey questionnaire 5. How many times have you been to the Museum of Natural History?

0 1-2 3-4

5 or more 6. If you go to the museum regularly, how often do you go monthly?

Please specify.

7. If you go to the museum, who do you go with?

Friends

Family members

Class members

Professors and faculty Other Knowledge of museum In this section, you will be asked questions about the Museum of Natural History.

8. I am aware that the Museum of Natural History is free of charge.

Yes No 9. I am aware of the Biodiversity Institute research program, which happens to be the largest in the nation, that is housed in the Museum of Natural History.

Yes No 10. I am aware that the Museum of Natural History offers free events around Lawrence.

Yes No Interest in museum In this section, you will be asked questions about your interest in the Museum of Natural History.

11. How do you spend your free time?

Please specify.

12. How likely are you to visit a museum in your free time?

13. When visiting a museum, what topic interests you the most?

Art Science History Music Other (please specify)

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APPENDIX A: survey questionnaire 14. I am interested in going to the Museum of Natural History for class.

Strongly disagree to Strongly agree 15. I am interested in going to the Museum of Natural History in my spare time.

Strongly disagree to Strongly agree 16. I am willing to donate to the Museum of Natural History.

Strongly disagree to Strongly agree 17. I am willing to volunteer my time to the Museum of Natural History.

Strongly disagree to Strongly agree 18. Why would you visit the Museum of Natural History?

Please specify.

Strategy Testing In this section, you will be asked questions about the most effective ways to receive promotional information and ways to interact with the museum.

19. How effective would the following outlets be for you to receive information about volunteer opportunities from the Museum of Natural history?

(SCALE: 1 - Not effective at all to 5 - Very effective) Fraternity/sorority Religious organization Academic organization Athletic organization Email Text message Organization’s website Advertising Third party website (e.g., other website not from the organization) Word of mouth Press coverage Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Snapchat YouTube Other (please specify): _________________

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APPENDIX A: survey questionnaire 20. How effective would the following outlets be for you to receive information about the Museum of Natural History’s events?

(SCALE: 1 Not effective at all to 5 Very effective) Fraternity/sorority Religious organization Academic organization Athletic organization Email Text message Organization’s website Advertising Third party website (e.g., other website not from the organization) Word of mouth Press coverage Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Snapchat YouTube Other (please specify): _________________ 21. How do you find out about events and places to go in Lawrence or at KU? Fraternity/sorority Religious organization Academic organization Athletic organization Email Text message Organization’s website Advertising Third party website (e.g., other website not from the organization) Word of mouth Press coverage Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram Snapchat YouTube Other (please specify): _________________

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APPENDIX A: survey questionnaire Demographics In this section, you will be asked questions about yourself.

22.What is your age? (enter number only) ____ 23. What is your gender?

Female Male Transgender

Gender variant/Non-conforming Other

Prefer not to answer 24. What is your ethnicity

Asian American or Pacific Islander

Black or African American

Caucasian or White American

Latina/o or Hispanic American

Other (please specify): _______ 25. Have you had family who have attended the University of Kansas?

Yes No

If yes, please specify.

26. What is your year in college?

First-year Sophomore Junior Senior

Fifth-year senior

Graduate You have completed the survey. Thank you again for your answers and time you have given us.

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APPENDIX B: focus group moderator guide Introduction:​ ​(5:00​ ​minutes) Let’s start this discussion by touching on some of your favorite aspects of KU and what the University has to offer its students. Who would like to start?

Awareness​ ​(5:00​ ​minutes) 1. What do you know about the KU Natural History Museum?

2. What kind of exhibits would you expect them to have based upon the name?

Social​ ​media​ ​(15:00​ ​minutes) 1. What social media platform do you use the most?

2. Aside from personal accounts, what kind of accounts do you follow on Social Media?

a. (Follow up questions: Do you have a preference about humor, seriousness,

activism, etc.? Do you interact with organizations on social media? Do you go for

incentives and promotions via social media?)

3. What is your favorite social media channel (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?

a. (Follow up questions: do you like quick? Do you like to read articles? Are you

visual? Do you like to watch videos?)

Obstacles​ ​(10:00​ ​minutes) 1. When walking by the museum, what is your purpose? (Going home, Union, Oread, etc?)

2. What would prevent you from going to the KU Natural History Museum?

a. (Follow up questions: would you pay to go inside? Would you know where to

park? Does your align with its opened hours?)

3. In what areas do you find KU’s Natural History museum to be lacking?

a. (Follow-up questions: Are the exhibits of interest to you? Do they advertise enough?)

Perceptions​ ​(5:00​ ​minutes) 1. When I think of the word “museum” I think of___________________.

2. What type of demographics/psychographics do you believe visits a natural history museum? ​ ​Experience​​(10:00​​minutes) 1. When is the last time you went to a museum? Did you go willingly?

2. What would be your ideal museum experience?

a. (Follow-up questions: what kinds of displays/exhibits are most engaging to you? Do you

like to be interactive with displays/exhibits? What kind of atmosphere for you like?)

museums as whole (as a whole) Ending​ ​Questions:​ ​(5:00​ ​minutes) As we come to the conclusion of our discussion, I think we should take a few minutes to debrief.

1. Does anyone have any additional comments or recommendations for the Natural History Museum?

2. After this discussion, do you feel any differently about the museum and are your more or less likely to visit?

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APPENDIX C: social media promotions

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APPENDIX D: university e-mail blast World’s Fair Event Email Blast Subject: Natural History Museum World’s Fair Gala Dear (KU Student), Please join us this Friday, Oct. 27 at 7pm, and travel back to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair at the first annual World’s Fair Gala at the Natural History Museum. The gala will honor the museum’s connection to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1983, where the Biodiversity Institute’s famous Panorama of North American Wildlife was displayed, representing Kansas at one of the most iconic global celebrations of the nineteenth century.

Tour guides dressed in Victorian-era style will guide guests on a tour through the museum. After the tour, enjoy a keynote speaker who will share the story of the Natural History Museum and how it traces back to the World’s Fair. The museum will provide refreshments and a tasting of iconic Chicago delicacies that were first introduced at World’s Fair in 1893, including the classic Chicago Hot Dog, Vienna Beef sausage, De Cecco pasta, and an array of desserts such as Hershey Chocolate. Guests will then be free to mingle and explore the museum.

Students aged 21 and over will receive one free drink ticket, but may also purchase on-campus approved alcoholic beverages (beer and wine) at a cash bar situated on the first floor.

For $10, tickets may be purchased before the event at https://biodiversity.ku.edu/ visit/events or at the door. Please bring your KU ID and dress in semi-formal attire.

We look forward to the World’s Fair Gala and can’t hope to see you there!

KU Natural History Museum 1345 Jayhawk Blvd.

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APPENDIX E: full-size print advertisement

QUESTION: HOW MANY SPECIES CAN YOU FIND ON JAYHAWK BOULEVARD?

S U

BE

I R U

C

ANSWER:

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APPENDIX F: news release examples FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 20, 2018 For more information, contact: Jen Humphrey, Director of External Affairs KU Natural History Museum 1345 Jayhawk Blvd.

Lawrence, Kan. 66044 “Huge Lizard Spotted on KU Campus” LAWRENCE, Kan.-- Most students students know that the KU campus is home to many lizards scurrying about its sidewalks, but students may not know that the KU Natural History Museum is home to the fourth largest reptile/amphibian collection in the world. Lawrence the Lizard, a 30-foot inflatable green lizard, will be situated right outside the KU Natural History Museum on Jayhawk Blvd.

A photographer will work outside of the museum, ready to capture photos of students with the reptile. The photographer will promptly email students the photos with a special museum-related filter.

“The first week of school is a fun time, but also can be stressful,” says sophomore, Caroline Bourquin. “Being welcomed back to school with a huge lizard is hilarious. I had no idea the Natural History Museum had those kinds of things inside of it.” The museum hopes to introduce more campus surprises throughout the year. Look out for mysterious animal tracks trailing around campus sometime in September and November.

About the KU Natural History Museum: The KU Natural History Museum, located in Lawrence, Kan., consists of 4 floors of exhibits in a historic hundred year old limestone building. The museum was founded in 1893 and houses the Biodiversity Research Center. Exhibits range from prehistoric and living species to cultural artifacts gathered from around the world. The museum is a research hub and contains almost nine million species. The KU Biodiversity Institute, including the Natural History Museum, studies the life of the planet for the benefit of the Earth and its inhabitants.

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APPENDIX G: event costs & alcohol policy

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APPENDIX G: event costs & alcohol policy

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APPENDIX G: event costs & alcohol policy

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APPENDIX G: event costs & alcohol policy

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APPENDIX H: UDK print ad rate card

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APPENDIX I: pricing for video ads

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APPENDIX J: costs for Lawrence the Lizard Lawrence the Lizard Costs: Signage next to Lizard: $85 Lizard Installation fee: $225 25ft tall Lizard Inflatable for 7 days: $350 ($50/day) Liquid Chalk: $8 TOTAL COST: $668

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APPENDIX K: works cited About. (2014, January 30). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://biodiversity.ku.edu/visit/about About Science City. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from http://www.unionstation.org/sciencecity/about Difference Between a Science Museum and a Science Center [Web log post]. (2011, March 31). Retrieved

October 12, 2017, from http://www.idea.org/blog/2011/03/31/difference-between-a-science-museum and-a-science-center/ Exhibitions. (2017). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.spencerart.ku.edu/exhibitions Farrell, B., Ph.D., & Medvedeva, M. (n.d.). Demographic Transformation and the Future of Museums.

Retrieved November 22, 2017 from http://www.aam-us.org/docs/center-for-the-future-of-museums demotransaam2010.pdf Flint Hills Discovery- About. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://www.flinthillsdiscovery.org/233 About Humphrey, J. (2017, September 25). In-class Q&A [Personal interview].

Lane, A. (2017, April 19). Facing the future: how museums are embracing new trends and technologies

Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/facing-the-future-how museums-are-embracing-new-trends-and-technologies-1.82108 Museum at Prairiefire of Overland Park | World Class Exhibitions. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from https://museumatpf.org/ Museum Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from http://www.aam-us.org/about-museums/museum facts Patton, S. (2013, November 08). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://biodiversity.ku.edu/research/about Read, R. (2017, April 11). Voice of the Visitor Guest Insights Report from PGAV Destinations: What’s in

Store for 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://blooloop.com/features/voice-of-the-visitor pgav-destinations/ The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from https://wwwprod.nelson-atkins org/ The Watkins Museum of History. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2017, from http://www.watkinsmuseum.org/ University of Kansas Office of Institutional Research and Planning. (2017). Head Count By Sex. Retrieved from

https://oirp.ku.edu/sites/oirp.ku.edu/files/files/Profiles/2018/4-110.pdf Welcome to the KU Memorial Union at the University of Kansas. (2017, May 25). Retrieved October 22, 2017,

from https://union.ku.edu/

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