Page 169 - The 11th Graduate Integrity Conference Proceeding

Abstract
The of Udon Thani City Museum was built in 1925 to be served as a school. In 2014, Udon Thani
Municipality renovated and changed this building as a new learning center. However, some parts of
environment are not in accordance with existing usage which might be arisen by visitors’ misperception of
design concept. Hence, this study was aimed to 1) investigate characteristics of physical environment and
users behaviors of Udon Thani City Museum, 2) study the problems and methods of improvement for
exhibition path, interactive method, sound, lighting, description boards and facilities inside Udon Thani City
Museum, 3) study the opinions and satisfaction of staffs and visitors about the environment inside Udon
Thani City Museum and 4) compare visitors’ perception toward exhibition design concept between lay-
persons and visitors with design knowledge.
This study is the of post occupancy evaluation by using a combination method of qualitative
research and quantitative research. The data were collected by on-site survey and observation, interview
with 1 designer, 3 staffs, 10 visitors, questionnaires done by 119 visitors. Qualitative data were analyzed by
content analysis, summarizing, data grouping and prioritizing. Quantitative data was analyzed by using
frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations. Comparisons between perceptions of exhibition
design concept of visitors who had experience in design and visitors who had no experience in design were
analyzed by using Mann Whitney U test.
The exhibition was held to tell stories of Udon Thani City from the past until present. Children
were excited to see enlarged models. Teenagers were interested in simulated environment set. Adults were
interested in description boards. Visitors were satisfied with description board lights, sound,ǰcontent of
history presentation,ǰrespectively. Visitorsǰfelt that paths inside the exhibition was confusing, therefore, the
eye-level directional signs on the wall should be added and guiding stickers on the floor should be added
for more continuity. Visitors were not informed about how to use display buttons, therefore, it
should be changed to be automatic display with descriptive boards to explain how to interact should have
been added. Description boards were not seen clearly, therefore, the text should be changed into black
color. The level of sound was moderate, but the sound system should be adjusted automatically. The
luminance in the exhibition low, and this caused scary atmosphere, therefore, the lights need to be added
along the walkway. Visitors were unable to see shoe cabinets, therefore, it should be moved next to
staircases at the museum entrance. Perception of exhibition design concept between lay-person and visitor
with design knowledge not different but both groups only perceived concept of retrospection, excitement
and fun at the level of indifference to moderate. Therefore, display technique are should be improved to
encourage visitors’ perception of exhibition design concept.
ǰ
Keywords: Post Occupancy Evaluation, Physical Environment, Perception, Design Concept, Museum