What are the Museums Saying?

So in museums we do a lot of talking. Our panels, signs and websites are chock full of language. I always wonder who writes it and why does it sound so similar no matter where or what museum I am in?
We believe in words almost as much as we believe in the objects they are used to describe, but I often question if we are using the right words, or if our words hold any meaning to visitors.
I randomly picked intro text either from the home page or one click into the visit page of some major museums around the country.


Take a look. Is the langauge advancing what the institution wants? These are all from the visit me or home pages. Are there words and phrases that are more or less meaningful than others? Do these paragraphs convince us in our nano attention spans to decide to stop surfing and go to these museums?
I want to know what you think of museum web site language!




The Wild Center has live exhibits.You can hike and explore the Museum's 31- acre campus with naturalist guides or on your own. There are theaters with high definition films, plenty of hands-on nature, and hundreds of live animals from rare native trout, to river otters, to turtles the size of walnuts and many other often hard-to-see residents of the woods and waters. Learn more about the indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Overlooking one of the nation's most culturally vibrant cities, the Philadelphia Museum of Art welcomes nearly a million visitors each year, encouraging them to embark upon a walk through time that extends across two millennia and six continents.

Discuss with your children what they think they might see at a museum of modern and contemporary art. There aren't any dinosaurs here; rather, we have sculptures, paintings, photographs, drawings, and even design objects like a helicopter and cars.

Location
1601 N. Clark St.Chicago, IL 60614312.642.4600
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Parking
Our parking lot is located at the corner of Stockton and LaSalle.
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Admission
The Museum offers several ticket options.
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Museum Hours
Monday–Saturday
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday
12:00 noon–5:00 p.m.
Dining at the Museum
Enjoy breakfast, lunch, coffee or a snack in the new North & Clark Café.

Andrew Jackson always welcomed visitors to his home. Since The Hermitage opened as a museum in 1889 over 15 million people have crossed its threshold. We invite you to become part of that tradition. Plan your family, group, or school visit to The Hermitage today