The use of memories in understanding interactive science and technology exhibits

Framed by a "personal constructivist" perspective, this study analyses visitors' use of spontaneous memories in understanding different types of interactive exhibits, the nature and sources of the retrieved memories, and the way that visitors relate an exhibit analogically to memories of previous exhibits. One hundred and thirteen visitors (either alone or in groups) were observed during their interaction with exhibits and interviewed immediately afterwards. The majority of the retrieved memories were not used in understanding an exhibit; those memories used were mainly semantic and episodic in nature; and exhibits were mainly associated with memories by means of a superficial similarity between them. Suggestions for enhancing the formation of links between visitors' memories and the understanding of an exhibit intended by the designer of it are made.