Institution: Indianapolis Museum of Art Project Title: Learning How Visitors Look: Applications of Eye Tracking Experiences

Museums have many different ways to measure attendance in their galleries. From hand clickers to beam counters and even thermal cameras; however, they have made little progress towards understanding just what those visitors do when they enter the galleries. While still somewhat expensive, eye tracking technology offers the potential for museums to study at what specifically visitors are looking. Funded by an Institute for Museum and Library Services Sparks! Ignition grant, the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) explored whether eye tracking technology could be useful to museums seeking to better understand how in-gallery visitors actually “see ” the objects in their collections. In particular, the research project aimed to: Gauge the practicality of using such devices in a gallery setting. Determine the ability of current eye tracking technology to measure precisely how long and what people are looking at. Explore the potential use of this equipment in a practical setting, like a Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS) discussion, and as a way to activate content relevant to a work of art