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Museums exist to inspire, educate, and connect with audiences, striving to make a meaningful impact on visitors’ lives. But what if the key to achieving this mission has been hiding in plain sight? According to Dickon Moore, Visitor Experience and Engagement Manager at Wellcome Collection, the answer lies with visitor teams.
In his recent presentation at the Museums & Social Impact Summit 2024, Moore challenged the sector to rethink the role of front-of-house staff, revealing their untapped potential to drive social impact. While visitor teams have long been the operational backbone of museums—keeping doors open, exhibitions running, and visitors comfortable—they are increasingly recognised as facilitators of engagement and meaningful connections.
How Can Visitor Teams Move from Operational to Transformational?
Moore reflected on the evolution of visitor-facing roles, recalling a time when front-of-house staff were seen merely as protectors of assets. Speaking to the history of this work, he acknowledged the “rebels” of the past who defied expectations by having conversations about art and ideas, long before engagement was formally recognised.
Today, museums are embracing the value of these roles as central to their purpose. Visitor teams are no longer there just to assist with navigation or logistics; they are instrumental in helping visitors connect with collections, exhibitions, and ideas. Moore highlighted this shift through the lens of Wellcome Collection’s work, where engagement is approached as an opportunity to create moments of exploration, reflection, and transformation for visitors.
What Do Museum Visitors Really Need?
Drawing on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Moore explained how visitor teams address the full spectrum of visitor requirements, from the practical—ensuring safety, comfort, and accessibility—to the emotional and intellectual. Engaging with art or museum objects can be daunting for many visitors, particularly those historically excluded from cultural spaces. Moore pointed to research showing how visitors can feel “ill-equipped” or even “stupid” when confronted with perceived single interpretations of artworks.
This is where visitor teams step in. By facilitating open, inclusive conversations based on curiosity and personal response, they help visitors feel empowered to explore and connect. Questions like “What do you think?” encourage visitors to share their perspectives and legitimise multiple interpretations, creating a more inclusive experience that positions museums as spaces for everyone.
How Is Engagement Work Transforming Visitor Experiences?
At Wellcome Collection, engagement takes both informal and structured forms. Spontaneous conversations happen daily as visitor team members connect with audiences on the gallery floor. In parallel, structured sessions—such as workshops, tours, object handling, and participatory activities—offer deeper opportunities for exploration.
Moore shared moving feedback from visitors who participated in these sessions, underscoring the impact of engagement work. Comments described experiences as “therapeutic,” “transformative,” and “thought-provoking,” with visitors reflecting on everything from capitalism and privilege to personal well-being and community connection. One particularly striking comment highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces: “It was lovely to have a safe space to discuss experiences and thoughts. Thank you.”
How Can Museums Measure Social Impact?
For Moore, it’s not enough to recognise the value of this work—it must also be defined, articulated, and measured. At Wellcome Collection, visitor teams are exploring how their work helps audiences think, feel, and act differently. Whether encouraging creative thinking, fostering empathy, or sparking social action, the impact is significant yet often intangible.
To address this challenge, Moore and his team have developed robust visitor feedback processes and tracking systems to better understand and demonstrate their impact. By surfacing the voices of visitors, they are able to articulate the value of engagement work with greater clarity and confidence.
What Does the Future Hold for Visitor Teams?
Looking ahead, Moore believes there is vast potential for visitor teams to deepen their impact further. With greater support, recognition, and resources, these teams could play a pivotal role in addressing societal challenges, from improving community well-being to tackling issues of disconnection.
One particularly promising area of exploration is social prescribing, where museums host free activities to support health and well-being outcomes. Given their deep understanding of visitors and their ability to foster connection, Moore argued that visitor teams are uniquely positioned to help museums respond to pressing societal needs.
How Can Museums Unlock the Full Potential of Visitor Teams?
Dickon Moore’s presentation is a timely reminder of the invaluable role visitor teams play in the cultural sector. While their work has often been overlooked, they are, as Moore aptly described, “the closest to the impact museums seek to achieve.” By empowering and investing in visitor teams, museums have an extraordinary opportunity to realise their mission and create lasting social impact.
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Dickon Moore, Visitor Experience Manager at the Wellcome Collection spoke at the Museums & Social Impact Summit 2024.
Dickon Moore has worked in visitor teams for galleries, museums and heritage sites for over 10 years. In that time he’s seen how visitors really connect with ideas and content, and how this can be supported by the staff who are the closest to them. Dickon now works to equip visitor teams to engage with visitors, currently as a Visitor Experience Manager at Wellcome Collection.
