| Abstract: | The purposes of museums and those of their visitors often have little in common—despite the growing body of knowledge about museum learning and visitors' motivations. Based on concepts of experiential learning envisioned a century ago by the American educator and philosopher John Dewey, this paper explores bringing those purposes into closer alignment. A re‐evaluation of several factors—including criteria of experience, content organization, and the nature of inquiry—could lead to exhibitions more closely aligned with visitors' processes of self‐motivated activity and museums' goals for informal learning. One way is to shape exhibits and activity around problematical situations developed out of the exhibit experience itself and shaped by visitors' own purposes. By shifting focus from knowledge taxonomies to problem‐solving situations, museums could increase their exhibitions' potential for providing engaging educational experiences to visitors. |
