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      About

      Neuroscience Initiative

      Welcome to the Neuroscience Initiative at PEM!

      PEM’s Neuroscience Initiative, generously supported by the Barr Foundation, uses neuroscience as a lens through which to understand the dynamics at play when people engage with works of art in museums. As part of this effort, we leverage peer-reviewed scientific literature and emergent data derived from our own in-gallery visitor studies to inform our interpretation efforts and the design of our art experiences.

      Learn more about the goals and methods of PEM’s Neuroscience Initiative and explore a new, research-based way of thinking about visitor engagement. We’re excited to share our thoughts about how to apply established and emerging neuroscientific research findings to the process of developing, providing and evaluating museum experiences.

      Goals & Approaches

      Learn about the two goals of PEM's Neuroscience initiative.

      Visitor Engagement

      How do we define engagement? It's when we capture one’s attention in a way that generates an emotional response, resulting in the formation of a memory.

      From Neuroscience to Museum Practice

      Learn about some common museum practice conventions and our thoughts on how applied neuroscience might inform them.

      Meet the Team

      Meet the team behind the initiative.

      Join Us

      Interested in participating in one of our studies?