37th Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference
Virtual | July 15-17, 2025

Conference Theme:
Effective Advocacy through Visitor Studies

Visitor studies and evaluation have the potential to drive change and support informed decision-making. Grasping and utilizing this influence is essential for museums, zoos, aquariums, and other educational spaces to take actions that benefit and uplift the communities we serve. At this year's virtual conference, the Visitor Studies Association aims to invigorate discussions on the impact and significance of visitor research and evaluation. We hope these conversations will inspire attendees and the broader VSA community to recognize the individual and collective power we possess to influence decisions and advocate for change.

In examining the building of our practice and its role, we are considering the following questions:

• What expertise is necessary to be an effective evaluator and advocate for change?
• How can our community of practice collaborate to build further rigor in our advocacy?
• What are examples of how visitor studies are used by stakeholders/leadership?
• How can members of the communities we serve have shared authority in our work?
• What new routes can transform research and evaluation into actionable outcomes?
• How can we better communicate the power and function of visitor studies to our colleagues and collaborators?

This conference will foster opportunities to highlight examples of evaluation and research leading to decision-making and change, incorporating the voices of community members, as well as team members at all levels of organizations. The Visitors Studies Association recognizes that influencing change can be slow or unrealized and we hope for robust discourse on overcoming challenges and empowering organizations to take steps towards action.