The Family as a Learning System:

Abstract Detailed observations of familiy members were undertaken in two museum environments: a partcipatory hall with numerous hands-on opportunities and a tradional hall where artifacts were exhibited behind railings or in glass cases. In both environments family members persistently attended to the information presented and spontaneously engaged in strategies for acquiring and exchanging information about the exhibits. Learning strategies were biased to favor the acquisition of first-hand, factual information. Complementing individualized efforts at information acquisition were behaviors which served to broadcast current perceptions, conceptions, and queries to other family members. By favoring cross-generational interactive partners, family members effectively distributed new information to family members with the least similar knowledge bases. The family emerged as a highly responsive and flexible learning system that adopts well to museum environments.