Over the past twenty year, together with colleagues at the Work, Interaction & Technology Research Centre I have undertaken a series of research projects concerned with conduct and social interaction in museums, galleries and science centres. We have been particularly interested in how people respond to collections and exhibitions and in how their interpretation and experience of exhibits arises in and through social interaction with others. The projects have included studies of museums of art and applied art, sciences museums and science centres, as well as more specialized exhibitions and galleries. Our research has included studies of how visitors use information resources, both conventional labels as well as more innovative systems such as smartphones and tablets, as well as how they use and engage ‘interactive’ exhibits.   It also involved more practical interventions that have included the design, deployment and evaluation of both innovative resources and exhibits to explore how we can enhance engagement and participation.

Publications

Meechan, Lucy, and Dirk vom Lehn. (2024). ’Animating Memories: Revealing the Organisation of Remembering in Interaction at Museum Exhibits’. Österreichische Zeitschrift für Soziologie 49: 201–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11614-024-00566-2.

vom Lehn, D. (2024). Assembling compositions: Visually impaired people and the experience of art in museums. In The Practical Accomplishment of Everyday Activities Without Sight, edited by Brian L. Due, London & New York: Routledge: 180-198. [pdf]

Nguyen, Linh, D., Preece, C., and Dirk vom Lehn. (2023). Reframing Art Online through Collective Meaning-Making. Journal of Marketing Management 39(17-18), 1710-1737

vom Lehn, D. (2023). The Interactional Experience of Art. In Voir Autrement: Nouvelles Études Sur les Visiteurs des Musées, Pp. xxx, edited by Jacqueline Eidelman, Anik Meunier and Mathias Blanc, Paris: Doc Francaise.

vom Lehn, D. (2021). Kunstbetrachtung in Interaktion. Die Bedeutung von Materialität und Körperlichkeit für die Kunstwahrnehmung in Museen. In Cornelia Escher & Nina Tessa Zahner (Eds.). Begegnung mit dem Materiellen. Perspektiven aus Architekturgeschichte und Soziologie. Bielefeld: transcript: 141-153.

Rodner, V., Roulet, T., Kerrigan, F., & D. vom Lehn. (2020). “Making Space for Art: A Spatial Perspective of Disruptive and Defensive Institutional Work in Venezuela’s Art World” Academy of Management Journal Vol.63(4): 1054-1081.

Lewi, H., Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., & S. Cooke (Eds.). (2019). The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. London: Routledge.

Hyde, R., Smith, W., & D. vom Lehn. (2019). Interview with Rory Hyde, V&A Museum. In Lewi, H., Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., & S. Cooke (Eds.). The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. London: Routledge, pp.35-41.

Patten, D., Smith, W., & D. vom Lehn. (2019). Interview with Dave Patten, Science Museum London. In Lewi, H., Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., & S. Cooke (Eds.). The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. London: Routledge, pp.23-34.

Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., Lewi, H., Constantinidis, D., & Katie Best. (2019). The Experience of Using Digital Walking Tours to Explore Urban Histories. In Lewi, H., Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., & S. Cooke (Eds.). The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. London: Routledge, pp.424-440.

vom Lehn, D., Sang, K., Glassborow, R., & L. King (2019). Exhibition Design and Professional Theories: The Development of an Astronomy Exhibition. In Lewi, H., Smith, W., vom Lehn, D., & S. Cooke (Eds.). The Routledge International Handbook of New Digital Practices in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums and Heritage Sites. London: Routledge, pp.170-182.

vom Lehn, D. (2018). Tasting Rembrandt. In M. Quinn et al. The Persistence of Taste. Art, Museums and Everyday Life after Bourdieu. Abingdon: Routledge: 124-140.

vom Lehn, D. 2018. „Probing the art/science binary. Notes on the experimental achievement of shared perception“. In Practicing Art/Science, edited by Philippe Sormani, Guelfo Carbone, und Priska Gisler, 101–24. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

vom Lehn, D., & Heath, C. (2016). Action at the exhibit face: video and the analysis of social interaction in museums and galleries. Journal of Marketing Management. Vol.32(15-16): 1441-1457

Jafari, A., Taheri, B. and D. vom Lehn (2015). Cultural consumption interactive sociality and the museum  In P. Hewer, A. Jafari and K. Hamilton (Eds.) New Directions in Consumer Research. London and New York: Sage: 129-144.

Biehl-Missal, B. & vom Lehn, D. (2015) Aesthetic atmospheres in museums. A critical marketing perspective. In Macdonald, S. and Rees-Leahy, H. Museum Media / International Handbook of Museum Studies, edited by Michelle Henning, pp. 235-258. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell [PDF]

vom Lehn, D. (2013). „Withdrawing from Exhibits: the interactional organisation of museum visits“. In Interaction and Mobility: Language and the Body in Motion, herausgegeben von Pentti Haddington, Lorenza Mondada, und Maurice Nevile, 65–90. Berlin: de Gryter.

vom Lehn, D. (2012). Configuring Standpoints: Aligning perspectives in art exhibitions.  Bulletin vals-asla. Vol.96(iii-iv), 69-90.

vom Lehn, D., Heath, C., Hindmarsh, J. and P. Luff (2011). Interaktion an und mit Ausstellungsstücken: video-basierte Analysen in Museen. Standbein-Spielbein No.91(Dezember), 46-51.

vom Lehn, D. (2010). Generating experience from ordinary activity: new technology and the museum experience. In: Marketing the Arts: a fresh approach, edited by Daragh O’Reilly & Finola Kerrigan. London & New York: Routledge, 104-120. 

Heath, C. and D. vom Lehn (2010). “Interactivity and Collaboration: new forms of participation in museums, galleries and science centres” In Museums in a Digital Age, edited by Ross Parry. Abingdon: Routledge, 266-280.

vom Lehn, D. (2010). “Discovering Experience ables Socially including visually impaired people in art museums.” Journal of Marketing Management. Vol.26(7-8), 749-769.

vom Lehn, D. (2010). “Examining ‘Response’: Video-based Studies in Museums and Galleries.” International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. Vol. 3(3): 33-43

Yamazaki, K., Yamazaki, A., Okada, M., Kuno, Y, Kobayashi, Y, Hoshi, Y. Pitsch, K. Luff, P., vom Lehn, D. and C. Heath (2009). “Revealing Gaugin: Engaging Visitors in Robot Guide’s Explanation in an Art Museums”. In CHI 2009 – Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Boston, MA: ACM Press: 1437-1446 

vom Lehn, D., Hindmarsh, J., Luff, P. and Heath, C. (2008). “Constables Landschaften. Video-basierte Ethnografie und Ausstellungsevaluation.” Sozialwissenschaften und Berufspraxis Vol. 31(1): 23-38.

Heath, C. and vom Lehn, D. (2008). “Configuring ‘Interactivity’: Enhancing Engagement in Science Centres and Museums” Social Studies of Science Vol.38 (1): 63-91.

vom Lehn, Dirk. (2007). Knowing How to Look at Art. In R. Rentschler & A-M. Hede (eds.). Museum Marketing. Competing in the Global Market Place, 73-89, London & New York: Routledge.

Meisner, R., vom Lehn D., Heath, C., Burch, A., Gammon, B. and Reisman, M. (2007). “Participation at exhibits: Creating Engagement with New Technologies in Science Centres and Museums.” International Journal of Science Education 29(12), 1531-1555.

vom Lehn, Dirk, J. Hindmarsh, Paul Luff, and Christian Heath. (2007). “Engaging Constable: revealing art with new technology.” in CHI 2007 – Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. San Jose, California: ACM Press: 1485 – 1494.

vom Lehn, Dirk, and Christian Heath (2007). Social Interaction in Museums and Galleries: a note on video-based field-studies. In Ricki Goldman, Roy Pea, and Brigid Barron, Video in the Learning Sciences, 287-303, Mahwah/NJ.: LEA.

vom Lehn, Dirk. 2006. “Die Kunst der Kunstbetrachtung: Aspekte einer Pragmatischen Ästhetik in Kunstausstellungen.” Soziale Welt 57: 83-100.

vom Lehn, D. and C. Heath (2005). “Accounting for New Technology in Museums” International Journal of Arts Management 7(3), 11-21.

vom Lehn, D. (2006). “The Body as Interactive Display. Examining Bodies in a Public Exhibition” Sociology of Health & Illness 28: 223-251.

vom Lehn, D. (2006). “Embodying Experience: A video-based examination of visitors’ conduct and interaction in museums.” European Journal of Marketing 40: 1340-1359.

Heath, C., vom Lehn, D. and J. Osborne (2005). “Interaction and Interactives: collaboration and participation with computer-based exhibits.” Public Understanding of Science 14(1), 91-101.

Hindmarsh, J., Heath, C., vom Lehn, D. and J. Cleverly (2005). “Creating Assemblies in Public Environments: Social interaction, interactive exhibits and CSCW.” Journal of Computer Supported Collaborative Work (JCSCW) 14(1), 1-41.

vom Lehn, D., Heath, C. and J. Hindmarsh, (2005). “Re-thinking Interactivity” . Rethinking Technologies in Museums. Limerick, Ireland, 29 June 2005.

Heath, Christian, and Dirk vom Lehn. 2004. “Configuring Reception: (Dis-)Regarding the ‘Spectator’ in Museums and Galleries.” Theory, Culture & Society 21: 43-65.

Heath, C. and D. vom Lehn (2003). “Misconstruing Interaction”. Interactive Learning in Museums of Art and Design. M. Hinton. London, Victoria and Albert Museum.

Heath, C., P. Luff, D. vom Lehn, J. Hindmarsh, and J. Cleverly. 2002. “Crafting Participation: designing ecologies, configuring experience.” Visual Communication 1: 9-34.

Hindmarsh, J., Heath, C., vom Lehn, D. and J. Cleverly. (2002). “Creating Assemblies: Aboard the Ghost Ship”. Proceedings of Computer- Supported Cooperative Work, New Orleans, Louisiana, NY: ACM Press: 156-165.

Koleva, B., Taylor, I., Benford, S., Fraser, M., Greenhalgh, C., Schnädelbach, H., vom Lehn, D., Heath, C. and Blast Theory (2001). “Orchestrating a Mixed Reality Performance”. CHI’2001, Seattle, ACM: 38-45.

vom Lehn, Dirk, Christian Heath, and Jon Hindmarsh. 2001. “Exhibiting Interaction: Conduct and Collaboration in Museums and Galleries.” Symbolic Interaction 24: 189-216.