Happenings Around the House: Visitor Feedback Survey Results

        If you have visited the President Woodrow Wilson House in the past month, you probably noticed the surveys placed at the front entrance. For a total of thirty days, the President Woodrow Wilson House guides administered a comprehensive visitor feedback survey. All visitors to the House between October 7, 2014 and November 9, 2014 were asked to complete the survey. We are happy to report that we received a total of 124 completed surveys, which well exceeded our initial goal of 100 responses.

         Before administering the survey, the staff spent a long period of time analyzing the design, delivery, and objective of the survey. After several revision periods, the staff settled on a survey that was three pages long and consisted of fourteen questions. The survey was administered after guests had completed the tour and consisted of all, but one, multiple choice questions. When developing this design, the President Woodrow Wilson House consulted the previous surveys that had been conducted (the most recent being from 2008). Administering visitor surveys is a common museum practice and allows museums to receive feedback directly from their patrons. 

        This survey was designed to help the President Woodrow Wilson House answer three main questions: who is our “typical” visitor, are we achieving the goals set forth by our mission statement, and what impression of Woodrow Wilson are guests leaving with. By answering these questions, the staff will be able to better cater the tour to visitors’ needs. The results were extremely interesting and will be put to work to improve the experience of all returning and future visitors to the home. 

Here are some of the results:

A majority of the visitors during this time period were from California!

Most people thought the library was the most interesting room in the house!

  

Most people visited the Woodrow Wilson House because they were interested in learning 

more about American history. 

Thank you to all of our visitors that took the time to fill out the survey. We greatly appreciate your feedback and are working to implement your suggestions. The President Woodrow Wilson House also hopes to continue administering surveys of this type for years to come!

-Madison Keller, Fall 2014 Intern 

The President Woodrow Wilson House Goes to the Library of Congress

         Last week the staff of the President Woodrow Wilson House had the pleasure of going to the Library of Congress for a special tour focusing on Wilson related objects. The highly knowledgeable staff at the library was kind enough to show us materials from the sound recordings, prints and photographs, and manuscript collections, as well as letting us see the Wilson reading room where much of Wilson’s personal library is displayed. Among the highlights of the exhibitions were: a certificate from the city of Rome giving Wilson honorary Roman citizenship, Wilson’s handwritten draft of the armistice announcement, and Wilson’s personal library.

Woodrow Wilson's Certificate of Roman Citizenship
Photo: John Pucher

The city of Rome presented Wilson with the certificate of citizenship in January 1919 when he visited the city and was allowed to declare, “Civis Romanus sum” (I am a citizen of Rome).[1] The certificate has three main sections: an image at the top of the document, a central area of text, and a signature section with a smaller image at the bottom. The upper illustration shows a winged feminine figure (probably the Roman goddess Victoria) standing in front of eagles and a group of fasces (bundles of wooden rods with an axe blade), both symbols of the Roman Empire. The text, which is interspersed with golden representations of the pine trees surrounding Rome, translates to: “The Commune of Rome, / From the Capitoline Hill, / Sacred Citadel for the City and / For the Right of the People / Proclaims / Woodrow Wilson / President of the United States of America / a Roman Citizen / equal to the ancient and great men that long ago founded, in their wisdom the indestructible foundations of the liberty and civilization of the world.”[2] In the lower section are the signatures of various members of the city government and another image, this one depicting the Roman goddess Bellona (goddess of war) holding a statue of Victoria, goddess of victory. This certificate was one of the many tokens of appreciation that Wilson received while he was in Europe.

Wilson's Handwritten Armistice Message
Photo: John Pucher

Wilson’s short, visibly edited armistice announcement displays a snapshot of Wilson’s thoughts on the end of the war and what America’s role in the world should be at this critical juncture. The armistice went into effect on November 11^th, 1918 following the collapse of the German government and the retreat of the German army. The message reads, “My fellow Countrymen, The armistice / was signed this morning. Everything / for which America fought has been / accomplished. It will now be / our fortunate duty to assist by / example by sober friendly counsel and by / material aid in the establishment / of democracy throughout / the world. / Woodrow Wilson”[3] Written on a small piece of White House stationary this item presents Wilson’s desire for an idealistic peace along the lines of his Fourteen Points. Sadly, the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended the war, strayed significantly from these ideas.

The Wilson reading room in the Library of Congress displays some of Wilson’s personal library which was donated by Edith Wilson in 1946. Numbering over seven thousand titles the collection demonstrates Wilson’s well-read, academic nature, as well as the large variety in his tastes and interests. Topics range from politics, to history, to literature, to golf. Unfortunately, not all of his library can be displayed and the reading room is closed to the general public. Nevertheless, the reading room gives great insight what works influenced Wilson’s thought and personality.

Books in the Woodrow Wilson Reading Room
Photo: John Pucher

The staff of the President Woodrow Wilson House had a great time at the Library of Congress and intend to return in the not so distant future. Further, we want to extend our thanks to the numerous people at the Library of Congress who took time to show us their Wilson collections.

-Winston Randolph

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[1] Wilson, Edith My Memoir page 216

[2] Translator: Landon Hobbs

[3] Woodrow Wilson, Armistice Announcement