Exhibition Strategies 2008

Exhibition StrategiesExhibition Strategies20082008

An orientation power point to begin the conversation on exhibition thinking and implementation without regard to content.

Useful for:– Novice students – and as an orientation to create some common

language for further discussion.– To be used with discussion of audience needs,

learning styles, exhibition techniques.April 21, 2023Elaine Heumann Gurian

1

ExhibitionsExhibitions

Can be about any subject as long as someone is interested in it.

Must be enhanced by three-dimensional material.

The exhibition creator must be passionate.The material must answer some overt or

unexpressed question.

April 21, 2023Elaine Heumann Gurian2

StylesStyles

It is important to know as many design strategies (including interactivity and technology) as possible and then choose the ones that fit best for each application.

Copy from everyone! Visitors have multiple ways of learning.

Therefore always create more than one entry to understanding.

Modulate the levels of activity, noise. Quiet, etc. everything should not be high involvement


Money matters --Money matters --

But not as much as you think.Technology is expensiveTactility does not have to use

technology.Good design can be used for any kind

of material


LONG AGOLONG AGO18901890

Exhibitions used only objects, cases, labels and walking around. What did it feel like?

Notice the aisle size.


www.smithsonianlegacies.si.edu/ photos/133.jpg

NOT SO LONG AGONOT SO LONG AGO19701970

Any difference? It is clear that many museums have

retained the classic model with only minor modifications.


www.museum.vic.gov.au/history/ images/1970.jpg

EXAMPLES OF EXHIBIT EXAMPLES OF EXHIBIT TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUESA short series of exhibition techniques

follows. It is far from exhaustive.


LOTS OF PICTURES -- NO TEXTLOTS OF PICTURES -- NO TEXT

Easy to doMakes a

statementReinforces

idea


www.macromedia.com/.../osamu/ images/exhibition.jpg

LOTS OF PICTURES NO TEXT -- MORELOTS OF PICTURES NO TEXT -- MORE

Can be art show

Can be designed

Presents multiple evidence


www.arcspace.com/kk_ann/ 4/exhibition.jpg

Few pictures no textFew pictures no text

DramaticWalls flexibleFocus attention


www.randolphdesigns.com/ images/exhib_img2.jpg , Catherine Wagner & IDDA ,1993

MULTI-MEDIA & TEXTMULTI-MEDIA & TEXTUses all

types of exhibition strategies

ExpensiveExciting, not

restful


www.ambs.com.au/images/ content/exhibition.jpg

TRAVELING, HANDS ON, TEXT, OBJECTSTRAVELING, HANDS ON, TEXT, OBJECTS

Easily packedMultiple

learning avenuesPlace for human

interaction


www.dpie.com/images/ exhibition.jpg

CASES, OBJECTS, TEXTCASES, OBJECTS, TEXT

Conservation, security considerations Case and lighting design makes aesthetics Contemplative, offers close looking Often repetitive and fatiguing


CASES, OBJECTS, TEXT -- MORECASES, OBJECTS, TEXT -- MORE

-- AND WHEN THE SUBJECT INTERESTS THE USER, THE INSTALLATION BE ORDINARY.


www.cnn.com/.../people/shows/ diana/images/exhibition.jpg

REAL PLACE, TEXT, IMAGESREAL PLACE, TEXT, IMAGESAuthenticAtmospheric InterestingEnvironmentSensorySpeciall


www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/ .../images/exhibition.jpg

TRYING WITHOUT RESOURCESTRYING WITHOUT RESOURCESMoney matters but not unduly. Money matters but not unduly. Greece 1974Greece 1974

Explain detailsGive an exampleExercise to re-

enforce learning


•POIGNANT•ATMOSPHERIC•WHAT DOES IT NEED? CAN WE HELP WITHOUT EXTRA MONEY ?

www.culture.gr/4/42/421/42101/ 421019/00/lm011901.jpg

Atmospheric case IIAtmospheric case II

Organized Different levels


www.phm.gov.au/exhibits/archive/ Powerhouse -- australia

Dress Up – Role PlayDress Up – Role Play

Great funSuperficial?CreativeMaintenance


www.wowmuseum.com/images/Exhibits/ Safari%20Pirates.jpg

plantpath.wisc.edu/~glf/newest/ children-museum-garden.jpg

Hands on -- ExperientialHands on -- Experiential

Experiential and engaging Fosters personal learning Difficult to successfully create Often facilitates person to person interaction. Maintenance.


www.pova.com/visitors/visguide/ images/pdx05.jpg www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org/ images/group_visits.jpg .

Evocative Stage SetEvocative Stage Set

“If These Walls Could Talk” C. Maxx Stevens, Artist, Educator, Arts

Administrator Boise Art Museum, First Peoples Conference 2002


www.boisestate.edu/firstnations/ ifthesewalls2.jpg

Teaching, host, tactileTeaching, host, tactileHuman interactionMore object protectionExplaination, educationalAdministrative, personnel costs


www.thechildrensmuseum.org/ volunteer.html

PerformancePerformance

Reserve spaceSite linesAdministrative, performers costEngaging, experientialGroup interactive


www.cmany.org/images/ IMG_0311.JPG

PARTICIPATORY/ SHARING PARTICIPATORY/ SHARING AUTHORITYAUTHORITYSocial NetworksAssociated with websTagging and cloudsTalk back boards and audience

engagement.Levels of audience engagement see Simon,

Nina , The Participatory Museum, 2010.


LAYERINGLAYERINGThe most effective exhibitions have layers

of available understanding to cater to different learning needs and expertise.

Possible layers could include:– Orientation and definations.– Tactility and interaction.– “More About” access to additional

information and additional study objects.– Technology– Audience participation.


Documents

Exhibition Strategies 2008