C H A N G I N G T H E A P P R O A C H

Yani Herreman

Born in Mexico City. Degree in Architecture. Master’s Degree in Museology and History of Art. Professor at the Centro de Restauración ‘Manuel Castillo Negrete’. Was Head of the Museography Department at the Museo Nacional de Las Culturas and Co-ordinator of museum projects at The Na- tional Institute of Anthropology. Has planned, designed and co-ordinated several major museum projects in Mexico. She is now Assistant Director of the Museum of Natural History and President of the International ICOM Committee for Architecture and Museum Techniques (ICAMT). She is also Executive Secretary of the ICOM Permanent Secretariat for Latin America.

1. Francesco Di Castri, ‘Ecology - The Genesis of a Science of Man and Nature’, The Unesco Courier (Paris), 1981.

2 Cases with beetles’ nests. Visitors could open and close the small door of the cube and examine the nests at close quarters.

The principal objective of scientific and technological research is to push back the frontiers of knowledge. And the goal of this widening of horizons and this enrich- ment is, in turn, that of applying the new knowledge acquired so as to improve the quality of life and optimize the manage- ment of resources. Thus research, or rather the findings of research, should be placed within reach both of scientists and decision-makers (civil servants, directors, executives) as well as the final users: the general public. Although naturally heterogeneous, the latter can understand and absorb information on scientific and technological research, if it is set before them in a comprehensible, accessible and attractive manner, in understandable language and with recognizable points of reference. Society’s demand for informa- tion on the raison d’être (why), the methodology (how), and the objectives (what for) of scientific and technological research is increasing every day. The public want and ask to be informed about the new trends surrounding and affecting their lives.

Many scientists have been doing their best for some years to disseminate and promote scientific and technological knowledge among the general public and

thus respond to the concern described above. As a result, various dissemination systems, using structures ranging from the mass communication media to such participatory centres as the Explorato- rium of the city of San Francisco and, of course, museums, have been developed.

Among the sciences, the environmen- tal sciences have been no exception. For a little over ten years the need has been felt to give the public systematic information concerning the vital importance of the natural heritage and the relationship bet- ween the human species and nature.

Ecology became a fashionable word, with the consequences to which en- vironmental abuse has led. Di Castri refers to these when he says that for the non-initiated ecology may be ‘a moral philosophy, a form of action for the pro- tection of plants and animals, a protest movement against nuclear energy and pollution or a yearning for a return to nature’ .1

What then is ecology for a complete layman? What can the disappearance of an animal or plant species or the part human beings may play in damaging a forest mean to an ordinary person if he does not feel that the problem concerns him?

The fact is that individuals in many countries do not feel in any way con- nected with their natural heritage. Nor do they feel that they have an obligation to preserve it. They value it neither as their heritage nor for its riches and the topics and activities involved in the pro- tection and study of the environment do not interest them.

This state of affairs results from the absence of the type of education that would enable people to see themselves in relation to their surroundings. We firmly believe that an awareness of ecology in particular and of science and technology in general can be brought about through appropriate education: not only syste- matic formal education but a type of education that uses supplementary, parallel systems and thus reaches a much larger number of users. The more objects,

68 Yam’ Herreman

3 Preparation of dioramas in ‘Unicel’ (synthetic modelling material). First stage.

patterns and concepts there are, the easier it will be to apprehend new facets of those concepts and the relationships involved and to give them a new configuration that explains and enhances them.2

One such system should be provided by museums, principally through their exhibitions. Exhibitions are understood here to be a means of communication, based on the cognitive association be- tween a set of cultural objects and/or natural specimens and complementary objects displayed in a given place by means of special techniques and arranged in a certain sequence with the objective of transmitting a set of ideas, concepts and/or knowledge.3

The phenomena described concerning the dissemination of the results of scien- tific and technological research occurred

in Mexico in the same way as in the rest of the world, but they were linked with the need for enhanced recognition of the work carried out in Mexican research cen- tres. At a time of crisis all over the world, and one of particular severity in the developing countries, it is of the greatest importance to bring out the true value of scientific work.

It was with this in mind that the Museum of Natural History and the In- stitute of Ecology drew up a public infor- mation programme, based on travelling exhibitions. They submitted it to the National Council for Science and Tech- nology (CONACYT) with the idea of bringing information to the public through exhibitions, in accordance with the overall scientific and technological in- formation policy of that body. As a governmental body whose main func- tions are the co-ordination of, support for and promotion of scientific and technological research in Mexico, CON- ACYT has national coverage. It expressed great interest in the project and sup- ported a first travelling exhibition called BeetleJ: 200 Million Years of Evol’zltion.

A team was set up by the CONACYT Institute of Ecology, which also acted as scientific adviser in its capacity as a research centre on animal ecology and en- tomology.

The Museum of Natural History of Mexico City was responsible for the museological structure, the museo- graphic design and the co-ordination of implementation. The National Council for Science and Technology and the Department of the Federal District, through the General Directorate for

Civic, Cultural and Tourist Activities, financed and promoted the project.

The exhibition

The two most important objectives of the exhibition are: (a) to disseminate general knowledge on beetles to the lay public in order to explain their importance in agriculture, forests, epidemics, the en- vironment and the economy at regional and national levels; and (b) to inform the public of the technological and scientific programmes supported by CONACYT and to make the activities of the institu- tions working in these branches of na- tional development better known.

For the first objective, a guide was drawn up which, in a concise, readable and readily understandable way, de- scribed the characteristics and habits, the multiplicity of forms and colours, the sizes and the diets of the various species of beetles, selected as models, to show the relationship between form and function. In addition, visual images, dioramas and exhibited specimens were used to explain their forms of reproduction and behav- ioural patterns.

In connection with the second objec- tive, a special unit was responsible for presenting the work carried out by the In- stitute of Ecology specialists.

This interdisciplinary team, whose work was the cornerstone of the project’s success, was made up of an entomologist teaching at the University,4 the author of this article in the capacity of museologist and a group of graphic designers and artists. 5

The sequence of the exhibition was

4 Preparation of dioramas in ‘Unicel’ (synthetic modelling material). Second stage.

5 Preparation of dioramas. Third stage. Painting and modelling with ‘Unicel’ (synthetic modelling material).

6 Preparation of dioramas. Fourth stage. Display case of 3-mm three-ply. Plastic paint. Diorama made of ‘Unicel’ and oil models of larvae moulded out of bread. Plastic plants. Total weight: 30 kg.

The disseminatioii o f science “i techriology 69

planned in a highly flexible manner, so that it could be adapted to the various locations as easily as possible. The follow- ing order was established: What is a bee- tle? Were does it live? How many types of beetles are there? How large can they be? What are their horns for? What shape are they? Why are they important? The various units, whose titles were set out as questions, could be exhibited separately or as part of the exhibition. A 75 cm-long model of a Dynastes beetle was placed at the start of the exhibition, and an il- lustration of it appeared on both the poster and the pamphlet accompanying the display.

The descriptions were in everyday language, using the local names, follow- ed by the Latin names in brackets. Text was kept down to a minimum (Fig. 2) and was in different sizes, the greatest impor- tance being given to specimens, dioramas and diagrams, in that order. The topic was associated, to the highest degree possible, with human beings and their daily life. Treatment of the graphic material, text and illustrations was given primary importance, with the aim of making it not only attractive but also ac- cessible to a poorly educated public. A graded system of information was used for this purpose, beginning with titles set out as questions, printed in large letters (10 cm) in heavy type.

The authors tried and succeeded in making both the illustrations and the specimens displayed constitute the reply to the question put in the title. The main text offered further information in a statement covering the equivalent of half a sheet of quarto paper that could easily

be read in 35 seconds. More detailed in- formation was provided in smaller print for those who were interested. All the written information could be absorbed in three to five minutes. A pamphlet was distributed to visitors and a book was published later, which gave still further details of the concepts set before the public.

The equipment, designed for ease of transport and to be set up on any type of support or table, consisted of three type A units (Figs 3-7), 90 cm high, 100 cm wide and 50 cm deep, which contained the dioramas and their corresponding ex- planations, and type B units, 185 cm high and 90 cm deep. These consisted of three free-standing screens and included small glass display-cases resembling en- tomological specimen-cases, which held the 500 or so specimens described in the text. In this way the graphic information and the specimens exhibited in the ex- hibition were well-balanced, a point of fundamental importance in transmitting the message of an exhibition (Fig. 8).

The six dioramas were made by the museum technicians; the scale models of beetles were moulded out of bread by the consultant, but efforts were also made to use as many stuffed beetles as possible (Fig. 9).

The exhibition was opened at the Museum of Natural History in November 1983 and from there began its journeys to the various states of the Republic of Mexico. During the first itinerary, the ex- hibition covered the north of Mexico for a period of six months. Its second tour was to the south-east of the Republic. Its presentation to the various delegaciones

(districts) in Mexico City is being prepared at present, and arrangements will, be made for another visit to the pro- vinces in six months’ time.

Euahation

After travelling around the country for a year and a half, we have learned that travelling exhibitions provide a most suc- cessful means of bringing information to the public. The provincial cities, where the exhibition was displayed, sent in very satisfactory reports, although their evaluation systems left much to be desired. The demand stirred up by the exhibition has provided the best proof of the interest an activity of this sort can arouse. It may be said that abour one million people have now seen Beetles: 200 MilLion Years of Ewolzitìon.

[ Truda ted f iom Spanish]

2. H. Bower and E. Hilgard, Theories of Leanzing, New Jersey, Englewood, Prentice Hall. 1981.

3. Y: Herreman, ilfanual de Técnicas ilfzueograficas [Manual of museographical techniques]. Doctoral thesis. Unpublished.

4 . Dr Miguel Angel Morón. 5. Lina Flores, Miriam and Rebeca Cerda,

R. Cabello, E. Iturbe, L. Santiago, V. Cruz and R. Velazquez.

7 An example of a complete diorama in a type A cabinet, 40 cm high x 100 cm wide x 50 cm deep.

8 Type B cabinet. 185 cm high x 40 cm wide. Three 10-cm sections. Folds up. Double view. Display-cases included. Materials used: 3-mm three-ply. Plastic paint. Photographs and specimens.

9 Preparation of real specimens. Several experiments were made to find the best method. The method of fastening used, with acrylic supports fastened to the insects’ bodies, may be seen in the photograph. They are subsequently futed in the display-cases.