Museum compass 7.
Summary
This volume collects all main information to help plan, design and organize exhibitions. The author works as an architect with ten years experience in this field. He has designed a hundred exhibitions as a chief designer or consultant during this period. Some chapters describe realized exhibitions, these are introduced as case studies.
We speak about the relationship between museums and exhibitions from both functional and spatial point of view. Analysis of different exhibition types from the aspect of interpretation tools and characteristic features is also a major topic in this book. Here we distinguish the characteristics of permanent, temporary and travelling exhibitions.
In connection with the preparation of the exhibition we analyse the role of the two main actors: the designer and the curator and the sources of eventual conflicts between them. Projects are fundamentally determined by local circumstances and basic features of the scene, therefore analysis of this question is also a major topic of the book. As the basis of the professional concept is the theme plan and the scenario, we present their main properties.
Besides the most relevant design steps we deal with the human factor. This means not only metric and ergonomic data but also special tasks to ensure accessibility. We study phases of planning and design and beyond visualization and simulation we summarize the execution plans’ requirements.
In relation with realization we cover criteria that need to be taken into account when hiring constructors and discuss relevant questions of scheduling. We also talk about important aspects of chosen material, colours, graphics and subtitles. The latter two themes are extremely important as they play significant role in interpretation.
Installation tools are tackled in six main categories including conservation and preservation of objects. We mention the most important types of display cases, and we only give a rough idea about air conditioning and safety matters. Museum exhibit lighting planning is a very complex task; hence just the most important points are discussed in the subsection. Spacing raises important installation questions from not only from spiritual space composition aspects but also in a material sense. In the last decade multimedia tools have become principal instruments of interpreting and conveying information, so choosing and applying the right type the right way is a key to success.
This book is primarily dedicated to professional experts. It deals with the most important issues deriving from museum practice. In the closing chapter, however it shortly summarizes the topics that are not discussed in this book and which are planned to be covered in a new, more comprehensive volume.