All museum activities converge in the very public forum of the exhibition. Whether large or small, exhibitions are responsible for driving museum attendance and revenue as well as showcasing new research and engaging audiences in new ideas. As museums move from a transmission to a visitor-centered model, exhibitions are more experience driven, participatory, and interactive, built around multiple perspectives and powerful storytelling. The exhibition development process is more complex than ever as audiences demand more dynamic, diverse and inclusive experiences. Museum leaders, interpretive planners, designers, and curators are rising to the challenges in innovative ways.

This manual details the exhibition process in a straightforward way that can be easily adapted by institutions of any size. It explores the exhibition planning and development process in a wealth of detail, providing the technical and practical methodologies museum professionals need today. This 3rd edition includes many new features and expanded chapters on evaluation, virtual exhibitions multimedia, travelling exhibition, curiosity and motivation, DEAI (diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion), while retaining the essential content related to interpretive planning, roles and responsibility, and content development. New and exciting case studies, exhibition examples, and more than 200 color photos and figures illustrate every step of the process. No museum or museum professional can be without this critical guide to an essential function.

Maria Piacentehas spent more than 25 years in the global cultural sector, specializing in interpretive planning, exhibition development, and project management for cultural projects of all sizes, ranging in scope from art to science to history. Formerly the Vice President of Exhibitions and Events with Lord Cultural Resources, Maria is currently the Senior Vice President for Exhibitions and Galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum.

Preface

Acknowledgements

1.Introduction: The Exhibition Planning Process by Maria Piacente

Part I: Why?

2. Museums and their Exhibitions by Brad King

2.1. The Trust Factor

2.2. Exhibitions as Communication Platforms

2.3. Museums as Activist Institutions

2.4. The Way Forward

3. Where Do Exhibition Ideas Come From? by Barry Lord and Maria Piacente

3.1. Research-Based and Market-Driven Exhibitions

3.2. Planning for Exhibition Research

Part II: Where?

4. Exhibition Facilities by Sean Stanwick and Heather Maximea

4.1. A World of Exhibition Spaces

4.2. Design Criteria for Exhibition Spaces

4.3. Exhibition Space Characteristics

4.4. Exhibition Gallery Security

4.5. Accessibility, Adjacency and Flow

Part III: What?

5. Permanent Collection Displays by Katherine Molineux

5.1. Planning for Permanent Collection Exhibitions

5.2. Changing Permanent Collection Displays

5.3. Interpreting Collections

5.4. Modes of Display

6. Its Not Always About Collections by Katherine Molineux

6.1. Idea Exhibitions

6.2. Childrens Exhibitions

6.3. Living History Exhibitions

6.4. Science Exhibitions

6.5. Digital Immersive Exhibitions

Case Study: Weston Innovation Learning Centre, Terms of Engagement at the Ontario Science Centre, by Lesley Lewis and Kevin von Apen

7.Virtual Exhibitions by Sarah Hill

7.1. What is a Virtual Exhibition?

7.2. Why Develop a Virtual Exhibition?

7.3. Thinking About Digital Audiences

7.4. Virtual Exhibition Considerations

7.5. Virtual Exhibition Development Process

7.6. Tips for Smaller Museums that Want to go Digital

Case Study: Extending the Life of a Travelling Exhibition, Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, United States

8. Temporary Exhibitions by Maria Piacente and Katherine Molineux

8.1. Types of Exhibitions in a Temporary Exhibition Program

8.2. Managing a Temporary Exhibition Program

8.3. Making Space for Temporary Exhibitions

8.4. Public and Educational Programming

8.5. Marketing and Public Relations

8.6. Funding and Resourcing a Temporary Exhibition Program

8.7. Generating Revenue

9. Travelling Exhibitions by Maria Piacente

9.1. Why Create a Travelling Exhibition Program?

9.2. Strategize for Success

9.3. Staff and Professional Resources

9.4. Loan Agreements

9.5. Designing and Preparing an Exhibition for Travel

9.6. Managing the Tour

9.7. Borrowers and Organizers

Case Study: Natural History Museum Londons Touring Exhibition Program, An Interview with Jan English, Head of Touring Exhibitions

Interview: Travelling Exhibitions in a Changing World, with Antonio Rodriguez, Chairman of the Board, International Committee for Exhibition Exchange (ICEE)

Part IV: Who?

10. Exhibitions and DEAI by Maria Piacente and Karen Carter

10.1. Implications for Exhibitions

10.2. Reflections: Fulfillment of Our Promise

Case Study: Activating Change: DEAI, Community and Evaluation, An Interview with Cheryl Blackman, Director of Museums and Heritage Services for the City of Toronto, Canada

11. Curiosity and Motivation by Shiralee Hudson Hill and Barbara Soren

11.1. Cultivating Curiosity and Activating Change

11.2. Learning and Exhibitions

11.3. Understanding Audience Experiences, Motivations, and Preferences in Exhibitions

12. Evaluation

12.1. Measuring Success by Gail Lord

12.2. Before, During, and After: Front-End, Formative, Remedial and Summative

12.3. Evaluation by Duncan Grewcock

12.4. Qualitative and Quantitative Audience by Barbara Soren and Jackie Armstrong

Case Study: University of Michigan Museum of Natural History by Barbara Soren

Part V: How?

13. Who is involved in the Exhibition Process? by Maria Piacente

13.1. Roles and Responsibilities

13.2. Teams and Committees

13.3. Contracting Expertise

13.4. Making Decisions

Case Study: Oakland Museum of California Exhibition Process with Valerie Huaco

Case Study: Roles and Responsibilities in a Small Museum: The Central Bank Museum of Trinidad and Tobago

14. Preparing the Exhibition Brief by Maria Piacente

14.1. Formulating the Exhibition Concept

14.2. Exhibition Brief

Case Study: Canada Day 1 Travelling Exhibition

15. Interpretive Planning by Maria Piacente

15.1. Pre-Planning, Research and Visioning

15.2. Interpretive Strategy

15.3. Organizational and Thematic Frameworks

15.4. Organizational and Thematic Frameworks from around the World

15.5. Communication Objectives

15.6. Interpretive Plan

Case Study: University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, Exploring Michigan

Case Study: Interpretive Planning for the Capitol Visitor Center, Exhibition Hall

16. Content Development by Lisa Wright

16.1. Research Planning

16.2. Collections Research and Selection

16.3. Exhibition Text by Patchen Barss

16.4. Image Research and Procurement

16.5. Hands-On Exhibits, Models, and Dioramas

16.6. Multimedia Exhibits

16.7. Subject Matter Experts

Case Study: Working with Subject Matter Experts: Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21

Case Study: Creating with Community: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Culture Center

Case Study: Indigenous-Led Design and Content Development: Canadas Diversity Gardens

17. Design by Yvonne Tang and James Bruer

17.1. Exhibition Design

17.2. Exhibition Display Cases by Mike Chaplin

17.3. Lighting Design by Kevin Shaw

17.4. Green Design

Case Study: Exhibitions and Museums