Museum Exhibition Design, Part IV, Installation

“Museum Exhibition Design”, a six part series.  Each week, I am writing a post about exhibition design.  Last week was Part III,  “Exhibition Design – Fabrication”.  This week’s post will cover the phases of exhibition installation.

Anyone who thinks that exhibition design is the creation of drawings to is only 1/4 correct.  The process of exhibition design starts before drawing and continues through to opening day.  I have been part of more than forty museum exhibition installations, including, Mexico, USA, Canada, Indonesia and Hong Kong.  It is a stressful time, most people cannot read drawings and this will be the first time stakeholders will “see” the exhibition.  As soon as the first crate rolls into the building, people will be excited and the comments will start; “I thought it would be red”, “I thought it would be bigger”, try to keep you cool and delay reactions to comments until the exhibition is 80% installed.  Have a stakeholder preview scheduled and that will ease tensions.

Exhibition installation can become very expensive, often exhibition installers bill out at $85 per hour or more, plus over time (after eight hours)  and per diem.  Changes to exhibits are now the most expensive, make stockholders aware during the fabricator review at the shop, better to make changes at the shop instead of during installation.  My grandfather started out as a “window dresser”, creating window displays in New York City.  “Window Dressing” as with exhibits, it is the details that make the difference, “do the lights point in people’s eyes”, “Are there unwanted details visible”, “Does the exhibition read as a whole, convey the big message?”, “Are there typos?”, “How do people use the space”.  The last one “how do people use the space, is as much of an Art as a science, you can plan all you want, but people will always find new uses for spaces, test the space with a soft opening and watch people.  Invite the families of the fabricators to come use the space and watch people, you will learn a lot.

From the last post, you will have already:

Partnership – Developed a good working relationship with the fabricator / fabrication team (if being fabricated in house).

• Contract with the fabricator - Only paid out in progress payments, holding back final payments until the completion of installation and completion of Punch List
• Prototyping – Completed prototyping and evaluation of the prototypes, assembled in a written document
• Permits, ADA, UL - Received all needed approvals for permits, ADA, fire department, and UL
• Electrical, IT, Pneumatic Systems – Completed installation of all needed electrical, IT and pneumatic systems
• Set Up – Have all the exhibits set up at the fabricators and request that the staff and families of the fabricator use the exhibits prior to shipping.  Either hire an evaluator or if your are familiar with evaluation evaluate the exhibits prior to them leaving the fabricator’s shop
• Crating – Reviewed the crating prior to shipping

The more upfront work you do the better, your installer will be working 10 hour days, away from home the more prep you do the better the results

Roughly Museum Exhibition Installation can be divided into:

1. Review at Fabrication Studio
2. Confirm Electrical / IT / Pneumatic Systems
3. Crating
4. Shipping / Trucking
5. Delivery / Load In
6. Staging
7. Prep, layout flooring protection, signage during installation, internal communication
8. Installation of large casework
9. Installation of small casework
10. Finishing – laminate, paint, lighting
11. Space Dust Free
12. Graphic Installation
13. A/V equipment installation
14. Testing
15. Test HVAC Systems
16. Test Security Systems
17. Aim Lighting
18. Install Art / Artifacts
19. Stakholder Walkthrough
20. Press Walkthrough
21. Punch List
22. Installer, Fabricator and Family Party
23. Soft Opening
24. Public Opening
25. Final Payment 30 Days after opening
26. Evaluation

Lessons Learned:

1. Documents - Before the exhibits leave the fabricator, make sure you have reviewed the exhibition layout details and confirmed electrical and IT connections are in their proper places and ready for installation.

2. Load in and Staging - Work with the fabricator to detail which exhibits will be brought to the site first, how they will be loaded into the building and where they will be staged, prior to installation.  You may need to work after hours to not effect open galleries.  Confirm location of crate storage and modifications for next installation if a traveling exhibition.

3. Make Friends - Installers and the project manager will be a great resource six months after opening, make sure that you know their names and understand their day to day schedule during the installation.

4. Work Big to Small – People will immediately start commenting on details before items are installed, listen and remind people that first you install the large pieces, then the medium sized pieces then the small, then when all of the casework is installed you start with graphics, AV, interactive, and lastly artifacts and Artwork.  Link to post “Big to Small”

5. Build in flexibility -  It is much easier to have a review before bolting casework to the floor than after.  More than once I have been asked to move casework already bolted in place, now I place exhibit components, gather the decision makers and get a “nod of approval”.  During evaluation you may need to move exhibits due to evaluation feedback, always better to have exhibits built in a modular fashion.

6. Maintenance - Ask stupid questions, “how will we change the light bulb?”, “how do we clean the filters on the computers?”, often small details during installation make for difficult exhibit maintenance.

7. As Built Drawings – Make sure that “As built drawings” are included in the fabricator’s scope of work.  During installation often layout, equipments or specifications can change, make sure the changes are documented as part of the installation process.

8. Keys, On/Off & Maintenance Manual - Often I will specify key numbers as part of drawing packages (it is a pain walking around with a ring of keys, key cabinets to be keyed alike), all of the items such as key numbers, equipment warranty and “as built drawings” should be compelled in a notebook for review prior to shipping.

9. One Year Warranty – I will only work with fabricators who will warranty their work for one year.  Warranty should cover repairs do to defects, not abuse or misuse.  A kid getting under an exhibit with a swiss army knife and making his own repairs is NOT a warranty item (it happened at LSC).

10. Evaluation - I know it sounds like you finished, but now the exhibition needs to be evaluated to assure that there are not misconceptions and that you are communicating the content with the visitor.

Now the exhibition needs to be maintained to assure that you are communicating the content with the visitor.  I had a great suggestion for a additional post about maintenance the next post will cover “Museum Exhibition Maintenance”.  Then I will create a final post to tie together the entire process of museum exhibition design, including an executive summary and “check list”.

Links for specifics of exhibition design:

Traveling exhibitions design

Science Center exhibition design

Examples of each phase see “Museum Exhibition Design”

The steps of the exhibition design process is similar for Art Museums, Natural History Museums, Science Centers and Children’s Museums.  The differences are in the content development, the design process is the same.

The image at the top of the post is from the installation of the Dinosaur and Dinosaur “baby”  at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, I was the project manager of the dinosaur sculptures and the exhibition “Take Me There Egypt”.

“Museum Exhibition Design”, a four part series.  Each week, I am writing a post about exhibition design.  Last week was Part II,  “Exhibition Design – Design”.  This week’s post will cover the phases of exhibition fabrication. The last post in the series will cover “Museum Exhibition Design – Installation”.

Picking up from last week’s post, the team will have completed during “Museum Exhibition Design – Design”:

• Created an Exhibition Script 
• Researched exhibition content
• Completed Conceptual Design
• Completed Schematic Design 
• Completed Design Development / Media 
• Completed Final Design 
• Identified Fabrication and Production Partners
• Completed Proof of Concept / Prototyping / Testing 

Anyone who thinks that exhibition design is the creation of drawings to is only 1/4 correct.  The process of exhibition design starts before drawing and continues through to installation of the exhibits.  I went to Pratt Institute, my thesis advisor Dr. Fogler, used to say “use your talent”.  What he meant was, talent is your ability to react to a given situation, you need to build into the exhibition design process the ability to react to the exhibits that have been drawn.  Industrial Designers often suffer from an inferiority complex, not being architects.  Dr. Fogler knew this and would say, “you are not making mini architecture, you are changing peoples lives”.  Now that drawings are becoming objects, you now can change peoples lives, give yourself the time and resources to use your talent as part of the process.

You should have identified three or four exhibition design firms during Design Development.  Be upfront, tell each of them one of the three will get the work.  If you haven’t already, go and visit each shop, and ask to see their metal working, wood working and electrical shop and ask to meet the project manager if they are sleeted.

Create an “open book” project, negotiate as part of the contract what changes will cost.  I have worked at two exhibition design firms as COO, some fabrication firms make their profit from “change orders” and some from repeat business, find out which kind of firm you are working with.  I don’t believe in “fixed bid” contracts, as a client, you don’t what to be in a position were you can’t make changes for fear of shocking change orders.   I don’t believe in open RFPs, I have found that such arrangements set up a scenario for shocking change orders, create a partnership with the fabricator, they need to make  profit and if you negotiate well, you will have an idea of their profit margin going into the project.  Once you have your completed drawings, send them out for bid and meet with each firm to review the drawings and answer questions.  Most important is to convey the intent of the exhibition and watch to see if the fabricator is interested.   Once you have the pricing from the three or four exhibition fabrication firms, create a matrix to select one firm.   Price, quality, team and capabilities are all part of the matrix to select the firm.  Thank each firm for participating.  Select an exhibition fabrication firm.

Roughly Museum Exhibition Fabrication can be divided into:

1. Contract Negotiation
2. Drawings
3. Source and order materials, equipment
4. AV Scripting and specification
5. Box building
6. Installing equipment
7. Prototyping
8. Video shooting, recording audio talent
9. Finishing – laminate, paint, lighting
10. Graphic Production
11. A/V equipment installation and production
12. Crating
13. Set up

Lessons Learned:

1. Partnership – I used to think the word “partnership” was silly, but I have always had preferred artists, fabricators and vendors, they are your project partners.  Look for partners and share the success of the project with them, if you are successful, they are successful.
2. Contract with the shop – Request line item pricing, have included in the contract labor rates for changes, mark up and overhead charges.  I believe in progress payments, you don’t want to get ahead of progress on your project, an example of progress payments; 25% at contract signing, 35% At 50% Fabrication Completion (an example would be cases built, parts ordered), 30% at Shipment, 10% 30 Days after delivery.
3. “Use your Talent” – Turn over your drawing to the exhibition fabrication shop and request shop drawings.  Review the drawing package with your exhibit maintenance team, tell them “this is your chance, we want these exhibits operational 98% of the time”, get their comments.  Review the drawings with your stockholders (be aware that most people can not read drawings), talk them through the package, get their comments.  Compile your “redlines” (revisions), set up a meeting with the fabricator to review your changes (be aware that the changes although significant should not be changing more than 10% of your drawing package).
4. Sourcing – Some designers, specify each and every component, some leave the details to the fabrication firm.  I tend to specify the items the visitor will touch and leave the other equipment to the fabricator.  Request samples of materials, finishes, equipment and request product reviews of all equipment.
5. Prototyping – As part of the contract identify which exhibits will need to be prototyped and how they will be prototyped.  As part of exhibition design , you will have proven your concepts, now you want to have full size working prototypes built.  Often parts of the prototype will become part of the final exhibit, identify how the exhibits will be tested and evaluated as part of fabrication.
6. UL - Some countries and municipalities require certification of exhibits.  United Laboratories is the standard in the United States.  UL testing will require hiring of a local laboratory to review the exhibits.  If the exhibits pass they will receive UL certification.
7. Set Up – Have all the exhibits set up at the fabricators and request that the staff and families of the fabricator use the exhibits prior to shipping.  Either hire an evaluator or if your are familiar with evaluation evaluate the exhibits prior to them leaving the fabricator’s shop
8. Crating – If the exhibition is a traveling exhibition, have the exhibition crated at the fabricator’s and review crating prior to shipping
9. Keys, On/Off & Maintenance Manual - Often I will specify key numbers as part of drawing packages (it is a pain walking around with a ring of keys, key cabinets to be keyed alike), all of the items such as key numbers, equipment warranty and “as built drawings” should be compelled in a notebook for review prior to shipping.
10. One Year Warranty – I will only work with fabricators who will warranty their work for one year.  Warranty should cover repairs do to defects, not abuse or misuse.  A kid getting under an exhibit with a swiss army knife and making his own repairs is NOT a warranty item (it happened at LSC).

I know it sounds like you finished, but only specified parts of the exhibition will be functioning at shipment, the next post will cover “Exhibition Installation”.  I am realizing that I will need a fifth post to tie it all together.  Thank you all for the opportunity to put together my thoughts.  I started this blog four years ago as a resource for groups interested in starting a museum, it has been fun putting together my thoughts, into a (hopefully) cohesive process, thank you!

Links for specifics of exhibition design:

Traveling exhibitions design

Science Center exhibition design

Examples of each phase see “Museum Exhibition Design”

The steps of the exhibition design process is similar for Art Museums, Natural History Museums, Science Centers and Children’s Museums.  The differences are in the content development, the design process is the same.

The image on the first page is that of the surface of Mars (thank you, Planetary Society) the image above is that of a prototype for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s “Space Odyssey” and a meeting with scientists to review the prototype and the resulting formations. I purposely included the image of the surface of Mars, the point of fabrication is to communicate the intent of content, or in other words, we wanted visitors to ask “what created the surface of the moon, wind, water, something else?”

“Museum Exhibition Design”, a four part series.  Each week, I am writing a post about exhibition design.  Last week was Part I,  “Exhibition design – Planning”.  This week’s post will cover the phases of exhibition design. Future posts will cover “Museum Exhibition Design – Fabrication” & “Museum Exhibition Design – Installation”.

Picking up from last week’s post, the team will have completed during “Museum Exhibition Design – Planning”:

• Understanding the visitor of the planned exhibition
• A plan for meeting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 
• A plan for creating a Green Exhibition
• Created a Project Charter - A sample Museum Exhibition Project Charter
• A preliminary budget
• A Project Schedule
• A Site Survey

“The exhibition design process can be divided into 10 steps:

Links for specifics of exhibition design:

Traveling exhibitions design

Science Center exhibition design

Examples of each phase see “Museum Exhibition Design”

The steps of the exhibition design process is similar for Art Museums, Natural History Museums, Science Centers and Children’s Museums.  The differences are in the content development, the design process is the same.

Museum Exhibition Design – Part I

Decided to put together a four part series; “Museum Exhibition Design”.   Each week I will write a blog post about exhibition design.  Part I is about the first step in exhibition design – Planning.  Future posts will cover, the phases of exhibition design, exhibition fabrication and exhibition installation.   Before anyone draws anything, the team needs to organize the thinking about and behind the exhibition.

1. Who is the visitor?  Someone will need to make a decision to visit the exhibition.  They will travel to the museum by either car, taxi, bus, subway or walking to arrive at the museum’s front door.  Why did they decide to visit?  We each have our own internal drives to make decisions.  Try to understand why is the visitor choosing to visit your planned exhibition.  What is influencing their decision to spend the time (and money) to arrive at your front door to see the exhibition.  It is often helpful to segment the types of visitors; “All “A” Parent”, “Curious Tourist”, “Local Mom”, “Sunday Family”, each will have their own motivations for visiting the exhibition, try to understand the “why” they would want to visit the exhibition.
2. Exhibition Plan - Every museum is divided into areas.  The areas may be called galleries or zones or era or a “topic”.  An exhibition consists of a group of exhibits organized around a topic.  How will this exhibition “fit” into the overall museum experience?  Often you can “map” a visitors experience through a museum; park the car, buy the tickets, use the bathroom, look at the museum map.  Where will this exhibition fall in the visitor’s museum experience?
3. What is the visitor hoping to gain? Survey potential exhibition visitors about the exhibition topic.  What is their knowledge level?  What are their interests?  What are their questions.  Many times I have set up tables in the foyer of a museum and asked just those questions.  Often the more casual the better.  Have a few clip boards, a simple sign and  Often museums, think about what we are trying to communicate, but as “visitor-centric” museum, try to define what is the visitor trying to gain.  Whatever the topic survey typical visitors and ask hwta are they hoping to gain from the proposed exhibition.
4. Exhibition Description – In simple language describe the exhibition.  What is the topic of the exhibition?  Age range for the visitors (2-102 is not an age range)?  What is the atmosphere of the exhibition?
5. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  - What are the plans for accessibility for all visitors?  I often start with an accessibility graphic, how will people with accessibility needs visit the exhibition?
6. Green Exhibition – What is your plan for exhibition materials ? What is life span of the exhibition?  Reuse or recycling of the exhibition?
7. “The Box” What is the size of the exhibition space?, What is the electrical supply to the space? amps? outlet locations?, What is the access to the space? Elevator size? Door sizes? Often is best to start with a site survey of the exhibition space.  A  site survey is a drawing of the exhibition space, showing the locations of electrical outlets, HVAC registers and a reflected ceiling plan of the lighting placement.
8. Project Charter – A project charter is a contract between the museum and project stakeholder’s describing the roles and responsibilities for each team member.  A sample Museum Exhibition Project Charter
9. Data Base – Create a numbering system for the exhibition.  Artifacts, drawings, exhibit elements, video, electrical outlets, will each need a number, start at the beginning with a numbering system.  The National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry, has a free database that is very good.
10. The Numbers – What is the budget for the exhibition? Staffing needs? What is the schedule for the exhibition design, fabrication and installation? How many people are you planning on visiting the exhibition? How will you market the exhibition? How will you reach the potential visitors to the exhibition, internet marketing? print advertising? placement on television shows?  It is never too early to start planning the exhibition marketing.

The steps of the exhibition design process are similar to Art Museums, Natural History Museums, Science Centers and Children’s Museums.  The differences are in the content development, the design process is the same.

"Trends Map" from Now and Next

Weekly news about museum trends, museum planning, museum exhibition design, the future of museums and interactive kinetic sculpture for the week of March 30,2012.

Museum Planner Related:

After speaking with an artist who couldn’t afford to visit the museum where he worked posted “Museums are for the Rich”

Posted a how to: “Museums and the Internet”

Posted video of “Alcatraz: Life on the Rock” at Liberty State Park 

Created a new group on Linkedin “Museum Planning” hope you will join!

Thank you to all of new sponsors !  There are still three spots available for $25 per month

Updated “Interactive Kinetic Artists” on Vimeo, hope you will join!

Trends, this week, “Pop up museums” and delivery of digital content

The nature of delivering educational material is changing:

MIT Free Online Classes

Singularity University, another profit / non profit collaboration

Interactive Art

Speedy Toy Cars Blur The Boundaries Of Sculpture, Chris Burden at LACMA

My favorite Art work of the week!, “Tape Recorders” (2011) by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer on Vimeo

Gaming in Museums:

Integrating Minecraft into the Museum

Museum Marketing:

Museums should copy the Damien Hirst Spot Challenge, The most interesting part of the exhibition! “The Spot Challenge”

Exhibition Design:

This is the future! Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Build it from supplied blueprints

Museum News:

“Museum Hacker?”, Amazing story of a French Artist Underground, breaking into museums to “restore” Art

My favorite gallery of the my day of gallery hopping, Eyebeam

“Pop Up” Museum:

BMW Guggenheim Lab, Mobile Museum, Model of the future of museums

“24 Hours Museum” Prada ”Museum”, I love the concept a “pop up” museum

Digital Content

Nicely done, Interactive iPad Museum Catalog at University of Virginia Art Museum

Europeana, Online database of European Cultural Heritage

“Museums are for the Rich”.  Museums don’t need to be only for the rich, but overspending, a lack of humility and a lack of planning creates a “preaching to the converted” scenario.

Today, I went and picked up sculptures for Alcatraz Landing.  I was talking to the sculptor and we were talking about the California Academy of Science, the sculptor said “I can’t afford to take my family”.  The upsetting part, is he worked on the new exhibits.  The sculptor, a well educated working artist, can’t afford to take his family to the museum he helped create.

I blame board members more interested in building monuments than museums.   I love the work of Renzo Piano, but the California Academy of Science cost, $488 Million dollars.  Although (maybe because) it is LEED certified Platinum, the museum costs $58 million a year to operate.  So, if the attendance is 800,000 visitors a year, the “cost” of each visitor is $67.50 per visitor (operating budget divided by attendance).

Attendance to the museum costs, Adult $29.95, Child (4-11) $19.95, a family of two adults and two children costs, $99.80. The sadder part is the real cost is approximately $67.50 per person, so $37.51 of every adult ticket needs to be underwritten by grants and donations. I am guessing that the California Academy of Science is encouraging the purchase of memberships with their ticket pricing.  A family membership is $199 or twice the cost of tickets for one day.  I believe the $29.95 ticket price sends an incorrect message, “education is expensive”.  I am member of the Exploratorium ($90 for a family) their pricing is more in line with what a family can afford.   I think we are “preaching to the converted”.  The only people who can afford to attend the museum, are the wealthy.

How to “solve” Museums are for the rich:

1. Price of a movie ticket   The museum business model should be built around the price of a local movie.  Here is San Francisco an adult movie ticket is $11.00 and bowling is $11.25  (including bowling shoes).  Work backwards, if your want your admission price to be the cost of a local movie, create your Pro forma accordingly.  Too many times museums are built on a “what if” senario and a $29.95 ticket price is the result.

2. Hierarchy of Needs  Given a choice between feeding a family or going to a museum, a family will choose to eat.  I believe in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  Often we forget that creativity and problem solving are at the top of the pyramid.  If the vistor’s basic needs are not met, they cannot appreciate the joy of intellectual curiosity.  Sometimes a family just wants a place where mom and dad can hold hands and watch the kids make a painting, “are you giving your community what they need?”.

3. Build Local  If you were to use the same funds as the California Academy of Science, you could build at least 30 local community based science centers.  The effect of thirty local centers would have a greater impact on science literacy than one large center.  Create memberships not individual ticket sales.

4. Workshop attitude I love the Exploratorium.  I am fearful that the new Exploratorium will be another “star architect” project.  The charm of the Exploratorium is the ability to allow visitors “to own” the content.  The experience is not about the building, the “fancy exhibits”, but the content.  At $220 Million Dollars for the new Exploratorium building, I am afraid the charm of the Exploratorium will be lost.

5. Humility  Museums serve their community, I have preached that “Museums are Hospitality”, too many museums, believe the visitor is lucky to be able to visit.

6. Content is Content  I just completed work on a Science Center in Indonesia, total costs for a 25,000 square feet of science exhibits, $1.8 million or $72 per square foot.  All of the exhibits were built in the USA or Canada and shipped to Indonesia.  Spending more money does not get you better content.

7. “Tie-ins” Tie into trends that have momentum.  The Hall of Science “gets it”, they are working with the Maker Faire to create a permanent exhibition space.  The Maker Faire has gone viral, ticket prices at the Hall of Science, Adults (ages 18 & older): $11, Children (ages 2 – 17): $8, including the new “Maker Space”.

8. For Profit is not the enemy  As long as the expectations and guidelines are set at the beginning, for profit / non profit partnerships are a win -win.

9. Respect your staff  My first real job at a Science Center was Liberty Science Center (1992-1994), I was paid $21,000 per year.  The only way I could afford to take the job was my parents helped pay my rent in NYC.  I shiver when I see the salaries museums offer.  I would recommend it is better to save capital costs and pay a living wage to staff.

10. Keep it going  Google has 20% projects, a way to “feed” the souls of the staff of Google (and create fantastic projects like Google Liquid Galaxy amongst many others). Most museums operate at 110%, creating burnout in staff and poor customer service.  Most museums are so busy trying to pay back loans and bonds, there is no energy for staff to give back to visitors.

When I write  ”preaching to the converted”, I believe the  purpose of informal education is a place for exploration for people who “learn differently”.   Schools and libraries are places for formal education, museums are places for exploration of personal interests and people who learn in different ways.  I LOVE the Eli Whitney Museum a community museum run by Bill Brown and Sally Hill, last time I was there, ten neighborhood kids were setting up the new exhibits!    Museums are the new Hub of community.

Museums and the internet, an amazing combination!   A blog or a website is a form of communication, a museum’s introduction to the world.  Your internet presence is your chance to communicate with the visitor before they visit your “bricks and mortar” museum.  As with any good communication, be a good listener, share information and be polite.

When I was the Director of Exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (1994-1997), I was at a meeting and Andy the Museum Director, said, “Content is King”, it was the first time I had heard the term (the term is from the Bill Gates article 1996).  With that one quote, my thinking about museums had changed, now the content of museums would be accessible both “in person” and on the internet, a very significant change in framework.

Museumplanner.org is now the world’s most followed website for information on museum planning and exhibition design (Alexa ranking 262,000).  I have been blogging since 2007, looking back now I realize how little I knew about writing and blogging.  I would like to share some of what I have learned.

1. What is your question? Maybe more than anything, the internet is a forum for answering questions.  Museumplanner.org is based on two questions, “How do you start a museum?” and “How do you design an exhibition?”.  I have found it fascinating that as I narrow the focus of the blog, the topic broadens and I find more and more to write.  Keep the content of your museum’s website (and your museum) narrow, answer questions.  Decide what questions your museum / website / blog will answer.  Be a good sharer, answer as many questions as questions you ask.

2. What are the words? I literally and figuratively “own the words “Museum Planning”, I have tried to purchase all of the related domains and make sure that my content is always related to topics of museum planning.  Be very specific in the key words of your website / blog.  The more specific the key words the better.

3. Be Local  The Arizona Science Center (Alexa 652,00) becomes a local resource for science in Arizona and Phoenix area, the Mobius Science Center (Alexa 5,000,000) requires association to the Spokane area.  I find it very interesting associating Alexa ranking with museums, (the lower the Alexa the better).  I have ongoing research into the correlation between the world’s largest museums and their online ranking, the interesting part is often smaller museums have a higher online visitation than their larger counterparts.

4. Move People. Literally and figuratively, tell personal stories.  …and the internet is like a lint ball, as you move it around it gathers more lint.  Move people from Facebook to twitter, from twitter to youtube, from youtube to Linkedin, each time you move people around you gather more people.  You will notice that I try to be consistent with my naming, twitter.com/museumplanning, facebook.com/museumplanning, “own the words”

5. Be yourself I started a blog as a way to organize my thoughts, I am still amazed that people are interested in my thinking. I am a strong believer in “Built to Last”, that companies have a “personality” and will attract similar clients / customers.  I am consistently surprised that many of my clients are from the business world and bottom line driven, I tend to attract business minded people.  On the internet your writing is your “voice”, have a clear and consistent ”voice” .  The internet is a form of communication.  The internet has grown into a forum where each user has a persona, even if you don’t want to have a persona, you become a noob.   I have a website walhimer.com but I think of my website as a portfolio, it is a static form of communication, a place to direct potential clients who are interested in our projects.  A blog is a converstation, every participant in the converstation has a voice.  As with any conversation it is important to be polite and communicate your point of view.  I spend, (time working of online projects) 90% of my time working on my blog and 10% working on my website.  If I was to make a recommendation, I would suggest the same to any “start up museum”, spend time your time on your blog.

6. Tools Use the tools of the internet:

10. “It is still virtual”  I am a sculptor by training and I believe that an online experience will never replace an “in person” experience.  …But, it is worth trying.  I like to think “Pre-visit”, “Visit” and “Post Visit” an online experience can support and compliment an “in person” experience.  A visitor’s online experience before visiting the museum can be as important as the in-person experience. The online experience can be 2/3 of the visitor’s experience.

Chieko Asakawa

aDesigner is a visually impaired software simulator developed by Chieko Asakawa and IBM Research Tokyo. The software helps designers ensure that their content and applications are accessible and usable by the visually impaired.

Voice browsers and screen readers read aloud the text on Web pages and are used by visually impaired people. However, these devices are less effective with certain kinds of content, such as highly graphical material. Web developers can use aDesigner to test the accessibility and usability of Web pages for low-vision and blind people.

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As visual user interface and multimedia content have become increasingly popular on the Internet, Chieko has been working on finding ways for visually impaired people to enjoy the benefits of these advances. Chieko and her team have developed a number of pioneering technologies, including a disability simulator called aDesigner, which helps Web designers identify potential design issues to make their websites more user-friendly to all; a tool called aiBrowser, which for the first time helps visually impaired users to access streaming video, animation and other visual online content. And Chieko and teams in IBM developed the Accessibility Tools Framework, which offers standardized design and application programming interfaces, allowing developers to create accessibility tools and applications easily and cost effectively. Contribution of these technologies and the framework to the open source community, Eclipse Foundation, may help stimulate assistive software innovation to advance Web 2.0 content accessibility.

Since summer 2008, Chieko has led the Social Accessibility project. Based on collaboration software developed by her team, it creates an open, collaborative environment where blind users, developers and sighted “supporters” work together to solve real life Web accessibility issues raised by blind users. A variety of accessibility technologies that her team developed, as well as findings gained through the project, are part of the innovative accessibility improvement solution that IBM offers today. To explore ways to design a multimodal interface on mobile devices for use by the elderly, semiliterate or illiterate people and individuals with limited or no access to information technology, Chieko initiated an Open Collaboration Research project in 2010 with IBM researchers in India and Japan as well as with universities in India and Japan.

Today was the first time I used LED light bulbs in an exhibition. We are running an exhibition from batteries and an inverter, and the LED light bulbs only consume 2 watts each.

Alcatraz Traveling Museum Exhibition opened at Liberty State Park’s, Central Railroad Terminal New Jersey, CRRNJ Terminal, February 11, 2012

Contact me If you are interested in hosting the exhibition July 2012