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.

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.

aDesigner Download

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

Museum Exhibitions change lives, maybe more than any other media. Sculpture, painting, film, dance, theater and music, all combined with the visitor into one experience.  I believe that museum exhibitions have the opportunity to change lives.

Friday, I visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum .   The building is non nondescript, I was struck by the brutality of the steel and concrete, the architecture is very abrupt and bunker like.  Visitors enter through metal detectors.   At the entrance is a picture of Stephen Tyrone Johns, I noticed the picture, but didn’t think much about it until I was leaving the museum (Officer Stephen Tyrone Johns, was killed at the Museum by an antisemite).

I started my visit on the lower level at “State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda”.  I was struck by the similarities between exhibition design and propaganda, both using, simple messages, theatrical tools, strong visuals, communicating the same message in different methods, repetition of messages and using crowds to build energy.  I am not suggesting the exhibitions are propaganda, but exhibition design does incorporate some of the tools of propaganda.

Next I visited “Daniel’s Story”, to me the exhibition looked dated.

Then I went upstairs to the second floor and visited “From Memory to Action: Meeting the Challenge of Genocide” a nice enough exhibition, although I was the most impressed by the call to action and the use of the Pen Scribe to record their pledges.

I was feeling as if I was missing part of the museum.  I had heard about the museum for years and I knew there was more to the museum.  I went to the information desk and “asked where is the main gallery?”  The docent gave me a map and directed me to the elevator to the left of the entrance.  The wall of the entrance to the elevator is clad is cor ten steel and very imposing. A floor staff memeber gave us an over view of what were we going to see on the three upper floors. The permananet exhibition “The Holocaust” is divided into three floors; “Nazi Assault,” “Final Solution,” and “Last Chapter.”

Starting on the forth floor,  the experience starts with, the “Nazi Assault”, then the third floor with “Final Solution,” then on the second floor with the “Last Chapter”. On the forth floor I was thinking, “okay this is a typical theatrical exhibition”. Then I smelled the odor of the interior of the rail car similar to those used to transport thousands of victims , smelled the leather of thousands of shoes of victims and I felt as if I was being manipulated, by the “Last Chapter”, I was changed.

Yes, I had been manipulated by the exhibition, but I learned to trust the authority of the museum and allowed myself to be changed.  I am a strong believer in the democratization of content, working in a transparent “open source” method and involving the visitor. But, there is no way this story can be told by anyone other than those that lived it. I do not want to hear the thoughts of others, I want exactly what the Museum provided, a clear, concise, well edited, factual, theatrical and life changing experience.  The museum and the Holocaust survivors are the authirity on the content, and we as visitors need to repect the history and the survivors.

I have never thought of walking as an interactive activity, but the museum uses the visitors journey through the museum  from the forth floor, third floor then to the second floor, as a tool to emotionally attach the visitor to the content.  When I was working at Liberty Science Center, we had a simple table top activity, visitors could move a tape head across recorded magnetic tape and hear the recorded sound.  By changing the perspective from moving the tape head, instead of  moving the tape, visitors understood the tape head “reads” information of the magnetic tape.  The Holocaust Museum uses a similar approach, instead of presenting us a theatrical show, we walk across the theater stage and become actors in the show. I loved the white spaces in between each floor, that allowed me to take a breath and go on to the next act in the “show”.  I enjoyed the use of art, included in the museum at each “pause” between the galleries.

“Gravity” by Richard Serra
“Consequence”  by Sol LeWitt
“Memorial” by Ellsworth Kelly

In “The Holocaust” galleries, there were children some as young as seven or eight.  Then I understood the need for “Daniel’s Story”, this content is not appropriate for children, but it is important to tell the Holocaust history and “Daniel’s Story” presents the content in a way kids can digest.

When leaving the museum, the brutal bunker architecture made sense , this is a Museum built to survive attacks.

When I reached the second floor of  ”The Holocasut” I was changed, I had become emotionally attached to the content.  To be honest I was overwhelmed and wanted to leave the museum. Before I left, I paused at the theater and listened to a Holocaust survivor describing seeing soldiers and taking off his wooden shoe to hit the soldier in the head, the soldier an American said , “I am here to save you, not kill you”.  I stood at the back of the theater and cried.

At the exit to “The Holocaust” gallery:

“First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak out because I was Protestant.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

2011 Solar Decathlon

Last October I was invited to be a juror for the 2011 Solar Decathlon.  The Solar Decathlon is a semi-annual event (next Decathlon 2013) sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s – National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) .  I was selected as one of three jurors of the Communication Jury.  We were given the task of ranking the work of 20 international teams.  Each team was given very specific requirements to create a solar home.   The Communication jury was tasked with ranking, how the teams “communicate” their project to the public.

Being a juror gave me an opportunity to clarify my criteria for reviewing an exhibition.  The items I “looked for” from each team:

1.   Was there a communication objective?

• Did the project establish a brand?
• Was there a “Voice of communication”, did the team communicate in specific and fitting “voice”?
• Did the team create measurable objectives?

2.   Is there a visible strategy to achieve the objectives?

3.   Did the team use the tools of Museum 1.0 ?, 2.0?, 3.0?, 4.0 ?

It was very interesting sitting with the two other jurors and discussing how we ranked the teams.  The other two jurors were a Director of Marketing of a Prefab home company and a communications consultant.  One of the interesting items that came out of our deliberations was that the content of the projects was of less importance than “how” the team communicated their project.

As a jury we came up with a standard to judge the teams, “did the teams communicate in order to create a change in behavior”?  We were given a matrix to judge each team on several areas, most areas were very broad.  As I went through the houses, I took photos and looked for the typical tools of an exhibition, for each team I broke the visit into; Pre Visit, Visit and Post Visit.

Pre Visit

1. Did the website communicate; a project objective? a “voice” of communication?, was there “brand” established?,
2. Did the Video of project communicate the objectives?
3. Did the website and video show market research?
4. Was there an established Visitor Demographic?
5. Is there a stated “Communication Plan”?
6. Were there interviews with a sample of the demographic?
7. Were there clear “project filters” (link)
8. Was there a Press Release?
9. Did the website customize content to the viewer?

Visit

1. Did the guide provide “Talking Points” of the project?
2. Was it apparent that the staff was trained?
3. Was there a “Demonstrator of the technology”?
4. Were we oriented to the project?
5. Was there a Threshold (Link)
6. Is there a clear “Big Message”
7. Is there a hierarchy of Content?
8. Is there a “Call to action”?
9. What type of layout, linear? Chronological?, Exploratory? aware of different learning styles? Vista? Surprises? An overview of the entire project?
10. Was the “voice” of the communication? Was the “voice” consistent?
11. Did the communication “speak” to the demographic?
12. Did the project show feedback from the demographic?
13. Did the interpretation customize the interruption to different learning styles?
14. Did the team attire and attitude support the communication plan?
15. Demonstrations?
16. Did the team use physical interactives?
17. Were there team photos? Was it apparent that the project was built by a team ?
18. Did the project use Technology to communicate? Video, ipad, iphone, QR codes?
19. Was the communication innovative?
20. Did the project set a context for the content?
21. Was there a consistent use of font, color,
22. Are the exhibits ADA compliant?
23. Were there samples of the materials and technology used? Were there Manipulatives (wall sections, etc.) ?
24. Map, “where am I”?
25. Did the team collect visitor information?
26. Was there a physical model of how the technology works?
27. Photos of users, “oh I look like them” matching to demographic
28. Did the team incorporate quotes?
29. Was there interpretation of the content?
30. Was there a clear visitor flow?
31. As jurors we were not allowed to review electronic communication, but the teams were allowed to describe their use of electronic media

Post Visit

1. Did the project achieve the stated objective?
2. Did the website “continue” the visit and give links to additional content?
3. Was there a follow up “Call to action”?
4. Was there an opportunity to “Join the community”?
5. Was there an opportunity to Donate?
6. Was there a link to “Press Materials”?
7. Was there a communication plan available?

2011 Solar Decathlon Flickr Photos

Yes, working in museums is a career.  Below is a comprehensive listing of schools for museum design, exhibition design and museum studies.

One of the most frequently asked questions about the museum field is “how do I get started”?   Many people in the museum field either studied, Museum Studies, Art History, Fine Art or Design.  Those who progress to working as senior staff often go back to school for a Master of Business Administration.

Areas of study for museum positions:
Curator – Museum Studies / Art History / Fine Art
Exhibition Designer / Director of Exhibitions – Industrial Design / Set Design / Fine Art
Educator / Director of Education – Psychology / Early Childhood Education / Museum Studies
Director – Art History / Business / Museum Studies
Registrar – Museum Studies / Art History / Fine Art
Volunteer Manager / Docent Manager – Art History / Marketing / Education
Historian – Advanced degree in their area of expertise
Marketing / Director of Marketing – Marketing / Graphic Design
Botanist, Scientist, Physicist, Paleontologist – Advanced degree in their area of expertise
Development Director- Philanthropy / Museum Studies / Marketing / Public Relations
Marketing Director – Marketing / Communications
Operations Manager – Technical School / Contractors License
Book Keeper / Chief Financial Officer – Business / Accounting

There are people woking at museums who did not study in the areas outlined above. To work at a museum you don’t “have to” follow the career path above, but it helps.

I often find my self in meetings with people from outside the museum field who make comments such as; “museums are no different than any other business” or “museums need to be more like a businesses”.  Then I find myself in the uncomfortable position of saying “yes, museums are  “in business” and yes, museums could learn from typical business practices.  But, museums are not a “business” and museums are different than a business”.  The objective of a business is to be profitable, the objective of a museum is to communicate (link to museum definition).  Museums need to stay “in business” but profit is not their objective.  I would recommend anyone interested in working in museums to seek out a good program in the their area of interest.  I find It very helpful to be immersed in the culture of museums prior to working at a museum. The best museum programs, have professors who work for or at a museum and can introduce students to the museum culture.

I have put together a list of the Museum Studies, Museum Education and Museum Exhibition Design programs.  Thank you all to those that help with completing the list!  Please contact me if I have omitted any programs.

Museum Studies/Museology

Arizona State University
B.A. in Museum Studies
http://art.asu.edu/museumstudies/

Baylor University
Degree: B.A., B.S., and M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.baylor.edu/Museum_Studies/

Brown University
Degree: M.A. in Public Humanities
http://www.brown.edu/Research/JNBC/maprogram.php

Chadron State College
Degree: B.A. in Applied History with a Museum Studies Major
http://www.csc.edu/socialsci/museum/degrees.csc

Cooperstown Graduate Program
Degree: M. A in History Museum Studies
http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/cgp/curriculum/curriculum.html

Florida International University
Degree: Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies
http://thefrost.fiu.edu/edu_studies.htm

George Washington University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://programs.columbian.gwu.edu/museumstudies/

Harvard University Extension School
Degree: M.L.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/museum-studies

Indiana University – Purdue
Degree: M.A. degree in Museum Studies
http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/mstd/

Institute of American Indian Arts
Degree: Associate of Fine Arts, B.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.iaia.edu/academics/degree-programs/museum-studies/

Johns Hopkins University
Degree: MA in Museum Studies
http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/museum/

John F. Kennedy University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.jfku.edu/Programs-and-Courses/College-of-Graduate-Professional-Studies/Museum-Studies.html

New York University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/fineart/academics/curatorial.htm

San Francisco State University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/

Seton Hall University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Professions
http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/ma-museum-professions/

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Degree: Undergraduate Special Bachelor Degree
http://www.museum.siu.edu/studies.html

Southern University at New Orleans
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies and Cultural Preservation
http://www.suno.edu/Colleges/Museum/

Syracuse University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://vpa.syr.edu/art-design/design/graduate/museum-studies

Texas Tech University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Science
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/program.html

Tusculum College
Degree: B.A. in Museum Studies
http://www2.tusculum.edu/museumstudiesprogram/

University of Central Oklahoma
Degree: B.A. / M.A. in History and Museum Studies
http://www.libarts.uco.edu/history/Undergraduates.htm#History_-_Museum_Studies

University of Colorado, Boulder
Degree: M.S. in Museology
http://www.colorado.edu/catalog/catalog10-11/courses/museumandfieldstudies.html

University of Denver
Degree: M.A. in Art History with Museum Studies Concentration
http://www.du.edu/art/programs/MAahMuseum.html

University of Florida
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.arts.ufl.edu/programs/museumstudies.aspx

University of Illinois at Chicago
Degree: Professional Certification Museum Studies (graduate and undergraduate)
http://www.uic.edu/depts/arch/ah/museumstudies.shtml

University of Kansas
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www2.ku.edu/~distinction/cgi-bin/overview146

University of Leicester (UK)
MA/MSc and PhD programs in Museum Studies
http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/museumstudies

University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Degree: B.A. in Art History and Museum Studies
http://www.uncg.edu/art/undergraduate/history

University of Oklahoma
Degree: M.A. in Liberal Studies, Museum Studies Option (100% Online)
http://www.ou.edu/content/cls/aud/prospective_students/graduate_programs/museum.html

University of Oregon
Degree: A Master of Arts Management
http://aad.uoregon.edu/programs/degrees

University of South Florida
Degree: Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.gradcerts.usf.edu/certificates/xms.html

University of Washington
Degree: M.A. in Museology
http://depts.washington.edu/uwmuse/

Virginia Commonwealth University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Studies
http://www.pubapps.vcu.edu/bulletins/prog_search/?did=20153

Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio
Degree: BA Museum Studies
http://www.walsh.edu/museumstudies.htm

Museum Anthropology
Arizona State University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Anthropology
http://shesc.asu.edu/node/316

Columbia University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Anthropology
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/anthropology/graduate/main/index/museum_anthro.html

Museum Communication
University of the Arts
Degree: M.A. in Museum Communication
http://www.uarts.edu/academics/visual-arts/ma-museum-communication

Philanthropy
Indiana University at Purdue
Degree: Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies
http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/education/grad.aspx

Museum Education
Bank Street College
Degree: M.S. in Leadership in Museum Education
http://www.bnkst.edu/graduate-school/academics/programs/museum-education-overview/

George Washington University
Degree: M.A. Teaching in Museum Education
http://gsehd.gwu.edu/programs/mep/masters

Tufts University
Degree: M.A. in Museum Education
http://ase.tufts.edu/museumstudies/masters.asp

University of the Arts
Degree: M.A. in Museum Education
http://www.uarts.edu/academics/visual-arts/ma-museum-education

Museum Exhibition and Design
Art Center
Degree: Master Industrial Design
http://www.artcenter.edu/accd/programs/graduate/industrial_design.jsp

CCA
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Art
http://www.cca.edu/academics/industrial-design

Cooper Union
Degree: Bachelor of Architecture
http://cooper.edu/architecture

The Corcoran College
Degree: MA Exhibit Design
http://www.corcoran.edu/degree-programs/graduate/ma-exhibition-design

Fashion Institute of Technology (S.U.N.Y.)
Degree: M.A. in Exhibition Design
http://www.fitnyc.edu/2868.asp

MIT
Degree: Master of Media Arts and Sciences
http://www.media.mit.edu/about

Pratt Institute
Degree: Master of Industrial Design
http://www.pratt.edu/academics/art_design/art_grad/industrial_design_grad/

Royal College of Art
Degree: Master of Arts, Design Interaction
http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=161712

NYU
Degree: Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) degree
http://itp.tisch.nyu.edu/object/itp_overview.html

San Francisco Art Institute
Degree: M.A. in Museum Exhibition and Museum Studies
http://www.sfsu.edu/~museumst/

Sci-Arch
Degree: Bachelor of Architecture
http://www.sciarc.edu/portal/programs/undergraduate/index.html

University of the Arts
Degree: M.A. in Museum Exhibition, Planning and Design
http://www.uarts.edu/academics/design

University of California, Davis
Exhibition Design, BA
http://design.ucdavis.edu/

Collections Management
Eastern Illinois University
Degree: M.A. in Historical Administration
http://catalog.eiu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=11&poid=1275

Curatorial Studies/Curatorial Practice
Bard College
Degree: M.A. in Curatorial Studies
http://www.bard.edu/graduate/

California College of the Arts
Degree: M.A. in Curatorial Practice
http://www.cca.edu/academics/graduate/curatorial-practice

Curatorial Studies/Curatorial Practice
Brigham Young University
Degree: B.A. in Art History and Curatorial Studies
http://visualarts.byu.edu/programs/ma_art_history.php

California College of the Arts
Degree: M.A. in Curatorial Practice
http://www.cca.edu/academics/graduate/visual-critical-studies/curatorial-practice

Certificates
California State University at San Bernardino
Degree: Undergraduate Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.csusb.edu/majorsdegrees/undergraduate/baAnthropology/CertificatePrograms.aspx

Indiana University at Purdue
Degree: Undergraduate Certificate in Museum Studies
http://liberalarts.iupui.edu/mstd/index.php/undergraduate

Northern Illinois University
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.niu.edu/mstudies/

Northwestern University
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.niu.edu/mstudies/

Smith College
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.smith.edu/siams/

University of Iowa
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.uiowa.edu/~mstudies/MuseumStudiesCertificate.htm

University of Oregon
Degree: Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies
http://aad.uoregon.edu/programs/certificates/museum-studies-certificate

University of South Carolina
Degree: Certificate in Museum Management
http://www.cas.sc.edu/mcks/museummgmt/

University of Tulsa
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.utulsa.edu/academics/colleges/Henry-Kendall-College-of-Arts-and-Sciences/Certificates/Museum%20Studies.aspx

Utah State University
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.usu.edu/degrees/index.cfm?id=209

Canadian Programs
Association of Manitoba Museums, Winnipeg
Degree: Professional Certificate in Museum Practice
http://www.museumsmanitoba.com/courses/index.html

Alberta Museums Association, Edmonton
Degree:Certificate in Museum Practice
http://www.museums.ab.ca/what-we-do/professional-development/certificate-in-museums-studies.aspx

Museums Association of Saskatchewan, Regina
Degree: Professional Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.saskmuseums.org/professional_development

Ryerson University
Program: This is a joint program in Photographic Preservation & Collections Management
Degree: M.A. in Photographic Preservation; Collections Management
http://www.imagearts.ryerson.ca/photopreservation/program.html

Sir Sandford Fleming College, Peterborough
Degree: Certificate in Museum Studies
http://www.flemingc.ca/programs/museum-management-and-curatorship

University of Calgary
Degree: Minor in Museum and Heritage Studies
http://arts.ucalgary.ca/departments-programs/museum-and-heritage-studies

Université de Montréal
Degree: M.A. in Museology
http://www.etudes.umontreal.ca/index_fiche_prog/213110_desc.html

University of Toronto
Degree: Degree of Master of Museum Studies (MMSt)
http://www.ischool.utoronto.ca/degrees/mmst

University of Victoria
Degree: Graduate Professional Certificate (GPC)
http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/cultural/graduate/

Resources:
Smithsonian listing of museum study programs:
http://museumstudies.si.edu/training.html

LinkedIn thread regarding the best schools for museum studies

*I studied Fine Art at Skidmore College (Bachelor Science, Fine Art) and Industrial Design at Pratt Institute (Master Industrial Design)

Photo: Robert Motherwell, “Elegy to the Spanish Republic, 108″ 1965-1967, Collection of MOMA, Photo by Mark Walhimer 2011