Manual of Museum Exhibitions

Maria Piacente has 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.

• PrefaceAcknowledgements1.Introduction: The Exhibition Planning Process by Maria PiacentePart I: Why?2. Museums and their Exhibitions by Brad King 2.1. The Trust Factor2.2. Exhibitions as Communication Platforms2.3. Museums as Activist Institutions2.4. The Way Forward 3. Where Do Exhibition Ideas Come From? by Barry Lord and Maria Piacente3.1. Research-Based and Market-Driven Exhibitions3.2. Planning for Exhibition ResearchPart II: Where? 4. Exhibition Facilities by Sean Stanwick and Heather Maximea4.1. A World of Exhibition Spaces4.2. Design Criteria for Exhibition Spaces4.3. Exhibition Space Characteristics4.4. Exhibition Gallery Security4.5. Accessibility, Adjacency and FlowPart III: What?5. Permanent Collection Displays by Katherine Molineux5.1. Planning for Permanent Collection Exhibitions5.2. Changing Permanent Collection Displays5.3. Interpreting Collections5.4. Modes of Display6. It’s Not Always About Collections by Katherine Molineux6.1. Idea Exhibitions6.2. Children’s Exhibitions6.3. Living History Exhibitions6.4. Science Exhibitions6.5. Digital Immersive ExhibitionsCase Study: Weston Innovation Learning Centre, Terms of Engagement at the Ontario Science Centre, by Lesley Lewis and Kevin von Apen7.Virtual Exhibitions by Sarah Hill 7.1. What is a Virtual Exhibition?7.2. Why Develop a Virtual Exhibition?7.3. Thinking About Digital Audiences7.4. Virtual Exhibition Considerations7.5. Virtual Exhibition Development Process7.6. Tips for Smaller Museums that Want to go DigitalCase Study: Extending the Life of a Travelling Exhibition, Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, United States8. Temporary Exhibitions by Maria Piacente and Katherine Molineux8.1. Types of Exhibitions in a Temporary Exhibition Program8.2. Managing a Temporary Exhibition Program8.3. Making Space for Temporary Exhibitions8.4. Public and Educational Programming8.5. Marketing and Public Relations8.6. Funding and Resourcing a Temporary Exhibition Program8.7. Generating Revenue9. Travelling Exhibitions by Maria Piacente9.1. Why Create a Travelling Exhibition Program?9.2. Strategize for Success9.3. Staff and Professional Resources9.4. Loan Agreements9.5. Designing and Preparing an Exhibition for Travel9.6. Managing the Tour9.7. Borrowers and OrganizersCase Study: Natural History Museum London’s Touring Exhibition Program, An Interview with Jan English, Head of Touring ExhibitionsInterview: 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 Carter10.1. Implications for Exhibitions10.2. 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, Canada11. Curiosity and Motivation by Shiralee Hudson Hill and Barbara Soren11.1. Cultivating Curiosity and Activating Change11.2. Learning and Exhibitions11.3. Understanding Audience Experiences, Motivations, and Preferences in Exhibitions12. Evaluation12.1. Measuring Success by Gail Lord12.2. 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 ArmstrongCase Study: University of Michigan Museum of Natural History by Barbara SorenPart V: How?13. Who is involved in the Exhibition Process? by Maria Piacente13.1. Roles and Responsibilities13.2. Teams and Committees13.3. Contracting Expertise13.4. Making DecisionsCase Study: Oakland Museum of California Exhibition Process with Valerie HuacoCase Study: Roles and Responsibilities in a Small Museum: The Central Bank Museum of Trinidad and Tobago 14. Preparing the Exhibition Brief by Maria Piacente14.1. Formulating the Exhibition Concept14.2. Exhibition BriefCase Study: Canada Day 1 Travelling Exhibition15. Interpretive Planning by Maria Piacente15.1. Pre-Planning, Research and Visioning15.2. Interpretive Strategy15.3. Organizational and Thematic Frameworks15.4. Organizational and Thematic Frameworks from around the World15.5. Communication Objectives15.6. Interpretive PlanCase Study: University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, Exploring Michigan Case Study: Interpretive Planning for the Capitol Visitor Center, Exhibition Hall16. Content Development by Lisa Wright 16.1. Research Planning16.2. Collections Research and Selection16.3. Exhibition Text by Patchen Barss16.4. Image Research and Procurement16.5. Hands-On Exhibits, Models, and Dioramas16.6. Multimedia Exhibits16.7. Subject Matter ExpertsCase Study: Working with Subject Matter Experts: Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21Case Study: Creating with Community: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Culture CenterCase Study: Indigenous-Led Design and Content Development: Canada’s Diversity Gardens17. Design by Yvonne Tang and James Bruer17.1. Exhibition Design 17.2. Exhibition Display Cases by Mike Chaplin17.3. Lighting Design by Kevin Shaw17.4. Green DesignCase Study: Exhibitions and Museums

The third edition of Manual of Museum Exhibitions (first edition, 2002) offers a thorough, up-to-date guide for anyone engaged in exhibition processes, from development and design to implementation. These distinct phases of the exhibition process are framed by five interrogative adverbs—why, where, what, who, how—each of which corresponds to a section of the volume, with one or more chapters devoted to answering the question posed therein. The sections address, respectively, the purpose of exhibitions, in particular how museums respond to a changing world and greater community engagement; physical requirements to mount permanent and temporary exhibitions; types of exhibitions (on-site and online) and their content from science to art; ways of understanding visitors and exploring the impact of diversity, equality, accessibility and inclusion on the development process; and the roles, responsibilities, and tasks of the development process. This last section consists of nearly half the chapters and numerous case studies to support the many facets of interpretive planning, design and content coordination, and fabrication and installation that enable exhibitions to realize connections between the visitor, object, and the stories offered or facilitated in exhibitions. This volume will appeal to readers interested in curatorial studies, museology, heritage management, history of collections, library and information sciences, and related fields. Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; professionals.