Museums and Silent Objects: Designing Effective Exhibitions

Francesca Monti is an independent researcher and museum consultant. She completed her PhD in Museum Studies at University College London, UK. Suzanne Keene is Emeritus Reader in Museum and Heritage Studies at University College London. She chairs the Organising Committee of the London conference series Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA). She is also a trustee of the Collections Trust and a member of the Editorial Board for the journal ’Museum Management and Curatorship’.

• 1: Introduction; 1: Exhibiting Objects – Theories and Concepts; 2: Architecture and Space Syntax; 3: Design and Design Idioms; 5: Cognitive Science, Flow and Beauty; 5: Museum Studies: Object Biographies, Learning Styles, Levels of Interpretation; 2: From Concepts to Practice; 6: Testing the Concepts in Three London Museums; 7: Concepts and Comparisons: The Three Galleries; 8: Mummies, Objects, Visitors, and Stories at the British Museum; 3: Beyond the Visual; 9: Hands on the Past at the British Museum; 10: Experiments with Sound, Colour and Interaction; 11: Sound, Colour and Interaction: What We Learned; 4: Effective Exhibitions; 12: Harmony in Ancient Egypt; 13: Reviewing the Findings; 14: Conclusions: Effective Exhibitions

’Why do visitors pay more attention to some objects than others in permanent displays? How can museums engage visitors more effectively with less immediately appealing artefacts? Qualitative research and varied case studies provide the back-bone of this thought-provoking volume which offers illuminating insights into what makes effective object-based displays.’ Stuart Frost, British Museum, UK 'In Museums and Silent Objects, the authors have broken new ground by focusing not on the spectacular and iconic items on display, but the less significant ones which nevertheless have fascinating stories. Through detailed research using examples from three museum galleries, underpinned by a range of theoretical perspectives, they produce practical advice for museum professionals on how to give these silent objects a new voice.' Nick Merriman, The Manchester Museum, UK ’This work is highly recommended for both students and practitioners. It will be of equal benefit to information professionals planning to exhibit ’silent objects’ like rare books, archival material or other documentary heritage items or similar items from contemporary culture, or for those considering and evaluating the impact of these ’silent objects’ in exhibitions designed by themselves or others.’ Australian Library Journal