The purpose of this guide is to
help you look critically at the components that make up an exhibit and evaluate
their effectiveness as separate elements and as a cohesive whole that
consistently communicates an exhibit’s theme.
Content
Development
THEME
1. What is the
overall, “big picture” theme of the exhibit? (The title of the exhibit and the
introduction panel can help you here.)
2. Can you identify the central question or
thesis that drives the narrative of the exhibit? What is
it?
3. Does there seem to be a narrow focus or
broad? (Think in terms of time—100 years versus a decade? Or subject
covered—Lewis and Clark’s entire journey versus L&C in Washington?) Does the
type of focus match the message?
4. Is the exhibit intended to provoke,
inform, or both? Give examples to support your answer.
5. Have the
curators presented information in a way that you feel a personal connection to
it? Or, to say it another way, do you “see yourself” in the
exhibit?
PERSPECTIVE
6. Is there a readily identifiable point of
view in the exhibit? Is it subtle or explicit? How would you describe the point
of view—scholar/expert, someone just like me, a person from the depicted
culture, etc.?
7. Are you asked through the exhibit to
adopt a point of view, perspective, or empathize with a particular frame of
reference? If yes, explain whose perspective and how the curators engaged
you.
8. Are you “transported” into another world,
becoming immersed in the train of thought of the curators—inside the story, so
to speak?
9. How many points of view do you see
represented? Whose are they?
10.
Which points of
view have been left out?
11.
Have the
curators created a metaphor or analogy to provide an overall interpretive “hook”
for visitors to become engaged?
11. Who do you think the curator
intended their audience to be? What makes you think so?
RESEARCH AND
SOURCES
12. What types of
research resources have been used? (scholarly sources, archival information on
objects, historical transcripts and primary documents, newspaper accounts, oral
histories, etc.)
13. Do you consider
the sources that were used to be reliable? Why or why not?
14.
After seeing
this history exhibit, do you think it is possible to walk away with the “true”
story? Did the exhibit change your mind about a subject? What questions are you
left with?
15. Think about the
institution that created the exhibit. Most likely, they have a self-perception
that they are unbiased. Can you detect bias in any of the text or materials
choices? Cite specific examples.
16.
If you do
detect a bias, is it a compelling one?
17. What are the
power relationships apparent in the exhibit’s development?
18.
Do you think
this exhibit was designed by a single curator or by a committee? What makes you
think so?
Design
OBJECTS AND
IMAGES
19. What tools
(text, interactives, sound, etc.) do the curators use to present the main theme?
20. How are
artifacts used?
21. What other
objects have been included? What are the sources of the 3D components of the
exhibit?
22.
What types of
images have been included and where are they placed within the
exhibit?
23.
How do the
objects and images impact your interpretation of the text?
24.
Is there an
overall graphic design applied to the labels? Sketch the “formula”
below.
25.
How effective
is this design in communicating/reinforcing the exhibit’s theme? What elements
in particular work well?
26.
Are photographs
included in the exhibit? What part of the story do they tell? How do they impact
you as opposed to other graphics in the exhibit?
TEXT
27.
Has information
on labels been prioritized? Typically, museums present information on labels in
four levels;. See if each type is present.
Title
Labels: introduce the
title and theme of the exhibit.
Introductory
Labels: introduce the
big ideas behind the exhibit and orient visitors to organization of the space.
Group
Labels: introduce
sub-themes and explain groupings of objects.
Object
Caption Labels: individual
interpretive labels for an object or phenomena.
28.
How is the text
organized throughout the exhibit? Have the designers grouped it in a particular
way?
29.
What level of
vocabulary is used?
30.
How long are
the sentences? The paragraphs? How many paragraphs tend to be included per
panel?
31.
How many chunks
of textual and graphic information are included on each panel? Does it make you
feel comfortable reading it, or does it repel you? Why?
32.
Is the text
easy to read—it’s design and font, size, contrast against the background,
etc.