Remember the Visitor When Creating Exhibits

October 20, 2011 by Taylor Studios in Process & Project Management

Who are the exhibits for?

Interesting question don’t you think? Have you ever dealt with a designer that continues to push a certain material or technology? What about a curator that must display every object they have? There’s also the administrator that must have something, anything that generates revenue.

Yes, the exhibits are for the museums curators. They are also for the designer’s portfolio, and even for revenue generation. However, my question is this: What about the visitor? Aren’t the exhibits for the visitor? You know, the people we are teaching with the historical objects on display and experiences designers create. Some might say the point of a museum is to preserve and protect the artifacts first and foremost. I agree and understand that point of view but I asked, “Who are the exhibits for?”

Does this type of conversation sound familiar?

Client: “I don’t like that color.”

Designer: “OK. What is there about that color that makes you not like it?”

Client: “I hate that shade of blue.”

Designer: “Well, is that shade of blue not appropriate for the time period we are representing?”

Client: “It reminds me of the color my mother painted my room when I was a kid and I hated it.”

Designer: “OK… We will change the color…”

Was the client’s comment geared toward anything other than a personal preference or personal experience from childhood? No, not really. Did the designer back up the color choice by explaining why it was chosen and how it pertains to the exhibit direction? No.

There should be a reason behind the color choice that ties directly to the content and how the visitor will react to it. In this scenario, it should have been explained that the color chosen has been proven to evoke certain behaviors or feelings. It is best to put your personal experiences with a color aside and focus more on how it pertains to the overall goal which is to get the message across to the visitor.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and lose track of the goal during a design-build project. The goal should always be to educate, inform, and to inspire the visitor. The exhibits are for the visitor and are the vehicle used by the designer to tell the story.