THE SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL EXHIBIT

A Presentation by Kathy Kelley, K Design Signs & Exhibitskkelley7@comcast.net

AND THE SECRET IS…

Find a design firm:• On the internet general search• NAI Resources Page• AZA .org (Find Commercial Members)• MuseumsUSA.org (Find by state)• Find an exhibit you like and ask who did the design or fabricationOr design it yourself!Just make sure the designer knows about interpretation!

WHO WILL DESIGN YOUR EXHIBIT?

LOOK AT OTHER MUSEUMSARKANSAS STATE, JONESBORO

TALK TO PEOPLEU OF M, IRIS CONSORTIUM, SMITHSONIAN

LOOK FOR INTERACTIVES

IMPROVE ON GOOD IDEASNEW MADRID HISTORICAL MUSEUM

BEFORENEW MADRID HISTORICAL MUSEUM

BALANCE YOUR INTERACTIVES

New London Museum, New London, Texas

The Big Idea is a statement that will clarify, limit and focus the nature and scope of an exhibition and provide a well balanced goal against which to rate its success.

THE BIG IDEA

It should not be vague or compound.

It should be one idea — not four.

It answers the question, “So what?”

It is not always visible to viewer.

Use this question for any topic or item being considered for the exhibit, “ How does this fit with the Big Idea.” If it doesn’t fit, eliminate the topic or item.

THE BIG IDEA

Sharks vs. Sharks are not what you think.

Swamps vs. Healthy swamps provide surprising benefits to humans.

THE BIG IDEAVS. TOPICS

It captures the viewer’s attention long enough to get them to recognize the Big Idea.

If you include the Big Idea in your title, you have a better chance of people getting it.

WHAT MAKESA GOOD EXHIBIT?

THEME TITLEVS.TOPIC

THE VIEWER DOES NOT ALWAYS LOOK AT THE EXHIBIT FROM START TO FINISH

Which visitor has a better chance of getting the Big Idea?

After research is complete, assemble stakeholders to conduct a design charette.

Brainstorm on the Big Idea.

This is the beginning of your Interpretive Plan.

THE INTERPRETIVEPLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP

Interpretation is more than presenting information. It is more than encouraging participation. It is communication between a guide (or a story on a panel) and an interested listener or viewer.

WHAT IS INTERPRETATION?

• Interpretive Plan will include:• Mission and Vision of Institution

• Management Goals

• Interpretive Exhibit Mission

• Exhibition Goals and Objectives

• Visitor Walk-Aways

THE INTERPRETIVEPLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP

• Marketing to the Targe Audience• Up to Five Subthemes and Storylines

• The Visitor Experience

• A Description of Each Panel

• The Site or Floor Plan

THE INTERPRETIVEPLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP

If you would like a sample interpretive plan to use as a guide, please email kkelley7@comcast.net

Also, we will be happy to send you a copy of this PowerPoint.

THE INTERPRETIVEPLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP

The title (I) states the theme.

Up to five subthemes (II) support the theme.

The main text follows with photos or illustrations (III).

Captions or bullets add another level (IV).

Finally, you give readers a level to act on their new knowledge (V).

CREATE A HIERARCHYOF INFORMATION

The maximum average attention span for a museum

visitor is just 45 seconds.

For zoos, it is even less

DID YOU KNOW?

Most visitors will look at a sign forat least 3 seconds. You’ve got tograb them quickly.

Some will read on for 30 seconds.

A few will read for 3 minutes.More detailed information can be in smaller type for this group.

3-30-3 RULE

• No more than 50 words in a blurb, 18-20 words in a sentence

• Line length: less than 60 characters

• Avoid hyphenation

• Break text into several blurbs with subhead. Add extra leading for breathing room. People won’t read crowded text.

• Direct them to your web site for long explanations.

HELP YOUR VISITORSAVOID SIGN FATIGUE

• Keep text at sixth to eighth grade reading level. Go to Spelling & Grammar in Word to test the readability.

• Titles should be 72 point minimum. Subtitles should be 48 to 40 point minimum. Body text should be 24 point minimum. Captions should be 18 point minimum.

• Use flush left, ragged right text. Avoid justified text.

HELP YOUR VISITORSAVOID SIGN FATIGUE

HELP YOUR VISITORS

Say it visually. For every blurb you consider, ask yourself, can a visual say it better with maps, photos, or illustrations (of course, always get copyright permission and list proper credit).

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS

• Clever headline. Text under 50 words.• Text at least 24 point, captions at least 18 point. • Large enough to be read by any age.• Placed for wheelchair accessibility.

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS

Six signs spaced evenly over long rail viewing area increase readability.

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNSLet the visual reinforce the text.

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNSScript text adds emphasis.

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNSBullet points make type easier to read.

TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNSArrows help comprehension.

UNITY: COLORUse one color palette throughout an exhibit.

UNITY: FONTSUse consistent sets of fonts for all signs (no more than 3). Keep font sizes consistent

UNITY: LAYOUTKeep design elements and placement consistent

UNITY: LINESKeep all elements at same level if signs will be placed next to each other.

UNITY: ILLUSTRATION Keep illustration styles consistent. Mix with photos.

UNITY: PATTERN Use a background pattern to tie elements together.

UNITY: PATTERN The background pattern hides dust.

UNITY: PATTERN Consistent background pattern creates a family of signs.

UNITY: PATTERN The background pattern adds depth.

Historic Jefferson College Trail, Washington, MS

UNITY: PATTERN Before redesign:

UNITY: PATTERN After redesign:

UNITY: ELEMENT Postcards were first used to spread the word aboutYellowstone so we used that element as a unifier for an exhibit at the Memphis Zoo about the first national park.

UNITY: ELEMENT Vintage postcards helped tell the story.

UNITY: ELEMENT Even regular photos were placed in postcard frames to carry through the theme.

INCREASE READABILITY

Never use all caps(like this sign) unless for a short headline.

All caps reduces comprehensionby 25 percent.

Condensed fonts,justification, and tight leading add tothe problem.

READABILITY:FONT PERSONALITYAvoid strong font personalities except in headlines.Keep it conservative. Note different color on subheads.

Winterville Mounds, Greenville, MS

READABILITY:FONT PERSONALITYAn Asian exhibit calls for an Asian feel to type.

Memphis Zoo, China Exhibit

READABILITY:FONT PERSONALITY

READABILITY:SERIF OR SANS SERIF?

Ingomar Mounds, Union County Historical Museum, New Albany, MS

WHERE TO FIND PHOTOSAND ILLUSTRATIONS

• istockphoto.com, dreamstime.com, shutterstock.com• Library of Congress (free)• Shorpy Digital Images historic images• forestryimages.com (free)• National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife (free)• North Wind Picture Archives• Flickr• Google search for images• Wikipedia

Illustrators• Vicki Piebenga, vip4art@yahoo.com• David Williams, NC www.winginitworks.com• Chris Johnson, 1johnson@comcast.net

READABILITY:HOW HIGH UP?

• No text should be lower than 24 inches off the floor

• 84 inches off floor should be top range for any text

• Titles should be 12 inches above eye level (81”)

• Headers between 54” and 66”

READABILITY:HOW HIGH UP?

READABILITY:HOW HIGH UP?

If you need to put text in a low position, considera reader board at a 45-degree angle.

READABILITY:BILINGUAL LABELS

• Will more than double your text space on sign

• Not recommended unless required by law

• Instead, try handing out laminated cards of labels

• Or only translate some labels for important items

• Or only part (ID info) and not whole label

• Consider audio tours where you can include several languages

READABILITY:AUDIO LABELS

• Hand-held devices or the person’s own SmartPhone

• Allow the visitor to keep their eyes on the object while listening

• Available in multiple languages

• They can isolate visitors from interacting

• Malfunctions can be annoying

• They can cause traffic jams

READABILITY:ITEM REMOVED

If an object has to be removed, for loan or conservation purposes, and the caption is still there, it is thoughtful to put up a photograph of the piece that is missing with a note about where it is.

READABILITY:CREDIT PANELS

A credit panel should be included in any exhibit. They don’t have to be bronze but it is good for reference and morale to see the names in print of those who worked on

the exhibit.

HELP YOUR VISITORSAVOID SIGN FATIGUE

Studies show there are 3 ways:• Make the exhibits visual• Make them three dimensional• Make them interactive

MAKE WALLS 3D

3D & INTERACTIVE

3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILEAdd tiny bronze critters to rail of an exhibit. This was oneof several at Philadelphia Zoo that showed the diet ofthe animal in the exhibit. Children were given a list and were told to find the 8 critters hiding in the exhibit.

3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILECentral High School site mounted a phone to exhibit to provide emphasis.

3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILEHeifer Intl. gives visitors opportunities to touchthe items that they tell stories about.

3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS

3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS

3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS

3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS

3D: MORE INTERESTINGNew London Museum used newspapers on foamboard to let visitors pick them up to read.

3D: SURVIVOR INTERVIEWSNew London Museum posted the typewritten interviewswith survivors in a binder for visitors to read.

3D: COMPARISONSNew London Museum made a simple chart to show victims by grade.

3D: COMPARISONS

Heifer used a more expensive version, but the 3D effect clearly gets the message across.

3D: BACKGROUND PHOTOThe Smithsonian uses wallpaper photos as background behind artifacts.

3D: FLIP PANELSThe Smithsonian used these flip panels to tell the story about building materials and earthquakes.

3D: FLIP PANELSHeifer used flip panels to tell the story about world hunger.

3D: PUSH BUTTON QUIZCentral High School site lets visitors push a button to get answers to a quiz.

3D: INVITE EXPLORATION

3D: USE NATURAL MATERIALS

3D: INTERACTION

3D: INTERACTION

INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCREENS

The visitor controls what he wants to learn.Flexible to change.

3D: PUTTING VISITORIN ANOTHERPLACE

Central High School site shows a door into a white school and a door into a black school.

THE SECRET TO ASUCCESSFUL EXHIBIT IS…

…within you!

All you have to do is follow the rules.