Exhibits go beyond signs

1. Exhibits go beyond signs CSS 387 February 16, 2012

2. Placement of text and objects • No text and no small objects should be closer than ____________________to the floor • Titles/subtitles - ________________________ • Nothing higher than__________________ • Text as close as possible to ___________________ with viewer’s line of sight • Low-mounted texts – ________________-degree angle

3. Placement of labels • Must be near objects • In line-of sight with objects • Exhibits are _______________________ • People read title first, but scanpath may vary • Sequence & transitions may not work • Eyes often move from top left to lower right • You can use color to guide viewing

4. How can you add interest? • Not too much text • Make exhibits visual • Choose objects for _________________________ • Use senses, like ________________

5. How can you add interest? • Use interesting ____________________ • Use _________________________ letters & mounts • Mount __________________ on background • Use hidden __________________________ behind mounted elements

6. How can you add interest? • Use ____________________________ in foreground • Use _____________________________ • Use transparent _______________ • __________________________ large objects

7. Make exhibits interactive Interactive: Physical activity beyond sight; requiring involvement; stimulating; freedom of navigation; manipulation of information Examples: Human scale Flip panels Touchables

8. Modern visitors want Entertainment Gratification Info everywhere Personalized info Sharing with others Creativity Note: See Stogner (2009) and Bannon et al. (2005) for examples

9. Interactives – general guides • Be aware of energy required -- avoid _______________________ • People will do strange things • People are ______________________ – design for this • Don’t overdo it with high tech • People in one study said computers were lowest in interest • People want to see “real stuff”

10. Interactives – general guides • Make experiences ____________________ – must work immediately (few seconds) • __________________________ is the single most important feature • Can be audio, visual, tactile • Controls must provide ______________________ • Common: failure to provide __________________ feedback • Line of sight responses

11. Think of people as monkeys • Make handles __________________________ • Will ___________________ • People will push harder and more vigorously if things don’t respond • Use _______________________________ (buttons, handles) • People follow other people’s cues • People like ____________________________ (race against clock) • People are literal

12. Interactives – general guides • People experiment – don’t assume a ____________________! • Number _____________________________ • Organize logically (e.g., clockwise) • Show the _________________________ points • Use as few controls as possible • Provide feedback ________________________

13. Cons of interactives • May reduce ______________________ • Keeping ___________________________ • ____________________________ visitors • Stimulus overload • Create ____________________________ • Often too technical or subtle

14. Pros of interactives • Opportunities for _____________________ • More ______________________________ • Highly effective if _____________________

15. Cost of interactives • Static exhibits: $________________ per ft2 • Interactives: $___________________ per ft2 • Why so much? • Research and development • Operational complexity of production • Costs of footage and filming • Obsolescence • Operating costs – maintenance 6x static

16. Special considerations for exhibitions Traffic flow Behavioral tendencies Space requirements Use and protection of objects

17. Traffic flow • Options: Unstructured: Suggested: Directed:

18. Movement tendencies • Turning _________________________ and following the right wall to first door • Stopping at first exhibit • Preference for places with _____________ • Walking in straight lines • Avoiding _______________________ places • Not looking _________________

19. Touch • Attention

20. Attentional Factors • Think of visitors as window shoppers • Exhibits on shortest routes get most attention • People are more likely to read larger type • Museum fatigue

21. Design Strategies • Create attractive, large, bright left turn, or use a barrier • pools of light and color • Use “landmark” exhibits • Use lines to lead people • Change ceiling height, colors, light, aisle width to create curiosity • Heterogeneity • Minimize mental effort • Provoke interest

22. Space requirements • Circulation space • “vista” space • Thematic exhibitions • 15-35% occupied by collections; 65-75% circulation/vista • 3D art exhibitions • <25% installations, 75% circulation and vista • Min. of 30-50 ft2 per person at peak times • E.g., a 2000 ft2 gallery feels right with 20 people

23. Exhibit Environment • Temperature • Relative humidity • Particulate matter/pollutants • Biological organisms • Reactivity of materials • Light

24. Optimum environment • 70 degrees; 50% RH • Keep dust out • Off-gas concerns • UV – highest in fluorescent light • Heat – highest in incandescent • Stable conditions for wood, leather, paper, dyes, feathers – • volume of air should be 5x the volume of the objects to buffer humidity

25. Supplementary Materials • Catalog? • Brochures? • Special events (lectures, reception)?

26. Budgeting • Production • Publications • Shipping • Fees • Insurance • Other

27. Costs • Rough rule: at least $200/square foot, for all planning, design, fabrication • 20-25% is for planning and design • 10-15% is for delivery and installation • 65% is for actual exhibits • Add 10-15% more if design and build elements are split • Interactives can be much more expensive

28. Example – Collier State Park

29. Example – Arctic Interagency VC