Teaching Exhibition Development and Design

Teaching Exhibition Development and Design by Polly McKenna-Cress and Kym Rice Polly McKenna-Cress is Director reating exhibitions as a a house in the middle of a fast flowing of Museum Exhibition Planning + professional pursuit has evolved river” (2014). How do we prepare the next Design at University of the Arts, well beyond the days of static generation for a field that is shifting so Philadelphia, Author, Creating C display. The process once defined by rapidly? How do we stay current, or more Exhibitions (2013) and 1st Vice object placement, material and color importantly, support innovative thinking? Chair of the Committee on Museum Professional Training selection, and Design with a capital D has (COMPT). She may be contacted at morphed into a more collaborative and Critical Considerations: The How [email protected]. inclusive enterprise centered on the end- and the Why user. None of our previous assumptions For this article, we focus on some critical Kym Rice is Director, Museum remains unchallenged. Processes now considerations for Museum Studies Studies Program, The George are open-ended and customized, and Programs—how we teach, what we teach, Washington University and Chair developers and designers must be flexible and why exhibitions should exist at all. of the Committee on Museum and adaptable. Technological innovations Professional Training (COMPT). proliferate, but with lower budget The “how we teach” our courses— She may be contacted at thresholds and higher visitor expectations, [email protected]. meaning how we structure and run a exhibition creators must prove to be course—offers faculty effective methods more agile than ever. So how do we teach to engage students. Many MS programs If you would like to comment on this new agile model? It is timely for have broken away from a standard this article or others in this issue, the Exhibitionist to take on the topic of classroom lecture format where a body please go to the NAME page on “teaching and learning about exhibition of information passes from professor Facebook or send us a tweet development and design” to mark this to students and then is parroted back @NAMExhibitions. phase. As the Smithsonian’s Cooper- in different forms. Instead we endorse Hewitt Museum technologist Seb Chan methods that support innovation as well recently told graduates of the SUNY-FIT as openness and transparency. Students Exhibition Design M.A. program, “there may learn museum history and theory, but couldn’t be a better or more exciting time class discussions concentrate on important to be graduating into the exhibition design strategic issues or changes in museum profession” (2014). practice over time including, for example, the move away from authoritative Chan’s talk recognizes this as a time curatorial models for exhibitions. Whether of transformation for museums and students focus on exhibition development their future staffs—challenging but also or fundraising, they all acquire a toolkit invigorating. In Museum Studies (MS) of specialized skills intended to promote programs, we work in collaboration with the critical and strategic thinking in students to find creative ways to approach combination with communication three “big picture” questions of general methods necessary for working concern to the profession: Who should successfully in today’s museums. MS decide what the museum should be? How programs foster student knowledge and will the “exhibition” be designed and experience by curricula that encourage defined? What future skills and adaptive students to: thinking do museum professionals need? As educators, as we evolve our approaches UÊÜÀÊÊÌi>L>Ãi`Ê«ÀiVÌÃÊÕÌÃìÊÌ i to teaching exhibition creation, sometimes classroom, usually in collaboration with we feel as Chan does that “we’re building clients, audiences, or communities; 12 EXHIBITIONIST FALL '14 How do we prepare the next generation for a field that is shifting so rapidly? UÊ«>ÀÌV«>ÌiÊÊÌiÀ>VÌÛiÊV >ÀÀiÌÌiÃÊ>` create exhibitions, students can think critiques (“crits”) with fellow students, strategically about new ways to approach faculty, and museum professionals; a particular problem. UÊ>ÌÌi`Ê>`ÊVÌÀLÕÌiÊÌÊÕÃiÕ The question why an exhibition at focused symposia and conferences; all?” can be complicated. We not only emphasize content and communication UÊiÝ«iÀiViÊLi `Ì iÃViiÃÊÛÃÌÃÊÌ with audiences but also a critical museum collections or exhibition assessment of each decision as it occurs. design facilities that enhance knowledge Whether examining the simple choice of digital media, experience design, and to use a particular wall color or a more other methods with potential such as complex decision to involve visitors in game theory; helping to design an exhibition, students must be able to articulate clearly the UÊLÕ`ÊÕìÀÃÌ>`}ÃÊvÊLiÃÌÊ«À>VÌViÃ why, e.g. 7 ÞÊÃÊÌ ÃÊ«ÀÌ>Ì]ÊÜ ÞÊ in museums with respect to critical is the exhibition format the way to Equipped with areas such as environmental communicate a topic? They build on sustainability, visitor studies, cultural what they are learning in the classroom, an awareness of property, and digital engagement; creatively adding, adapting, and applying their ideas to the field in innovative ways. how museums UÊÌ>iÊiÊVÕÀÃiÃÊvÀÊVÀi`ÌÊÀÊ>Ã In some programs, these discussions create exhibitions, MOOCs), sometimes sharing a virtual move beyond the classroom and out classroom with individuals interested in into the public realm for testing with students can museums from all over the world; clients and potential end-users. By think strategically piloting or prototyping their ideas with UÊÌÀ>ÛiÊÌÊÌ iÀÊ>Ài>Ã]ÊÀi}Ã]Ê>`Ê audiences to further shape content and about new ways countries to experience other practice understand resonance, students acquire to approach and cultures. new understanding that is key in their exhibition making. The simple act of a particular The other element of how is unpacking stating why decisions have been made, the way that the exhibition process particularly for end-users, is profound. problem. unfolds for any particular project. Following up with evaluation to assess In exhibitions, we focus on how a how it “works” can be even more development and design team not only empowering. These investigations are not conceptualizes themes and content but limited to the classroom but can be shared also addresses the skills and resources and discussed on local, national and needed to undertake a project. Students international scales. draw comparisons too from in-depth case studies presented by museum professionals As Leslie Bedford states in her that highlight their individual/institutional introduction to The Art of Museum experiences. Additionally, how explores Exhibitions, “It is critical to examine new practices in technology, media, visitor the why and not leap immediately, as we accessibility and sustainability, Equipped often do, to the how and the what of our with an awareness of how museums work” (2014). 13 EXHIBITIONIST FALL '14 Attendees at the Creating Exhibitions Symposium discussing and debating under the interactive landscape of floating parasols by FLUX Foundation, October 11 & 12, 2013. The University of the Arts, Philadelphia. Courtesy of Richard Cress, Alusiv, Inc. (continued from page 13) National and International Conversations Museum: Re-envisioning Exhibit Design on our Changing Field co-organized by UC Davis and hosted Field-wide conversations about exhibitions by Central Saint Martins, University of offer another opportunity for students, the Arts, London, in May 2014, debated professionals, and practitioners to tackle new thoughts on “designing for audience these issues—and more. In part, their engagement, interaction and participation” purpose is to spark the next generation (further discussed in this issue). A third, who will eventually implement these the Creating Exhibitions Symposium, ideas. Several Museum Studies programs was organized for the launch of the book, recently convened broad discussions Creating Exhibitions: Collaboration in among thought leaders, professionals, the Planning, Development and Design of faculty, and students as a way to further Innovative Experiences (McKenna-Cress unpack ideas and disseminate new & Kamien, 2013), and held over two days thinking. The June 2013 conference in October 2013. Discursive Space: Breaking Barriers to Effective Communication in Museums, Conceived as a conversation and hosted by Ryerson University and the Art workshop format, this symposium, Gallery of Ontario “provided a forum for hosted by the University of the Arts, deliberation concerning the integration of Philadelphia, with support from NAME art, design, and architecture in the and DesignPhiladelphia, convened under creation of memorable and immersive an interactive landscape of hanging museum experiences, while balancing white parasols designed and installed by the public's expectations of self- FLUX Foundation. Some 150 participants directed expression and engagement” (including students from four different (Macalik, 2013). Another, Chaos at the MS programs) engaged with museum 14 EXHIBITIONNIST FALL '14 The simple act of stating why decisions have been made, particularly for end-users, is profound. and creative endeavor thought-leaders It seemed to me at the time that the in integrative design thinking. Keynote group assembled was collectively speakers Mark O’Neill, Head of Arts and qualified to resolve almost any issue Museums Glasgow, and Elaine Heumann facing the museum field today… The Gurian, Senior Museum Consultant,

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