Exhibits go beyond signs CSS 387 February 16, 2012
Jan 13, 2016
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
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
How can you add interest? Not too much text
Make exhibits visual
Choose objects for _________________________
Use senses, like ________________
How can you add interest?
Use interesting ____________________
Use _________________________ letters & mounts
Mount __________________ on background
Use hidden __________________________ behind mounted elements
How can you add interest? Use ____________________________
in foreground
Use _____________________________
Use transparent _______________
__________________________ large objects
Make exhibits interactive
Interactive:
Physical activity beyond sight; requiring involvement; stimulating; freedom of navigation;
manipulation of information
Examples:
Human scale
Flip panels
Touchables
Modern visitors wantEntertainment
Gratification
Info everywhere
Personalized info
Sharing with others
Creativity
Note: See Stogner (2009) and Bannon et al. (2005) for examples
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”
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
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
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 ________________________
Cons of interactives May reduce ______________________
Keeping ___________________________
____________________________ visitors Stimulus overload
Create ____________________________ Often too technical or subtle
Pros of interactives Opportunities for _____________________
More ______________________________
Highly effective if _____________________
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
Special considerations for exhibitions
Traffic flow
Behavioral tendencies
Space requirements
Use and protection of objects
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 _________________
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
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
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
Exhibit Environment Temperature Relative humidity Particulate matter/pollutants Biological organisms Reactivity of materials Light
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
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
Example – Collier State Park
Materials Specs Low High
Guide Books (5000) 28 pp, BW 2,800 3,200
Map/Brochure (5000) 9”x12” 2 fold, color paper
3,250 3,500
Indoor exhibits Per square ft. 250 450
Video Per minute 1500 2500
Outdoor exhibits (24” x 36” mounted panel)
Fiberglass embed; 3 screen print
colors; 2 photos
2,400 2,900
Audio posts Solar powered, post, panel
1,000 1,250
Example – Arctic Interagency VC
Exhibit Area Low High
Reception 550 sf $46,700 $53,370
Circumpolar Lobby 1292 sf $114,000 $125,400
Clues for Discovery 1387 sf
Boreal Forest $131,800 $144,780
Brooks Range $99,500 $109,450
North Slope $41,600 $45,560
Coastal Plain $61,400 $67,540
Total 3229 $495,000 $544,100