Exhibitions at a BIG Museum

Boston Children’s Museum History The Museum was founded in 1913 by Boston public school teachers. One of the oldest and biggest children’s museums Hands-on learning exhibitions were pioneered by Michael Spock, Museum Director from 1962-1986

The Museum was founded in 1913 by Boston public school teachers.

One of the oldest and biggest children’s museums

Hands-on learning exhibitions were pioneered by Michael Spock, Museum Director from 1962-1986

Boston Children’s Museum History In 1979, the Museum moved to its present location to be become more accessible to people from Boston’s diverse neighborhoods Major expansion and renovation completed in 2007

In 1979, the Museum moved to its present location to be become more accessible to people from Boston’s diverse neighborhoods

Major expansion and renovation completed in 2007

Mission Boston Children's Museum exists to help children understand and enjoy the world in which they live.

Boston Children's Museum exists to help children understand and enjoy the world in which they live.

Profile BCM is a private, non-profit, educational institution that is recognized internationally as a research and development center and pacesetter for children's exhibitions, educational programs and curriculum.

BCM is a private, non-profit, educational institution that is recognized internationally as a research and development center and pacesetter for children's exhibitions, educational programs and curriculum.

Outcomes for Our Visitors

What this Means… 5 Friends from Japan Kid Power Children of Hangzhou Art Studio Teen Tokyo KidStage Access/Ability PlaySpace Science Playground Arthur Peep and the Big Wide World Blue Man Group: Making Waves The museum isn’t “about” anything specific Almost all exhibits fit into at least one pieces of the “pie,” often more than one

5 Friends from Japan

Kid Power

Children of Hangzhou

Art Studio

Teen Tokyo

KidStage

Access/Ability

PlaySpace

Science Playground

Arthur

Peep and the Big Wide World

Blue Man Group: Making Waves

The museum isn’t “about” anything specific

Almost all exhibits fit into at least one pieces of the “pie,” often more than one

BCM’s Audience They’re young (0 - 12) They’re old (50% are adults!) They’re everything in between 400, 000 to 500,000 per year

They’re young (0 - 12)

They’re old (50% are adults!)

They’re everything in between

400, 000 to 500,000 per year

Some Audience Driven Considerations Be aware of the relative attention span of adults and children Prototype and build to last, including materials that can be cleaned!! Give an explicit role for adults in each exhibit; Find ways to make kids the experts; Guide observation and interpretation.

Be aware of the relative attention span of adults and children

Prototype and build to last, including materials that can be cleaned!!

Give an explicit role for adults in each exhibit;

Find ways to make kids the experts;

Guide observation and interpretation.

Attention Span Attract, Hold, Communicate

Prototyping - Cheap and Fast

Prototyping - Complex

Durability

Durability – Uh Oh…

Little Shop of Horrors

It Takes a Team to Build an Exhibit! Exhibit content developer Collections manager or curator Exhibit designer Exhibit builder Educational program developer Media planner Project manager (that’s me!)

Exhibit content developer

Collections manager or curator

Exhibit designer

Exhibit builder

Educational program developer

Media planner

Project manager (that’s me!)

And a LOT of Vendors! Exhibit Designers Design + Communication, Montreal, Canada Exhibit Technology XYZ Cultural Technology, Montreal, Canada Exhibit Fabrication BCM Design and Production, Roxbury, MA Mystic Scenic Studios, Norwood, MA Blue Rhino Studios, Eagan, MN Other Boston based cabinet maker Boston based metal artist and welder Graphic Design Busy Bee Printing Press, South Hadley, MA Scrim Artwork Ms. Lin, China Graphic Production Olsen Images, Watertown, MA FOLIA Industries, Huntingdon, Canada Translations Linguistic Systems, Inc., Cambridge, MA Theatrical Curtains Major Theatre, Boston, MA Video Production China based film crew Teri Serafini, Boston, MA Photographs China based photographer Various stock photo agencies Zeff Photo, Boston, MA Computer Interactives State Street Technology Center, Hangzhou, China KidZibits, Minneapolis, MN RedPost inc., Goshen, IN 3-D Imaging 3-D Concepts, Carlisle, MA Additional Cartography DesignMaps, Oakland, CA Costumes Chinese based vendor CostumeWorks, Somerville, MA Exhibit Props Numerous China based suppliers Exhibit Packing and Crating Beauregard Exhibits, CT

Exhibit Designers

Design + Communication, Montreal, Canada

Exhibit Technology

XYZ Cultural Technology, Montreal, Canada

Exhibit Fabrication

BCM Design and Production, Roxbury, MA

Mystic Scenic Studios, Norwood, MA

Blue Rhino Studios, Eagan, MN

Other Boston based cabinet maker

Boston based metal artist and welder

Graphic Design

Busy Bee Printing Press, South Hadley, MA

Scrim Artwork

Ms. Lin, China

Graphic Production

Olsen Images, Watertown, MA

FOLIA Industries, Huntingdon, Canada

Translations

Linguistic Systems, Inc., Cambridge, MA

Theatrical Curtains

Major Theatre, Boston, MA

Video Production

China based film crew

Teri Serafini, Boston, MA

Photographs

China based photographer

Various stock photo agencies

Zeff Photo, Boston, MA

Computer Interactives

State Street Technology Center, Hangzhou, China

KidZibits, Minneapolis, MN

RedPost inc., Goshen, IN

3-D Imaging

3-D Concepts, Carlisle, MA

Additional Cartography

DesignMaps, Oakland, CA

Costumes

Chinese based vendor

CostumeWorks, Somerville, MA

Exhibit Props

Numerous China based suppliers

Exhibit Packing and Crating

Beauregard Exhibits, CT

Who Do We Work With? Internal staff experts Scholars and other experts (Harman/JBL) Community groups Advisory boards For profit companies (Home Depot) Entertainment industry (Blue Man Group, WGBH)

Internal staff experts

Scholars and other experts (Harman/JBL)

Community groups

Advisory boards

For profit companies (Home Depot)

Entertainment industry (Blue Man Group, WGBH)

Exhibit Team Workshop

Exhibit Design Drawings

And What About Collections? We actually have a large collection! Actively incorporate real objects into most exhibits

We actually have a large collection!

Actively incorporate real objects into most exhibits

Fabrication - In-house and Vendors BCM Vendor

Construction and Installation BCM Vendor

And What if it Travels? BCM rents and travels 5 exhibits

BCM rents and travels 5 exhibits

And of Course, We Evaluate! Front-end, to find out what people know or want to know Formative - prototyping exhibit elements, text, graphics Summative - how well did we do? (we don’t do this as often as we should)

Front-end, to find out what people know or want to know

Formative - prototyping exhibit elements, text, graphics

Summative - how well did we do? (we don’t do this as often as we should)

After That, the Party!

Thank You James Jensen Director, Project Management James @bostonkids.org

First 4 Tips Establish exhibit goals for your audience; Think about kids’ interests and what they like to do; Remember that kids of different ages think and respond differently; Figure out if you need a facilitator.

Establish exhibit goals for your audience;

Think about kids’ interests and what they like to do;

Remember that kids of different ages think and respond differently;

Figure out if you need a facilitator.

Next 3 Tips Let kids make choices; Depend on real experiences; Think about hands-on, inquiry based learning.

Let kids make choices;

Depend on real experiences;

Think about hands-on, inquiry based learning.