A powerpoint about exhibit design

1. A Presentation by Kathy Kelley, K Design Signs & Exhibits
kkelley7@comcast.net
THE SECRET TO A
SUCCESSFUL EXHIBIT

2. AND THE SECRET IS…

3. WHO WILL
DESIGN YOUR EXHIBIT?
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 fabrication
Or design it yourself!
Just make sure the designer knows
about interpretation!

4. 


LOOK AT OTHER MUSEUMS
ARKANSAS STATE, JONESBORO

5. 


TALK TO PEOPLE
U OF M, IRIS CONSORTIUM, SMITHSONIAN

6. 


LOOK FOR INTERACTIVES

7. 


IMPROVE ON GOOD IDEAS
NEW MADRID HISTORICAL MUSEUM

8. 


BEFORE
NEW MADRID HISTORICAL MUSEUM

9. 


BALANCE YOUR INTERACTIVES

10. New London Museum, New London, Texas

11. THE BIG IDEA
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.

12. 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.

13. THE BIG IDEA
VS. TOPICS
Sharks vs. Sharks are not
what you think.
Swamps vs. Healthy swamps provide
surprising benefits to humans.

14. WHAT MAKES
A GOOD EXHIBIT?
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.

15. THEME
TITLE
VS.
TOPIC

16. THE VIEWER DOES NOT ALWAYS LOOK AT
THE EXHIBIT FROM START TO FINISH
Which visitor has a better chance
of getting the Big Idea?

17. THE INTERPRETIVE
PLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP
After research is complete, assemble
stakeholders to conduct a design
charette.
Brainstorm on the Big Idea.
This is the beginning of your
Interpretive Plan.

18. WHAT IS INTERPRETATION?
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.

19. THE INTERPRETIVE
PLAN IS YOUR ROAD MAP
• Interpretive Plan will include:
• Mission and Vision of Institution
• Management Goals
• Interpretive Exhibit Mission
• Exhibition Goals and Objectives
• Visitor Walk-Aways

20. THE INTERPRETIVE
PLAN 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

21. THE INTERPRETIVE
PLAN 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.

22. CREATE A HIERARCHY
OF INFORMATION
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).

24. DID YOU KNOW?
The maximum average
attention span for a museum
45
visitor is just seconds.
For zoos, it is even less

26. 3-30-3 RULE
 Most visitors will look at a sign for
at least 3 seconds. You’ve got to
grab 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.

27. HELP YOUR VISITORS
AVOID SIGN FATIGUE
 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.

28. HELP YOUR VISITORS
AVOID 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.

29. 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).

30. 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.

31. TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS
Six signs spaced evenly over long rail viewing
area increase readability.

32. TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS
Let the visual reinforce the text.

33. TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS
Script text adds emphasis.

34. TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS
Bullet points make type easier to read.

35. TRY ONE THOUGHT SIGNS
Arrows help comprehension.

36. UNITY: COLOR
Use one color palette throughout an exhibit.

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

38. UNITY: LAYOUT
Keep design elements and placement consistent

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

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

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

42. UNITY: PATTERN
The background pattern hides dust.

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

44. UNITY: PATTERN
The background pattern adds depth.
Historic Jefferson College Trail,
Washington, MS

45. UNITY: PATTERN
Before redesign:

46. UNITY: PATTERN
After redesign:

47. UNITY: ELEMENT

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



48. UNITY: ELEMENT

Vintage postcards helped tell the story.



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

50. INCREASE
READABILITY
Never use all caps
(like this sign) unless
for a short headline.
All caps reduces
comprehension
by 25 percent.
Condensed fonts,
justification, and
tight leading add to
the problem.

51. READABILITY:
FONT PERSONALITY
Avoid strong font personalities except in headlines.
Keep it conservative. Note different color on subheads.
Winterville Mounds, Greenville, MS

52. READABILITY:
FONT PERSONALITY
An Asian exhibit calls for an Asian feel to type.
Memphis Zoo, China Exhibit

53. READABILITY:
FONT PERSONALITY

54. READABILITY:
SERIF OR SANS SERIF?
Ingomar Mounds, Union County Historical Museum, New Albany, MS

56. WHERE TO FIND PHOTOS
AND 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

57. 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”

58. READABILITY:
HOW HIGH UP?

59. READABILITY:
HOW HIGH UP?
If you need to put
text in a low
position, consider
a reader board at
a 45-degree
angle.

60. 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

61. 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

62. 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.

63. 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.

64. HELP YOUR VISITORS
AVOID SIGN FATIGUE
Studies show there are 3 ways:
• Make the exhibits visual
• Make them three dimensional
• Make them interactive

65. MAKE WALLS 3D




66. 3D & INTERACTIVE




67. 3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILE
Add tiny bronze critters to rail of an exhibit. This was one
of several at Philadelphia Zoo that showed the diet of

the animal in the exhibit. Children were given a list and
were told to find the 8 critters hiding in the exhibit.



68. 3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILE
Central High School site mounted a phone
to exhibit to provide emphasis.

69. 3D: MAKE EXHIBIT TACTILE
Heifer Intl. gives visitors opportunities to touch
the items that they tell stories about.

70. 3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS




71. 3D:
USE
SHAPED
SIGNS

72. 3D: USE SHAPED SIGNS

73. 3D: USE
SHAPED
SIGNS

74. 3D: MORE INTERESTING
New London Museum used newspapers on foam
board to let visitors pick them up to read.

75. 3D: SURVIVOR INTERVIEWS
New London Museum posted the typewritten interviews
with survivors in a binder for visitors to read.

76. 3D: COMPARISONS
New London Museum made a simple chart
to show victims by grade.

77. 3D:
COMPARISONS
Heifer used a more
expensive version, but
the 3D effect clearly
gets the message
across.

78. 3D: BACKGROUND PHOTO
The Smithsonian uses wallpaper photos as
background behind artifacts.

79. 3D: FLIP PANELS
The Smithsonian used these flip panels to tell the
story about building materials and earthquakes.

80. 3D: FLIP PANELS
Heifer used flip panels to tell the
story about world hunger.

81. 3D: PUSH BUTTON QUIZ
Central High School site lets visitors push
a button to get answers to a quiz.

82. 3D: INVITE EXPLORATION




83. 3D: USE NATURAL MATERIALS




84. 3D: INTERACTION




85. 3D: INTERACTION




86. INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCREENS
The visitor controls what he wants to learn.
Flexible to change.

87. 3D:
PUTTING
VISITOR
IN ANOTHER
PLACE
Central High
School site
shows a door into
a white school
and a door into a
black school.

88. THE SECRET TO A
SUCCESSFUL EXHIBIT IS…
…within you!
All you have to do is follow the rules.