There's a lot of buzz about "virtual exhibits," but few museum practitioners agree on the definition of a "virtual exhibit." What makes them different from a website? Or, from a collections database? Do these distinctions even matter? This post is the second in a series on virtual exhibits.
Museums are undergoing a metamorphosis. Historically, museums have been primarily physical spaces. However, in response to the wave of COVID closures, an increasingly large number of museums have been creating virtual exhibits. Unfortunately, most virtual exhibits are not serving visitors.
Chicago Museum Exhibitors Group Meeting on Audience Research In developing her framework for judging exhibitions, Beverly Serrell, one of the founders of the field of audience research, said that she and her colleagues, "went from judging exhibitions, to judging ourselves." When we conduct audience research, we not only determine whether our exhibits are visitor-centered, but... Continue Reading →
An Interview with Exhibit Developer Meredith Whitfield The Field Museum’s T. Rex SUE is a fossil and Twitter personality who has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of museumgoers. In December, the Field opened a new exhibit for SUE, which received rave reviews. To get the inside scoop on this incredible exhibit and to... Continue Reading →
September 2018 has been a perilous month for museums in the Western Hemisphere. A fire destroyed the National Museum of Brazil. Now, Hurricane Florence is threatening the southeastern coast of the United States, including its many museums and historic sites. I am particularly distressed that these disasters were partially caused by human actions. The Brazilian... Continue Reading →
American Perceptionalism 