Inspiration for the Visitor Experience
This month, we highlight three articles from MuseumNext®, an organization that provides cutting-edge resources and events for museum professionals around the world.
These articles offer insights into the visitor experience with suggestions for writing great wall labels and infusing play and storytelling as key ingredients.
April Coffee Break Picks
STEPHANIE’S PICK
Who Wants to Read a Book on a Wall?
“Wall labels remain the number one way museums interpret objects in exhibitions. We know a lot about what makes a label great based on research over the last 30 years, yet for the most part, labels haven’t changed much. I still see far too many long, wordy labels that read like a book on a wall. Who wants to read a book while standing up? I appreciated how this article describes what makes for a great label, including the fact that labels should recognize the bodily experience of being in a physical space.”
CATHY’S PICK
Play is for Everyone
“‘Adults are just children who’ve grown older.’ From its opening line, this article by exhibit designer and consultant Margaret Middleton had my attention. It’s full of examples of museums that have dared to embrace playful and often whimsical learning experiences for adults and kids alike. As an adult with a somehow always jam-packed schedule, it made me want to drop everything and go play!”
LINA’S PICK
Storytelling is the Lifeblood of Museums
“Creating experiences that utilize real people, real experiences, and real storytelling is powerful. I enjoyed this blog post that explores how a visitor’s experience can be transformed through the power of storytelling. It made me think of the importance of storytelling as a way of living, and how methods like oral history are integral in forging deep connections with visitors. As we see a shift in the way museums are operating through an attempt to understand the imperialist framework of institutions, embracing all aspects of storytelling can be groundbreaking.”
New on the Learning Hub
What’s New At Kera?
Conferences are starting back up this spring! Amanda is going to the American Educational Research Association conference in Philadelphia, and Hannah is attending the National Art Education Association’s conference in Minneapolis. Say hi to them if you’re attending!
We recently started working on two new projects! We are helping the Science Center of Iowa re-imagine its early childhood area, and we are supporting the American Alliance of Museums as it embarks on a community engagement initiative with the National Park Service.
Cathy is heading to the Fashion Institute of Technology this month for her annual talk with graduate students in the Exhibition and Experience Design program. She will speak with them about how evaluation and user research strengthen exhibition design.
Moment of Wonder
“I expected I might be sharing something from a visit to the Turks and Caicos National Museum and Heritage House in Providenciales, but I got the hours of operation wrong. Oops! But on my walk there and generally exploring the island, my moment of wonder came pondering: Why does it seem like so much construction is happening…but over time seeing it is actually not happening? Cleared lots, buildings with foundations and sometimes first floors but without the intended second floor, roads planned with landscaping started but not finished. It reminded me of the power of observation, curiosity, questioning, cultural expectations, and failure!”
— Amanda
