Assessing an Experimental Exhibition Design Process at the Corning Museum of Glass
Client: Corning Museum of Glass | Location: Corning, NY
On an annual basis, we evaluate the temporary exhibitions for the Corning Museum of Glass, and this year’s evaluation explored not just the visitor experience but the experimental exhibition design process.
OVERVIEW
Beginning in 2018, The Corning Museum of Glass contracted us to evaluate visitors’ experiences in their annual temporary exhibitions. Each exhibition differed in content and theme. The temporary exhibition in 2022 was Past/Present: Expanding the Stories of Glass. The exhibition was experimental. It included multiple curatorial and interpretive perspectives including from community members. It also focused on individual object vignettes under a broad thematic grouping.
APPROACH
We conducted a summative evaluation that addresses both the experimental process and product (the exhibition) to help inform the museum’s future work, particularly in the reinstallation of 35 Centuries of Glass. We conducted interviews with staff and collaborators who worked on the exhibition to explore the process as well as interviews with walk-in visitors after their visit to the exhibition to explore the product.
CLIENT TAKEAWAYS
Visitor interviews indicated that the exhibition was an interesting and thought-provoking experience. Many visitors took away ideas related to the interpretive goal of Past/Present, which was to demonstrate that glass objects accumulate stories from the past, in the present, and into the future, and visitors and community members can be part of their ongoing narratives. For example, visitors talked about storytelling and “personal stories” about the artworks. Visitors also made connections between the artworks and either the past or present, different cultures, or their own lives. This indicated the interpretive approach was successful and one the museum should continue pursuing.
Staff and collaborator interviews indicated the exhibition development process was a positive endeavor for the museum and something that can be iterated for efficacy and authenticity. Staff appreciated the collaborative process, noting positive outcomes such as introducing new voices into the process and promoting creativity in their work. Collaborators from outside CMoG also had generally positive experiences in working with the exhibition. The process introduced some challenges, none of which are insurmountable and can inspire CMoG to be an even more authentically collaborative institution.
