Front-End Study for a Public Health Exhibition at the Brooklyn Historical Society
Client: Brooklyn Historical Society | Location: Brooklyn, NY | Funding: National Endowment for the Humanities
We conducted a front-end study to shape the development of a groundbreaking new exhibition at the Brooklyn Historical Society about how Brooklynites have experienced sickness and health over time.
OVERVIEW
In 2017, we worked with the Brooklyn Historical Society to conduct a front-end study to shape the development of a new exhibition, Taking Care of Brooklyn: Stories of Sickness and Health, which emphasized how sickness is as much a social experience as a biological one—a novel approach for a historical society. The interpretation team had set an ambitious goal of covering 400 years of Brooklyn public health history in the exhibition through 10 key spotlight moments.
Our study happened early in the design process when the museum was determining how to best ensure this interpretive framework would resonate with potential visitors, especially Brooklyn residents.
APPROACH
We led a focus group with a small group of stakeholders including museum members, frequent visitors, Brooklyn residents, and members of the Brooklyn medical community, to discuss and explore:
What resonated most about the proposed exhibition concepts
What potential roadblocks might prevent engagement with the exhibition concept or ideas
How to best frame ideas around public health in Brooklyn through history, and
Which exhibition titles resonated the most, and why
CLIENT TAKEAWAYS
We found that focus group participants were highly interested in learning about sickness and public health in Brooklyn over time, especially through an exhibition that was Brooklyn-focused. While some were initially skeptical whether the museum could cover a rich, nuanced history through such a narrow interpretive lens, learning about the people and objects associated with the key moments in time opened up their minds to new possibilities.
BHS used the results to inform further development of the interpretation. In particular, they revisited their approach to ensure a better balance of stories of illness versus stories of wellness and healing in the exhibition.
