By J. Park
- Interesting stuff
It goes without saying that interesting artefacts are the first thing on the list of a great museum. Artefacts in museums must be interesting to someone, but having said that, the artefacts on display will naturally be interesting to some people but not others. The goal then is to have at least a few items that have the maximum special “wow” factor and display them with pride of place in the museum. Knowing your audience and what they expect to see in your type of museum is very important. Sometimes just rearranging the artefacts can make a lot of difference. Often, its not what you have in the collection, but the story you tell. Once, a museum had a bucket of melted aluminum, on the face of it, the artefacts had little “WOW” factor, but the story was brilliant, unique and interesting.
- Relatable stuff
The artefacts in the museum should relate to the majority of the expected visitors. The function of the museum is to explain in simple terms how the artefacts displayed relate to the “average” visitor. A spectrum of visitors will visit the museum, and it is often difficult for them to make the connection between the artefacts and their lives. When designing a display, the commonality between the visitor and the artefacts is often overlooked. Because of this omission, the visitor goes away with the feeling that the visit was a waste of time. Designers should constantly ask, “How can we make this display more relatable to our target audience?”
- Tell the visitors a story
The artefacts and signage should tell a variety of stories, but should have an overarching story. Some museums try to hide or play down their point of view. They call this, “interpretive information”. In my opinion, this is rubbish. By putting pen to paper, a point of view is created. Trying to pretend otherwise is disingenuous. The displays should draw the visitor’s attention to the artefact and from the artefact to the story the museum is trying to tell. All artefacts should have a unique place in the overall story of the museum. The story may change over time as more artefacts are collected or displays are changed. The last thing a museum wants is to be is stale and no sense of direction. An evolving story, over time, keeps the museum fresh. Sometimes it is not possible to add or change the displays, but the story can change as easily as changing the signage. A3 sheets in reusable plastic or metal holders is best.
- Have a good flow
The flow of the museum is important because storytelling has a timeline. The flooring should guide the visitor through an Aladdin’s cave of fascinating and interesting displays, with good signage. It is often best to have a path that the visitor can easily follow, from point a to b, then to c and so on until they reach the gift shop and then exit. People like order, and following a predetermined path gives them the confidence that they have passed all the displays and haven’t missed anything. Some museums use arrows, coloured lines, or signage to guide the visitor. Subtle methods are best. Having path flooring of one type and display areas of another, will keep them on the path.
- Create well presented, clean displays, logical signage, demarcation zones and good lighting.
Multiple cleaning Volunteer groups, assigned to different areas, is one way to make sure the museum doesn’t get comments like, “Great display, but needs a good clean.” Dirt on artefacts will damage them. Mould and insects grow where dirt and dust collect. The displays should also be set up in a logical manner. A confused or bored visitor will not come back. Large or tall artefacts placed towards the back, and smaller or shorter items out up towards the front. The signage is the same: large in the back, small signs in the front. The display should somehow be demarcated from the path. Often, museums go overboard and place fences or even plastic walls between visitors and the artefacts. Unless the artefact is extremely valuable or dangerous, demarcation should be kept to a minimum. In most cases, some simple black and yellow tape placed on the ground is enough to stop visitors from leaving the path. Lighting should show the whole artefact, not just spots or sections. Visitors often want to take pictures and share them on social media. It is therefore important to have enough light for photography without a flash. Nothing is worse than getting home from a visit to a great museum and finding out that some of the pictures do not show everything due to bad lighting.
- Minimum 1 hour of visiting time
The typical museum visit should last between one and two hours. After this, children become cranky, older people get tired, and everyone’s interest wanes. A one-hour visit to a good museum is better than three hours of trudging through a great museum. If there are not enough artefacts to fill the hour, time can be stretched with personal stories by guides. Often, these stories are the most memorable part of a museum visit.
- Some interactive displays and guides
Interactive displays should be kept to a minimum. They always break down. The simplest, moving, interactive display will be out of order more than it is working. It is very frustrating for the visitor and museum to have interactive displays that don’t work. It is better if a museum can provide, interesting, animated and engaging guides. These volunteers should have a wide, genuine smile and the gift of the gab, without boring the visitor too much. A wise guide knows when to interject a relevant story and when to leave the visitor to their own devices. Prickly volunteers who want to do all the talking or be the centre of attention should be encouraged to do something else in the museum.
- Live in a relevant location
A museum that is relevant to the community, in which it lives, will have a better chance of success than one that isn’t. Often, a private museum will be the lovechild of one person, and the museum’s location will be where they live. If the museum is only relevant to a specific group and is not physically close to that group, then it will receive very few visitors. Like real estate, with museums, it’s “location, location, location.” Don’t compromise, just because the rent is cheap.
- The Microsoft Word method of telling a story
The “Microsoft Word Method” is a way of getting information across to the visitor in a manner that fits the visitor’s desires. In using the software package “Word”, some people just want to write a letter and are not interested in the details or features of the software. In the museum, some visitors just want to walk by the displays and read the headlines. Again, some people want to dig a little deeper into the software features. Visitors sometimes want a bit more than headlines, so we add more detail, typically in a smaller fonted sign. There will always be that one visitor who wants even more information about an artefact, so we provide a path to the details. A QR code that points to your website with artefact details or to a relevant Wikipedia website is always good.
- Engage a wide variety of age groups and genders and be Inclusive
It is important to target different displays in the museum at different types of visitors. A museum that panders to just children becomes a playground. One that caters to just adults, becomes a library, and one that builds displays for only one group becomes irrelevant to everyone else. Safe spaces for mothers, very small children, and babies; places for older people to sit; a good coffee machine and some nibbles are all very important items in order to make the museum experience an enjoyable one.
- A Research library
A research library is often the most underutilised part of a museum. These days, a lot of museums are increasing their library usage by placing as much information as possible online. Books, photographs, and videos are all needed by schools, students, and social media. The research library is also a vast treasure trove for the museum’s website. It is good to find that pedantic volunteer who will spend days cataloguing and photocopying books.
- Workshops
Workshops are often the heart of the museum. This is where the artefacts get restored, displays get built, and things get fixed. A workshop should have a good supervisor to keep things in order. The workshop should be well stocked and have a variety of tools. It is an important asset for any museum. Volunteers will often bring in their own items to be fixed or built; this is ok as long as it doesn’t get out of control. Space in every museum is limited, and workshops are usually small and full of junk. A large, well-appointed workshop with lots of storage space is a joy to behold.
- A full complement of toilets
It is important to have a sufficient number of varying types of toilets. In most places, there are rules that determine the number and types of toilets in publicly attended venues. Toilets are often overlooked when acquiring a building to house a museum. This can be an expensive and troublesome omission if the facilities are not up to scratch.
- Special Tours and very special tours
Special tours can be a real money spinner for the museum. It is important to find an interactive display that can accommodate a multitude of visitors without damaging the artefacts. It should be interesting for a wide variety of special groups of visitors. The tours should last at least an hour and be guided by volunteers who can own the tour. Tours can be held when the museum is closed if it is financially viable. Special groups are often very rewarding in many ways. Children attending museums after hours often return with their parents in the near future. When inviting groups, make sure they know there is a gift shop, so they can bring pocket money.
- Good opening hours
Ideally, the museum should be open seven days a week, except for one or two important local holidays. Most museums are open from 10am till 4pm every day. This seems to be an industry standard. It may be different in your area. Consistency in opening hours is the key, although, even with a huge sign over the entrance that says the museum is open 7 days a week, you will still get people asking if you are open on Saturdays.
- A well-stocked gift shop, coffee, food, ice cream and no movies
In order to cater to the full spectrum of visitors’ desires and expectations, the museum should have a well-stocked and accessible gift shop. In most museums, the visitor has to exit the building through the gift shop. This is fine, but a path should be made for those, who are just coming in to purchase a gift or souvenir. If coffee is provided, it should be good coffee and not sand out of a jar. Simple finger foods and ice cream are always good money spinners, but make sure none make their way into the museum. Movies played in a museum often sounds like a good idea. Rarely are they use or effective. Visitors rarely watch them and they take up a lot of space. A small theater (under 12 people) is ok if the videos are short and interesting.
- Outward and inward-looking volunteers
Always remember, the volunteers at the front desk are looking out into the world, and the maintenance crew is looking in. Volunteers have a wide variety of life experiences and can often carry emotional baggage, but they are the lifeblood of every museum. It is important that every volunteer feels they are doing a good job and are an important part of the whole museum team. Government museums often have issues because some staff get paid a lot of money and volunteers don’t.
- A complete experience
The museum visit should be a complete experience for everyone, who comes through the door, but this rarely happens. A well-run and properly displayed museum will increase the odds of a great visitor experience. From the moment the visitor walks in, they should feel like they have been transported into a different world. This is why most museums have their best artefacts near the entrance. The “wow factor” cannot be underestimated. When a visitor arrives at the front of the museum, they often wonder if their experience is going to be worth their time and money. It is important to have signage outside the museum that gives the visitor a taste of what is inside. With the cost of TV monitors being low, some museums are using them as digital windows to let the arriving visitor “see” what is in the museum. The welcome desk is their first point of contact and should be as welcoming as possible. The museum should be easy and fun to traverse, with clear signage and demarcation zones. The museum should be clean and bright, with logical and interesting displays. A few interactive displays and places to stop and sit are always good.
At the end of the visit, the visitors should be surprised at all the souvenirs and gifts on offer. A visitor book by the exit should be available. This is where they tell you how “Wonderful and Amasing the Museum is” and how they will return soon when they have more time.
- Have Fun
Enough said.