In our syllabus, one of the project options listed is designing a series of web pages for the Bio Hall. As the handout states, the Bio Hall is in a current state of flux and is about to change dramatically. Instead of just creating a web page for what the new hall will be, what if we were to have a mini-exhibit on-line documenting how we're creating the new exhibit? Not too long from now that space will be closed off, and I know from past experience how frustrating it is to visit an exhibit and discover it's closed. If we can't allow visitors to watch the actual renovation process (although watching me measure mounted birds is a thrilling way to spend an afternoon), perhaps we could at least document it on-line so that they understand not only why it's closed, but what we're doing (and there will be things happening that are much cooler than me and the birds).
The California Academy of Science has done something similar with their Howard St. exhibit (they're currently building a new building, and created an exhibit on how you move collections and create an exhibit: http://www.calacademy.org/aquarium/aquarium_under_construction.php)
and while we probably don't have the space to have a physical exhibit on the renovation the way that we do, we could at least have a virtual one.
This also plays back into the idea of museums being transparent, and letting the public always know what's going on (something I think every museum should strive for).
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6 comments:
I think that's a really good idea. We had a very long (longer than expected) and grueling process of designing new exhibits at Florissant Fossil Beds NM, and I think we could have done a better job of giving people something to look at while things were in flux.
I definitely think people are curious about what goes on behind the scenes, so that would be a great way to communicate some of what's going on.
-Mel
P.S. Thanks for the link to CalAca's site--I've actually been wondering for a while how they're moving the fish!
-Mel
I'm going to say ditto to m's thought - I think it is a great idea and a perfect way to create an online archive for the museum as they move forard with the disinstallation as well as a way to create a bit of buzz about the new installation. I'd love to work with you on the project.
Kate, yes, I had similar thoughts that the web-based exhibit could be a "documentary" of the process of creating the new exhibit. I had actually considered stating it in the syllabus but did not want to prejudge an outcome, and as you know, the actual BioHall renovation dates are still a moving target (IMO).
The dates for the bio hall are still somewhat "flexible" as it were, but there may still be something we could do there. A concern would be what would happen after the course ended (as the Bio Hall rennovation will not have ended)...
I second that emotion. And by emotion I mean proposal. That would be super fun.
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