European University Institute Library

Museums and silent objects, designing effective exhibitions, Francesca Monti and Suzanne Keene

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages [275]-287) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Museums and silent objects

handbooksbibliography

792941529

Francesca Monti and Suzanne Keene

designing effective exhibitions

1.Introduction -- 1.1.New Research -- 1.2.Attractive versus Silent Objects -- 1.3.The Basis for Research: Ancient Egypt -- 1.4.The Visitor--Object Encounter -- 1.5.Research Strategy: Who Did What -- 1.6.Theory Domains -- 1.7.The Key Concepts -- 1.8.Research Methods -- 1.9.Ethical Considerations -- 1.10.Structure of the Book -- pt. 1 EXHIBITING OBJECTS - THEORIES AND CONCEPTS -- 2.Architecture and Space Syntax -- 2.1.Architecture and the Visitor Experience -- 2.2.Museum Buildings as Exhibits -- 2.3.Architecture and Social Policies -- 2.4.Space Syntax -- 2.5.Space Syntax: A Key Concept from Architecture -- 3.Design and Design Idioms -- 3.1.Exhibition Design -- 3.2.Design Idioms: A Key Concept from Design -- 4.Cognitive Science, Flow and Beauty -- 4.1.Visual Perception -- 4.2.Affect and Cognition -- 4.3.Visual and Aesthetic Values -- 4.4.Drawing on Multiple Senses -- 4.5.Beauty and Usability --4.6.Beauty and Usability: Key Concepts from Cognitive Science -- 4.7.Flow: A Key Concept from Cognitive Science -- 5.Museum Studies: Object Biographies, Learning Styles, Levels of Interpretation -- 5.1.The Museum and the Object -- 5.2.The Biography of Things: A Key Concept from Museology -- 5.3.Museums as Places for Education and Learning -- 5.4.Personal Learning Styles: A Key Concept from Museology -- 5.5.Levels of Interpretation -- pt. 2 FROM CONCEPTS TO PRACTICE -- 6.Testing the Concepts in Three London Museums -- 6.1.Research Programme -- 6.2.Research Method -- 6.3.The Enlightenment Gallery in the British Museum -- 6.4.Understanding Objects in the British Galleries at the V&A -- 6.5.The Music Room in the Horniman Museum -- 6.6.Applying the Concepts: What We Learned -- 7.Concepts and Comparisons: The Three Galleries -- 7.1.From Architecture: Space Syntax -- 7.2.From Design: Design Idioms -- 7.3.From Cognitive Science: Beauty and Usability --From cognitive science: Flow -- 7.5.Learning Styles -- 7.6.The Key Concepts: A Critical Look -- 7.7.Evaluation Methods: Visitor Interviews -- 7.8.The Concepts as Tools: The Visitor--Object Interaction -- 7.9.Significant Factors in Displaying Objects -- 8.Mummies, Objects, Visitors and Stories at the British Museum -- 8.1.Egyptian Death and Afterlife: Mummies (Room 63) -- 8.2.The Evaluation Programme -- 8.3.Observation of Visitor Interaction -- 8.4.Visitors and the Use of Space -- 8.5.Interviews with Visitors -- 8.6.Assessment of Egyptian Death and Afterlife: Mummies (Room 63) Against Key Concepts -- 8.7.Personal Learning Styles and Object Biographies -- 8.8.Conclusions -- pt. 3 BEYOND THE VISUAL -- 9.Hands on the Past at the British Museum -- 9.1.Aims and Objectives -- 9.2.The Hands On Desks: About the Installations -- 9.3.Research Methods -- 9.4.The Hands On Desks: What We Observed -- 9.5.Analysing the Experience Using the Key Concepts --9.6.The Visitor--Object Interaction -- 9.7.Conclusions -- 9.8.Key Recommendations -- 9.9.Comparison with Other Findings -- 10.Experiments with Sound, Colour and Interaction -- 10.1.Research Objectives -- 10.2.The Settings for the Experiments -- 10.3.The Research -- 10.4.Booklet for the Hieratic Ostracon -- 10.5.Geology Display in the Petrie Museum -- 10.6.Whispering Headrests at the Petrie Museum and the Homiman Museum -- 10.7.Summary -- 11.Sound, Colour and Interaction: What We Learned -- 11.1.Important Display Factors -- 11.2.The Three Interpretations at the Petrie Museum Compared -- 11.3.Findings on Display Techniques -- 11.4.Conclusions: The Visitor--Object Relationship -- 11.5.Summary -- pt. 4 EFFECTIVE EXHIBITIONS -- 12.Harmony in Ancient Egypt -- 12.1.The Gallery -- 12.2.Research Objectives and Questions -- 12.3.Assessment Against Concepts -- 12.4.Assessment: The Video -- 12.5.The Visitors and the Video -- 12.6.Conclusions --13.Reviewing the Findings -- 13.1.The Framework of Theory and Concepts -- 13.2.Evaluation and Experimentation -- 13.3.Findings -- 13.4.Models for Interactions -- 13.5.Stage 1: The Visitor Stops to Look -- 13.6.Stage 2: The Visitor Becomes Aware of the Interest of the Object -- 13.7.Stage 3: The Visitor Investigates the Object -- 13.8.Stage 4: The Visitor Has Had a Rewarding Experience -- 13.9.Summary -- 14.Conclusions: Effective Exhibitions -- 14.1.The Results of the Research Programme -- 14.2.Wider Implications -- 14.3.Practical Solutions -- 14.4.Methodology for a Deeper Understanding of Visitor Experiences -- 14.5.Guiding Principles to Improve Visitor--Object Encounters -- 14.6.Future Directions