Changing Exhibits Dilemma : Wed 10 -12

This was a good one!

Presenters:

Justine Roberts– Children’s Museum New Hampshire
Jennifer Farrington – Chicago Children’s Museum
Louise Belmont Skinner – Chicago Children’s Museum
Debbie Gilpin – Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Penny Lodge - Pittsberg

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Premise:
Keep visitor experience fresh – need change. Traveling exhibitions? In house? Use space in untraditional ways? Partner/ collaborate?
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Synopsis: Good program! All the museums gave their two cents about how to handle changing exhibits - basically do it! Either get a new exhibit -pay, borrow, or create a flexible platform.

Justine gave a full on review of her own museum - problems, what worked, where she wanted to be, and what was best for children's museums. Very inspiring. Directly after her was Phoenix, who dug her heels in and said no change. However, she touted the importance of the visitor bringing their own experience so it would be different - and creating exhibits to be open ended so that the visitor could make it different if they wanted.

Hilarious - Muze in San Fransisco has a board member that works for Lucas and they did a Star Wars day at their museum! They teamed up with the 501st - but because of the board member they got digital rights and were able to create media files, get photos, and publicity through Lucas. I still think ours is better!

Bottom line - build exhibits to be flexible. Plan on change. You can rotate and bring things back. Let the visitors guide the change - what are they responding too and how can it be tied back into the community locally and make a mark.

Best ideas - New Hampshire: visitors all working on a loom exhibit, the finished blankets sold in gift store, San Francisco: Digital family exhibit where they create media, Chicago: DIY Toy workshop, Everyone - works with community artists for displays, art exhibits, and floor pieces
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Full Notes:
Louise Belmont Skinner – VP Exhibits & Design
Open 30 years (2012), Navy Pier (#1 tourist attraction)
Been with museum 20 years, same capacity. Dilemma of changing exhibits for 20
years. Have used WYMACK – museum collaborative, Freeman – Asian exhibit cooperative (financial support), and inhouse exhibits to handle dilemma of change.

Louise dislikes any character traveling exhbits. All exhibits should relate back to museum, mission.

"Block Party Theme" - local to Chicago - (flexible platform allowing for change)
Stage, painting (prop) area, authentic food making props (wood and cloth), reflect diversity of culture (hot dog, wok).

“Forts” – building (universal pursuit of kids) – use sheet to connect chairs, beds, etc. Sheet fort. Staff intensive to clean up. Lots of loose parts. Boys and girls like. All ages use.

“Mexico festival of Toys” – artifact based exhibit (neat but difficult to engage children – supplemented with “DIY toy workshop”. DIY workshop - highly recommended, chairs, tables, well thought out collection of materials. Created rainbow climbing hill and tunnel in large public space. 1500 changing exhibit space. Create own miniature environment.

“Move” – purchased Snug building pieces – design couple from England (environmental playscape). Bringing back and adding a climb componenet. James Jolley now passed away). 100’s of designs with tires (no licensce). Use his work as a start.

Penny Lodge - Director Exhibits Pittsberg

Expanded 2004, created 2,000 sq. ft. traveling exhibit space. “Changing gallery Space” Multiple activities needed in big space. Develop own temporary exhibit space (3 to 6 months) – trading or borrowing with other museums. Artist residency program – work with artists.

“Circus for social change” – exhibit inspired by theatrical performer, performer went to gulf coast after Katrina, program by Ben Sota. Let them try circus activities, used pictures, and his experiences for content.

Pittsberg Yinz Play – Worked with community partners Primanti Sandwiches, built grill, flat chicken (like flat Stanley – take him on visits)

Silly faces – Artist Amanda – photo booth – 5 minutes silly face

Whoosh – 6 months, old plane,spent a lot of time (fabricator – 2 months), whirlwind room, repackaged good ideas, bubble table lit from underneath

Tough Art – 4 artists, prototype pieces on floor, 3 interactive art pieces 3 to 6 months, drum machine, builds up museum problem solving skills

Formed relationship with San Diego, traded “jumpy” only 3 weeks, public liked surprise

Theater space with props for summer – internet sold theatrical rights for the show

Justine Roberts – Children’s Museum New Hampshire

No traveling exhibit gallery, no change, museum only been here for 3 years. Everyone tired, why change! How do we use change to solve problems, what are we trying to accomplish? Encourage repeat attendance (deepens impact for kids), increase complexity, challenge, scale complexity, be good community partners, ongoing .

Change in museum wide problem. Dino dig, read corner, Large pinscreen, hands on river exhibit. Museum combines art, science, culture. Broad range learning style, music styles, engineering, design, test, redesign – not just role play. Gear exhibit, art room. Coat room (whimsy, playful), old mill town. Stage setters. Gallery in center deisplays arts and crafts from around the region.

Artists – lead workshops create art
Music workshops –
Brain ball, research sub – hardened cannot remove.
Missed opportunity (tree, art on trolley wall)
Kids café – themed menus (push boundaries, give visitors control)
All same creative community – kids art should be on wall too. Over structured visitor experience - visitor should lead.
Exhibits they have -
Redesign river system each time
Gear system – solve in a new way each time.
Loom, visitor makes blanket, museum sells in store (small contribution)

Redefine finished in museum – let things be unfinished
Empower train and support staff to drive train
Albaquerque and Science North show this * models , look to them
Put visitors first allow to be educators
Adapt to availability of materials
Talk about experiences not exhibits!
Should have a vistor experience department (also exhibits, also visitor experiences)
Internet for visitor experience

Debbie Gilpin – Phoenix
No changing exhibits, will never do changing exhibits (came from Acton, Mass) (Science center in Phoenix)

Thinks no change is good. The visitor will bring own change. Focus age 0-10 (pressure to bring age up) Phoenix avg. age 2 years younger. 0-3, 0-5 is main focus. Teach staff early childhood development, social development, staff talks to visitor about how parents do this at home.

Used CDs, 500 cds with the community wishes on their cd, part of something
Used shoes – baby room no shoes – has big shoe wall display
Everyone has a gift – talk to staff about gift (storyteller, jewelry maker)
Display

Make an investment in staff in what to learn, propaganda how important children are

Younger child oriented – stay focused

Café – don’t say pizza, the kids can decide to make change, free formed open choice work

Stage conversations, no signs in museum, let children solve own gear problem

Phoenix had fresh thinking – only 3 had worked in a children’s museum

Change themes – always clean and fresh, can be same thing

Irina Zadov – ZEUM San Francisco Children’s Museum – Director of Visitor Experience

No traveling exhibitions. Zeum 13 years old. Nurture 21st century skills, hand on
Clay animation, digital art station, music, all about creating content, young people tell stories

From direction to discovery
No signs – child driven
Teach media literacy – produce content
Process over product

Corporate partnerships – Board member licensing at Lucas Film, cost of developing exhibit that represents their brand. Not exhibit, experience. Showcase third season. Licensing fees, marketing push on their site.All hands on deck. 2 ½ exhibit staff. Used stills, audio files etc. Costume characters 501st, Obe sean – light saber training, Large visitor turn out, powerful for morale,

Institutional partners – MIT Lifelong kindergarten (Eric Rosebaum) Glowdoodle (?) fun videos – camera tracks light – open source. 6 months to a year in space.

Z-Dance – john Crawford UC Irvine professor, green screen camera tracking exhibit, no technical issues, inexpensive, family use exhibit

Community Artist program –
Spotlight on youth partnership – display spiral staircase
Teens document digital photography