“Nonprofit” is short for “nonprofit business”. Harvard, the Smithsonian, and the Met (either one) all have employees, bring in money, pay their bills, and offer things that people want (like, ahem, exhibitions). So does a nonprofit make no profits? The answer might surprise you. …

Most objects in museum collections are photosensitive — they can be harmed by light. To preserve such objects, we can only display them lit dimly. So we have to light galleries dimly too. We end up with a lot of darkness. But why is darkness bad? …

Before the commercialization of electricity in the late 1800s, “parlor tricks” were a popular form of entertainment. Private social gatherings might feature simple sleight of hand with everyday props like cards, cups or hats. But some of the oldest tricks are worth another look. …

Let’s use a projector and make our content huge, on the wall of the lobby! [At night?] No, during the day! [But our lobby is all glass, and we’re in Arizona.] That doesn’t matter! [Our projector can’t compete with the big light bulb in the sky.] What big light bulb? …

Do you have a love/hate relationship with mood boards for exhibition projects? I do. Because if our mood board becomes our design, we are repeating history. Past images are past images. Shouldn’t our job be making something new? …

Last week, in the email “What’s the Purpose of an Exhibition?”, I asked: What is the biggest, most important, highest purpose of every exhibition? Here are some of your replies, very lightly edited for clarity — including one that makes a great wrapup. …

An encyclopedic museum displays every subject in a field. And there are also encyclopedic exhibitions, which display every object in a category. And then there is the third cousin of this family: the encyclopedia exhibition (note the one-letter difference). …

Time for a little audience participation. Don’t worry, it will be simple. First, a little warm-up about the goals of various things people do. The main goal of every sports team playing a game is to …… win the game. The main goal of every class is to …… teach the subject. …

Why is economic planning so vital to any new museum project? What happens if you don’t do it? James Stevens (VP, ConsultEcon, Inc.) joins Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “An Economic Planner’s Advice to Museums”. …

The principle “Bad On YouTube” says that exhibition media should be site-specific and/or special-format. We’ll know it’s good when it’s bad on YouTube. But being “spatially specific” isn’t only about media, it applies to everything. I can think of three levels. …

Our visitors are surrounded by media better-funded than anything we will ever do. In a fair fight, we lose. So make it unfair. Capitalize on what makes exhibition media unique. Because it’s exhibition media. If it doesn’t work well on YouTube, it’s good. …

What is the “humanities gap” — and why is it a huge opportunity for museums? Why can’t everybody be a philanthropist for the day? Michele Y. Smith (CEO, Museum of Popular Culture) joins host Jonathan Alger to talk about “A Guitar That Teaches Civil Rights”. …

Planners plan using floor plans. A floor plan is a great tool. But sometimes even veterans make weird decisions because we’re thinking while looking straight down. Our visitors don’t have a dollhouse-owner-view. They have a doll’s-eye-view. …

Welcome to the trippy art spa. You might not know the name. But you know the formula. It’s a subgenre of immersive art that combines multiple trends into one night out. Giant room with projections covering walls and floor,? Check. ..

We might think a design concept is the first step — but it’s not. What do you need to ask yourself, before you even start? Carolynne Harris (Museum Planner, Carolynne Harris Consulting) joins Jonathan to discuss “The Questions You Have to Ask Before the Project”. …

Ah, the humble Post-it. Classic yellow, light pink, pale blue. A staple of low-budget interactive experiences for a generation, museum teams either love or hate these little squares. I’m a fan. Not because it’s the most novel thing I can come up with. It’s for another reason …

There are two tricks that are so good, they work every time. So good, they work on experts who know the trick. This is one of those. This works even if the budget is low. Even if you just did it last time, or in the same room. Even if the subject doesn’t fit. …

Why is “70/50” the gold standard? Who decided? Does every gallery really need to be 70 degrees? At what cost? Roger Chang (Principal, Buro Happold) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) on Making the Museum, the podcast. …

Q: How many museum-making people does it take to screw in a light bulb? A: Check the responsibility matrix. A responsibility matrix — a chart of which team will do what — is a must for any complex project. Especially when it’s both new construction and a new exhibition. …

Creative contracts call for “three options”. But complex organizations need more than the usual three options to make good decisions. They need plenty of choices to not like. And when you need to hit a balloon in a dark room with a dart, you throw a handful of darts.