One of the most common mistakes we make involves pupils. Not students. The other kind. We all love spaces with light walls. White, or off-white. Light walls brighten a room, reduce artificial lighting, feel safer, seem modern. Sure. But. …

What if we combined immersion, emotion, storytelling — and games? Ed Rodley (Co-Founder and Principal, The Experience Alchemists), joins MtM host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Playful Engagement.” …

Q: Light text on a dark background? Designer gimmick! Museum labels with dark text on a light background are always better! Just look at books! And newspapers! A: Yes, dark text on light is the standard for print media. But museum labels aren’t books. …

Sometimes it seems like the world wants us to make vanilla exhibitions. But … you know what the funny thing is? As soon as we give in, and let things be unoriginal, overstuffed, long-winded, tech for tech’s sake, generic, whatever — guess what happens? …

Got a recent exhibition or experience project that might have a shot at winning an award? If you do — or if you just want to see some great design work — check out the Global Design Awards held by SEGD, the Society for Experiential Graphic Design. …

What’s the “contingency first” trick? It’s an easy way to help projects come in on budget. One of the first things we do in my company when we start a new project is ask: “Is there a contingency already set aside?” And if not …

Can a statue change history? And exactly what is a “forensic sculpture” in a museum? Sculptor Ivan Schwartz (Founder and Director of StudioEIS), joins MtM host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “Sculpting History.”

What is cost control in a cultural project? Cost control is about controlling costs, up or down, in order to achieve your goal. That’s what it is. Here’s what it isn’t: Cost control isn’t … trying to make all the elements in a project equally inexpensive. And it isn’t …

Here are five classic rookie moves. (We’ve all been there. No judging.) 1. Overcrowding Displays: Trying to cram in too many artifacts, images, or text. 2. Missing Narrative Flow: Exhibitions without a clear story can be disjointed and confusing. …

Q: Digital can make anything! VR can take visitors inside ancient temples! Why do we even need real objects anymore? A: Digital is powerful, but it can't replicate the authenticity of a real artifact. They physically connect us to people and moments in the past. …

Q: Museum exhibitions are outdated! People can learn anything online for free! Why should we invest in exhibitions? A: Online’s great. But it can’t replicate the unique presence of a real artifact or artwork. It’s an experience you can’t get online. Ever. …

Are exhibitions an “industry?” Or a “discipline?” Hm. Maybe a “field?” Wait, how about a “profession?” This is a head-scratcher I’ve heard many times, and again just recently (a pattern that frequently triggers MtM articles). Let’s take a look. …

A solitary bench sits in front of a painting. Those few words already suggest the setting must be a museum. But that iconic, solitary bench has detractors. Some understandably say we need far more seating. Some call them an accessibility problem …

How do you make a museum display case disappear? Stéphanie Bilodeau, (Director, Sales and Business Development, Zone Display Cases in Québec City, Canada), joins MtM host Jonathan Alger to reveal the “Secrets of Museum Display Case Design.” …

There are two audience groups that exhibitions should almost never target. At one end of the spectrum: believers, who already get it. They will come regardless. At the other end: skeptics, who refuse to listen. Don’t aim at either. Aim between them. …

I don’t know why it happens. It’s a mystery. Nobody knows why. In every project, no matter how big, whether an exhibition, experience or something else, one thing is for sure. One part will resist having a design chosen until the bitter end. …

All of us at the table in our planning sessions have one thing in common. We’re not our visitors. But sometimes we act like the project is for us. “I know it’s an exhibit about ferns, but I just personally hate green. Can we see a grey option?” …

We all love good copy. But the text isn't why visitors come. Not what they look at. Not what they remember. An exhibition is not a book on a wall. Any visual medium — exhibitions, documentary films — should get developed visually. Visuals first, text later. …

In the real world, we expect a sound to naturally emanate from its source. The happy toot of a baby elephant emanates from a baby elephant. Not the sky, the ground, or a nearby fern. It should work the same in our exhibitions. …

Warning: indiscreet. May cause light-bulb moment and/or outrage, depending. Which of the following two methods is more common for representing costs, in major projects like museums and exhibitions? …