What’s a raisin muffin mostly made of? Raisins? (Stay with me.) Despite the name, a raisin muffin is mostly not raisins. It’s mostly muffin. Star billing goes to the less common ingredient. So, in exhibitions, the Raisin Muffin Principle states that: ...

A student once asked me, “What percentage of technology should an exhibit be?” I replied, “37%”. When the student wrote this down, I rushed to say I wasn’t serious. I gave the real answer: it depends. It’s not 37%. But I will tell you another number that isn’t it: 100%. ...

Before they come to our experiences, there is one thing our visitors see a lot of: glowing rectangles. They’re everywhere. The sheer number is huge, and growing. In less than one day, it would be totally normal for you to consume information from the following: …

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? …

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. …

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. …

[NEW PODCAST] What’s the secret to success, when a project lasts years longer than planned? How does the subject matter of a project relate to its form? Which is more important: patience, or pushing? (Hint: it’s a trick question.) Give it a listen! …

When we plan our exhibitions and experiences, it’s critical that we take into account the aging speeds of the elements of a project: Elephant, Dog, Gerbil. But things just got faster. AI tech is now in our exhibitions too. What aging speed is that? …

“Black box” — which definition of the term do you use? The general public might say “flight data recorder” or “a computer thing that works mysteriously”. But museum folks and exhibition planners mean something else. I’m asking: what’s your definition? …

“Phygital.” It’s a running joke at MtM, the podcast. It’s a portmanteau, blending the sounds and meanings of “physical” and “digital”. Other portmanteaus seen at MtM: animatronic, edutainment, guesstimate, hazmat, metaverse, starchitect …

What do technologies like the Apple Vision Pro mean for exhibitions and experiences? Neil Redding (Near Futurist and SXSW Speaker) joins host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) to discuss “The Near Future of Experience Design”. …

Have you ever re-watched an old film you once loved for its special effects — only to find it didn't age well? The media and tech industries raise the bar on production values daily. Museums can’t keep up. How can we keep media content fresh longer? …

How can we make digital experiences work for all visitors — whether kids or grandparents? When should you bring in a creative technologist? Why should you aim for the strong verbs? What is “sneaky attract mode”? How do you do paper prototyping? …

Here's a quick win. There are many ways NOT to label a screen in an exhibition: NOT on the wall nearby. NOT above or below the screen. NOT running up the side of it. If the title is visible even when the screen is dark, the visitor will see it. So, why does that matter? …

Every movie has a music soundtrack, or “score”. And every video game. And every Broadway show. And every streaming series, dance performance, cooking show, and circus. So why don’t more of our exhibitions have one? …

How can color have … a temperature? The term means the warmth or coolness of white light from a source, measured in “kelvins”, or “K”. But there’s more than just “warm” or “cool” white. There’s a whole, er, spectrum. …