Giant Galleries vs. Separate Galleries

Quick, which is better:

A. One giant gallery with lots of mini-exhibitions in it

B. Separate galleries, totaling the same size

C. It depends

I used to think A for sure. Then B. Now …

A giant gallery is the only choice if you have something giant: herd of skeletons (Paris), dozen jet planes (Washington DC), submarine (Chicago). 

But sometimes we make a giant gallery for a giant idea. We fill it with unseparated, freestanding mini-galleries, out in the open. Not common, but it happens: Washington, Philadelphia. (I’ve done it.)

The giant idea gallery requires care. Handled badly, you’ll have issues with sound bleed, visitor flow, security and more. If you separately renovate those mini-galleries, you’ll need a way to hide the work while visitors are nearby in that same big room.

Doable? Yes. Just trickier. 

Here’s the thing:
Giant galleries are the only choice for giant things. 

Giant galleries for giant ideas are doable, but take special care.

When in doubt, separate galleries are always a choice worth considering.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
linear media. Media that plays without external influence. Includes films, video clips, soundscape loops. As opposed to non-linear media that is interactive, reactive, or algorithmic. Note: hybrids are common, e.g., an interactive media station where you choose a linear media clip to watch.