Ideas for Giving Thanks in your Museum

This is the time of year in the U.S. when we celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday meant to remind us of the people and things in our lives for which we are thankful.  Despite the turmoil in the world, I am thankful for my family, my work, and the friends I share my life with.

I'm also very thankful for ExhibiTricks Readers and Subscribers!  I really appreciate all of you who read this blog each and every week.  If you ever have ideas or suggestions for ExhibiTricks, feel free to contact me.

And now, without further ado, here is one of my favorite posts about ways of thanking our donors, community supporters, and stakeholders:

Many Ways To Say Thanks

Most donor recognition installations in museums are really ways to say thanks.  And who could argue with that?

But you can thank someone with the equivalent of a cheap mass-produced card you grabbed on your way home, or with the donor recognition version of a homemade loaf of bread accompanied by a carefully chosen book inscribed to the recipient.

In the past, I've asked museum folks for images of interesting and thoughtful examples of donor recognition.  I received an avalanche of images --- many more than I'll include in this post, so I've gathered all the images that I've received into a free PDF available for download from the POW! website.

Just click on the "Free Exhibit Resources" link near the center-top of any page on the website, and you'll see an entire collection of free goodies, including the newly added link called "Donor Recognition Examples."  Once you click on the link you'll get the PDF of images. (Be patient --- it's a BIG file.)

So what sorts of images and examples of donor recognition did I receive?  They fell into several larger categories, namely:

• Frames and Plaques

• Walls and Floors

• Genre Specific

• Mechanical/Interactive

• Interesting Materials

• Digital Donor Devices

So let's take each of the six categories and show a few examples of each.


FRAMES and PLAQUES

I'm sure you've seen lots of bad examples of this donor recognition approach, but there is a lot to be said for the simplicity (and creative twists!) that can be employed using this technique.

The image at the top of this post is a nice example of "helping hands" (but still essentially plaques) in this category from the Chicago Children's Museum.

I like the use of colors and the physical arrangements in the following two examples. The first pair of images comes from the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (with bonus colored shadows!)

The next is a set of back-lit elements designed by Skolnick A+D Partnership for the Children's Museum of Virginia --- The entire unit is essentially one big lightbox!

Light is also used as a strong element in the image below from Macalester College.  The folks from Blasted Art used Rosco's Lite Pad product to create the glowing text.

Lastly, I like this simple example from the MonDak Heritage Center.  Just frames, but it does the job nicely.

WALLS and FLOORS

Sometimes donor recognition wants to be BIG, in an architectural sense, so interior or exterior walls are used  --- and sometimes even floors!

Here are two exterior wall examples that stood out.  The first from the Creative Discovery Museum

 

And the second from the Oakland Museum.  They are both colorful and animate nicely what would otherwise be a big blank wall.

 Here's a nice interior wall from Discovery Gateway, in Salt Lake City

 

Each of the pieces is back-laminated graphics on acrylic.  (Here's a detail.)

Of course, even the best-laid donor recognition plans can get circumvented by operational issues!

 

And lastly, here's a floor example from The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History.  It's the Periodic Table with donors in each element.

GENRE SPECIFIC

Several people sent examples of genre-specific donor recognition designs.  A popular motif is to use collections of objects or images, especially in Natural History Museums.

Here is the Specimen Wall from the California Academy of Sciences.  It's an elegant, low-tech solution featuring specimen reproductions encased in laminated glass. The wall was conceived by Kit Hinrichs and realized in collaboration with Kate Keating Associates, with fabrication by Martinelli Environmental Graphics and glass by Ostrom Glassworks.

Here's a clever use of old school tabletop jukeboxes to recognize donors to the radio station WXPN, put together by Metcalfe Architecture & Design in Philadelphia.

MECHANICAL / INTERACTIVE

Just as interactive exhibits are fun and memorable, donor recognition can be, too!

Gears are a popular motif in this regard.  The first image (Grateful Gears) is from an installation at the Kentucky Science Center, while the second is from the Madison Children's Museum.

INTERESTING MATERIALS

Sometimes, the design element that gets people to stop and actually read the donor names is the unusual materials that the donor recognition piece is made of. If the materials relate to the institution itself, so much the better!


This first image comes from the San Francisco Food Bank

The next is from the Museum Center at 5ive Points, in Cleveland, Tennessee, which has a strong history of copper mining.  So this intricate donor recognition piece is made from copper!

I love this clever use of miniature doors and windows at the Kohl Children's Museum.  You can open doors and windows to reveal additional information about donors.

The last entry from this section is the truly striking three-dimensional "Donor Tree" from the Eureka Children's Museum in the UK.

DIGITAL DONOR DEVICES

As with all museum installations, digital technology plays an increasing role --- even in Donor Devices.

One unit that stood out was this digital donor recognition device at the National Historic Trails Center that solicits donations in real time and displays digital "rocks" on the rock wall screen, in different sizes—depending on the size of your donation, of course!  A really neat idea that beats a dusty old donation box,  hands down.

As I mentioned earlier, these images are really the tip of the iceberg.  Please check out the entire PDF of all the images I received by heading to the "Free Exhibit Resources" section of my website.

Also, if you have some other really good examples of donor recognition installations or devices, feel free to contact me, and I can share them in future ExhibiTricks posts.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and ad-free by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar." 

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

The Sound of "Depth Over Dazzle"

Let's talk about that fancy VR headset gathering dust in your exhibit storage closet. You know the one. It was supposed to revolutionize visitor engagement. It cost more than your annual supplies budget. And now? It's serving as a very expensive doorstop because nobody could figure out how to actually integrate it into the story you were trying to tell.

The siren song of "cutting-edge" tech is hard to resist. But something interesting is happening in the museum world, and it's actually making me optimistic about the future of immersive experiences.

The Shift 

Museums are pivoting toward what Experience Designers are calling "depth over dazzle." Immersive environments that blend scenography with smart interpretive strategy, actually delivering on learning goals rather than just entertaining. Exhibit makers are shifting toward intentional technology—solutions that enhance the story rather than becoming the story themselves.

This isn't just some pie-in-the-sky theoretical framework. This shift is happening, and the results are genuinely exciting.

When Sound Tells the Story Better Than Pixels

Take the V&A's DIVA exhibition (which ran through April 2024). Instead of plastering walls with touchscreens or forcing visitors to juggle tablets, the V&A handed out wireless headsets that delivered a completely hands-free sonic experience.

As visitors explored costumes worn by everyone from Maria Callas to Beyoncé, the audio triggered automatically based on their location. Gareth Fry's sound design used 3D spatial audio. So you'd hear Aretha Franklin's voice seemingly emanating from her actual costume, or feel surrounded by the orchestra that Judy Garland would have experienced on stage.

The tech (tonwelt's supraGuide SPHERIC system with ambisonics and 360-degree surround sound) was sophisticated, but visitors didn't experience it as "technology."  They experienced it as being there.

.

That's intentional technology.

Shipshape Tech at The Cutty Sark 

Another great example of "intentional tech" is the Cutty Sark Soundscape at Royal Museums Greenwich.

Instead of animated AR pirates or touchscreen ship schematics, the Greenwich team created an immersive ASMR-style audio experience. Visitors choose wind conditions (from light air to near-gale) and hear what the 150-year-old tea clipper would have actually sounded like: creaking wood, waves, wind in the rigging, and tea chests being loaded in the hold.

The technology enabling this (Bluetooth beacons triggering location-aware audio through the Smartify app on visitors' own phones) disappears into the background. What stays with visitors is the visceral understanding of what it felt like to sail this ship.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with visitors reporting they felt like they were "stepping back in time." One visitor said, "The sounds made the ship's history come alive in a way I never expected."

Why This Matters (Beyond My Personal Pet Peeves)

This "depth over dazzle" approach counters the exhausting "tech for tech's sake" treadmill that's been burning out museum professionals and confusing visitors for years.

How many times have you:

• Implemented a "must-have" tech solution that was obsolete in 18 months?

• Watched visitors skip past your expensive interactive to read a simple, well-written label?

• Spent weeks troubleshooting tech problems instead of refining your interpretive message?

• Justified a technology purchase to board members based on the wow factor rather than learning outcomes?

Instead, the "depth over dazzle" approach says:

Stop. What's the story? What do visitors need to understand, feel, or experience?  What's the right tool to make that happen?

Sometimes that tool is sophisticated spatial audio. Sometimes it's a well-placed bench and a thoughtful label. 

Your Takeaway Questions

If you're planning your next exhibition right now, here's my challenge: Before you say yes to any piece of technology, ask these questions:

1. What's the core experience we're trying to create? (Not: what cool tech have we seen lately?)

2. Does this technology serve the story, or is it the story? (If visitors remember the tech instead of the content, you've failed.)

3. Will this still make sense in 5 years? (Or will it be another dust-gathering VR headset?)

4. Can visitors engage without instructions? (If you need signage explaining how to use your interactive, it's too complicated.)

The sweet spot is when technology becomes so well-integrated that visitors stop thinking about it as technology. They're just having an experience. They're just learning. They're just feeling something.

And that's what depth over dazzle really means. 

What's your experience with intentional vs. dazzle-focused tech? Have you found the sweet spot in your own exhibits? Let's talk about it in the Comments Section below.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Quick Exhibit Inspiration: Playing with Toys!

You know that feeling: you’re staring at a blank whiteboard, the exhibit deadline is looming, and all your ideas feel… well, *flat*. You can’t nail that spark of pure, unadulterated fun.

Here’s an old ExhibiTrick: Your best interactive inspiration is probably sitting in a toy box or toy store nearby.

Toys are the OG interactive experiences. They've been perfected over decades to deliver maximum engagement with minimal instruction. We spend countless hours designing the perfect interpretive panel, when the real genius lies in the effortless appeal of a simple mechanism.

The Toy-to-Exhibit Translation

Let's break down the process of transforming a beloved toy into an engaging museum exhibit concept. We'll pick a classic and walk through the steps.

Imagine you're brainstorming for an exhibit on decision-making, probability, or even historical predictions and prophecy. 

What toy immediately springs to mind as a fun, accessible entry point? The Magic 8-Ball!

Here's how we might take it from a novelty toy to a compelling interactive:

Step 1: Deconstruct the Toy --- What Makes it Fun?

First, we ignore the "magic" and look at the mechanics and psychological hooks.

The Action: Shaking it, turning it over.

The Reveal: A mysterious answer floats into view.

The Outcome: Usually vague, sometimes humorous, occasionally eerily accurate.

The Interaction: It's a personal question, a personal answer.

The Core Appeal: Seeking guidance, the thrill of the unknown, lighthearted "fortune-telling."

Key Takeaways for an Exhibit: We want to replicate the physical interaction, the mysterious reveal, and the element of seeking an answer, even if the answer is just for fun or discussion.

Step 2: Identify the Learning Objective - What's the Exhibit About?

Okay, it's fun, but what does it teach or explore? Given our initial brainstorming:

Decision-Making: How do we make choices? Do we rely on gut feelings, data, or external advice?

Probability: What are the chances of a specific answer appearing? How many possible answers are there?

Historical Context: How have humans sought answers to the unknown throughout history (oracles, crystal balls, tarot)?

Critical Thinking: How do we interpret ambiguous answers? Do we believe them?

Let's focus on Decision-Making and the role of "chance" versus "choice."

Step 3: Brainstorm Exhibit Concepts - How can we re-imagine it?

Now for the creative leap! How can we make a giant, interactive 8-Ball that explores decision-making?

Initial Idea: Just a big Magic 8-Ball that gives you silly advice. (Too simple, not enough learning.)

Better Idea: A giant 8-Ball that poses a real dilemma and gives you an answer, prompting reflection.

Even Better Idea: "The Decision Sphere"

Physical Form: A large, walk-up spherical console, perhaps translucent, with an internal mechanism.

The "Question": Visitors are prompted to think of a simple yes/no personal dilemma (e.g., "Should I try something new today?", "Is it time for a snack?"). We keep it light to encourage participation.

The "Shake": A robust lever or spinning wheel that visitors physically interact with, mimicking the 8-Ball's shake. This activates the exhibit.

The "Reveal": Instead of one answer, maybe multiple possible answers float up (or are projected onto the sphere's interior) for a moment before one settles into a clear viewing window.

The "Answer": The answer isn't a simple "Yes" or "No." It's a thought-provoking statement related to decision-making, like:

"Consider your options carefully."

"Sometimes the best choice is the one you make yourself."

"Seek more information before deciding."

"Go with your gut instinct today."

The Prompt: After the answer, a small screen or graphic panel encourages reflection: "Does this answer surprise you?", "What factors really influence your decisions?" Or even: "Compare your answer to what others received today!"

This concept maintains the fun, mysterious interaction of the original toy but pivots it towards a deeper, more reflective learning experience about how we approach choices. It's no longer about getting the answer, but about thinking about how you get to an answer.

Step 4: Refine and Implement - Adding Layers

To make "The Decision Sphere" even better:

Data Visualization: A side screen could show a real-time tally of how often each "answer" appears throughout the day, illustrating probability in action.

Historical Echoes: Panels around the exhibit could feature images and brief descriptions of historical methods of fortune-telling or decision-making (runes, tea leaves, augury).

Sound Design: A satisfying "whir" and "plunk" when the answer appears.

Theming: A subtle, slightly mystical but still playful aesthetic.

By following these steps, we take a simple toy, strip it down to its engaging core, connect it to a learning objective, and build an exhibit that's both fun and thought-provoking.

So, next time you're stuck, step away from the design software and go grab a toy. For "research," of course!

All signs say, "Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts!" 

It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

More Museum Conversations on the POW! YouTube Channel!

Over the past few years, I've been fortunate to chat with museum professionals from all over the world on my POW! YouTube channel.

Click on over to YouTube to find videos about topics such as "The Definition of Done" with Christian Greer and "Protototyping (With A Twist!)" with Adriana Magni.

There is a growing library of over 100 videos to choose from, so why not browse the POW! YouTube channel and discover the latest conversations with museum colleagues?  And if you have recommendations for people I can bring to YouTube (maybe even yourself?) please let me know!

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Quick Museum/Exhibit/Design Inspiration: OpenWebcamDB

OpenWebcamDB is a fun website that gathers and coordinates hundreds of connections to open/public live webcams worldwide.

Whether you are watching pandas frolic on the iPanda feed from China or getting hypnotized by the ballet of mechanical movements of robotic containers in a shipping warehouse, OpenWebcamDB can inspire your next program, exhibition, or even artwork!

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

The Solo Exhibit Designer's Survival Guide

Let's set the scene: You're the "exhibit team." Not part of the team—you ARE the team. Content research, design concept, fabrication planning, vendor coordination, installation supervision, and probably writing the press release, too. Your business cards should just say "Department of Everything."

Sound familiar? Welcome to the reality of small museums, where "we need a new exhibit" translates to "you need a new exhibit and also figure out how to make it happen with whatever budget is left after we fix the roof leak."

Before you update your LinkedIn status to "seeking opportunities in retail management," take a breath. Some of the most innovative, engaging exhibits I've seen (like the ones pictured in this post) came from solo designers who learned to work smarter instead of just working harder.

Tools and Tips for (Solo) Designers

The Master Project Timeline (Your North Star)

Create a single document that outlines everything: content deadlines, design milestones, fabrication schedules, and installation tasks. Update it regularly. When you're overwhelmed, this document tells you what actually needs attention today versus what just feels urgent.

Pro tip: Work backward from opening day, not forward from today. Identify the absolute drop-dead dates and build your schedule around those.

The "Good Enough" Decision Framework

Not every decision needs to be perfect. Develop categories:

• Mission critical: Affects visitor safety or core learning objectives.

• Important: Significantly impacts visitor experience.

• Nice to have: Makes things better but isn't essential.

Spend 80% of your energy on mission-critical items.

The Vendor Relationship Strategy

You can't do everything yourself, but you can coordinate people who are experts in their fields.

Build relationships with:

• Fabricators who understand museums: They know the durability requirements and budget realities.

• Graphic designers who work fast: They can make your content look professional without endless revisions.

• Installation crews who problem-solve: They'll help you figure out what you didn't think of.

Cheap contractors who cause stress aren't actually cheap.

• The Weekly Reality Check

Every Friday, ask yourself: "What's actually broken versus what just isn't perfect?" Focus your weekend worries on things that could prevent opening or harm visitors. Everything else can wait until Monday.

• The "Close Enough" Celebration

When something is 85% of what you envisioned and is fully functional, celebrate that as a win. Perfect is often the enemy of good enough to open.

• The Emergency Backup Plan

Always have a simple, low-cost fallback option for your most complex elements. If the interactive touchscreen system fails, what's the analog backup that still serves visitors?

When You're Behind Schedule:

1. Identify what can be simplified without losing impact.

2. Move non-essential elements to "Phase 2" (after opening.)

3. Call in favors from your vendor network.

4. Remember: opening with 80% of your vision is better than not opening at all.

When You're Over Budget:

1. Cut features, don't cut quality on what remains.

2. Look for materials substitutions that maintain the visitor experience.

3. Consider phased installation—core exhibit now, enhancements later.

4. Get creative with partnerships and donated services.

When You're Overwhelmed:

1. Go back to your "one paragraph" success definition.

2. Focus on mission-critical items only.

3. Ask for help with specific, defined tasks.

4. Remember why you're doing this work in the first place.

The Long Game

Solo exhibit design is a marathon, not a sprint. Build systems and relationships that make the next project easier. Document what worked and what didn't. Create templates and checklists that reduce decision fatigue.

Most importantly, remember that being the entire team means you get to see your vision through from concept to completion. That's amazing, even when it's exhausting.

You don't have to be perfect at everything. You just have to be good enough at everything to create something meaningful for your visitors.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

How Do You Design One Space That Works for All Ages?

Here's a question that keeps exhibit designers up at night: How do you create a single museum experience that genuinely engages a curious five-year-old, their design-savvy parent, and their retired grandparent—all at the same time, without patronizing any of them?

The answer isn't "dumb it down for kids" or "add a separate kids' corner." The secret lies in designing exhibits with multiple entry points and layers of complexity that visitors of any age can explore based on their interests, abilities, and prior knowledge.

Think of it like a great Pixar movie. There are jokes for the kids and cultural references for the adults. Nobody feels left out, and everyone leaves satisfied. 

Let's explore how to replicate this same trick in physical exhibit spaces with a few concrete strategies, as well as some “Do’s and Don’ts.”

Strategy #1: Use Real Materials and Authentic Complexity

Don't use toy versions of real tools. Don't oversimplify because "kids won't get it." Children smell condescension a mile away, and adults resent being treated like children.

Instead, use professional-grade materials with appropriate safety measures. Real woodworking tools. Actual scientific equipment. Genuine art supplies. The challenge scales naturally—a beginner and an expert can both work with real materials, and both will be appropriately challenged.

Strategy #2: Open-Ended Creation Without "Right Answers"

Design and making spaces where the goal is creation, not completion. Digital design tools, art studios, building zones—anywhere the question is "what do you want to make?" rather than "can you solve this?"

This works because:

• No "right answer" exists—a child's creation is as valid as an adult's.

• Aesthetic appreciation transcends age.

• Multiple roles emerge naturally—one person creates while another offers ideas.

 

Strategy #3: Provide Multiple Paths to the Same Insight

Don't assume everyone learns the same way. Instead, build in options:

• Hands-on manipulation for kinesthetic learners

• Data visualization for analytical thinkers

• Personal stories for emotional connectors

• Clear explanatory text for readers

• Video or audio for those who prefer multimedia

A ten-year-old might gravitate to hands-on components while their parent connects with data. Both reach understanding through their preferred door.

Some Do's and Don'ts

DON'T:

• Use baby talk or condescending language 

• Create "dumbed down" labels that insult adult intelligence

• Assume physical limitations based on age

• Make one age group the "helper" and another the "learner"

• Use toy versions of real tools or fake materials

• Create separate "kids sections" and "adult sections"

DO:

• Use clear, direct language that respects intelligence at any age

• Design for sitting, standing, and wheelchair users simultaneously

• Create sight lines that work for different heights without segregating

• Make the first action obvious, but deeper exploration optional

• Test with real intergenerational groups, not age-segregated focus groups

 

The best intergenerational exhibit design isn't about compromise—it's about richness. When you design with genuine depth, multiple modalities, and respect for every visitor's intelligence, remarkable things can happen. 

A three-year-old and a 73-year-old can stand side by side, both fully engaged, both learning, both having their unique experience validated. That's not just good design—that's what museums are supposed to do.

 

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

The Room(s) Where It Happened ...

Here's something that museums can give you that Artificial Intelligence or Virtual Reality can't touch -- the literal "room where it happened."

As someone who was born and raised in Detroit, it was incredibly powerful to stand inside "Studio A" at the Motown Museum, where amazing musicians like Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and Marvin Gaye created their hits.

There's something interesting in visiting a place and feeling, if not exactly the "ghosts" of the past, at least the "spirit" of the people who passed that way before you.  I have felt that way while visiting Graceland and the Mark Twain House, as well as in very particular outdoor locations, such as the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts.  There was something very evocative in all of those spots  --- almost as if each one of those spaces had a "personality."

One of the best things I've ever heard said about the original Exploratorium was that it felt like you'd walked into Frank Oppenheimer's workshop after he just stepped outside for a minute.  The feeling that real people, with real interests and foibles, have created something for you to experience is one of the most powerful, and most authentic, of museum experiences.

This authentic museum "spirit" is not something that just casually occurs or manifests itself through some sort of formulaic exhibit development process.  But when all the elements of such a museum experience come together, they form something that really cannot occur in any other medium.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Museum Work as (Quiet) Resistance

You know that moment when a board member suggests you "tone down" that civil rights exhibition? 

Or when a donor hints that your climate science display might be "too political"? 

Or when local politicians start making noise about your programming choices?

Welcome to the front lines of cultural resistance.

Guess what? Our work is inherently political. 

Every object we choose to display, every story we decide to tell, every voice we amplify or silence—these are political acts, whether we acknowledge them or not. 

The question isn't whether our work has political implications. The question is whether we'll own that reality and use it purposefully.

The Power of the Long Game

Politicians come and go. Donor priorities shift. But that artifact you preserve today? That story you document now? They outlast the pressure campaigns and the culture wars.

I've watched museum professionals navigate impossible situations by playing the long game. They quietly document stories that others want forgotten. They preserve objects that challenge dominant narratives. They create educational programs that plant seeds of critical thinking, even when the soil seems hostile.

Small Acts, Big Impact

Resistance in museums doesn't always look like dramatic confrontations. Sometimes it looks like:

• The educator who finds creative ways to discuss difficult topics despite administrative pushback

• The curator who ensures diverse voices are represented in "non-controversial" exhibitions

• The archivist who prioritizes preserving materials from marginalized communities

• The museum worker who creates inclusive programming even without explicit support

These aren't grand gestures. They're professional choices made with intention and integrity.

Your Professional North Star

When external pressures mount, your primary obligation is to uphold your professional ethics and ensure your community's right to access authentic, complex, and meaningful cultural experiences.

Not to a donor's comfort level. Not to a politician's talking points. Not even to your board's risk tolerance.

This doesn't mean being reckless or ignoring practical realities. It means being strategic about how you fulfill your actual mission—not the sanitized "neutral" version that keeps everyone comfortable.

The Network Effect

You are not alone, and you're more powerful than you think. Every curator making thoughtful choices, every educator refusing to oversimplify, every museum worker standing up for their community's stories—together, you create a network of (quiet) resistance that's remarkably resilient.

The pressure will come. It always does. But remember: you're not just preserving the past or entertaining the present. You're shaping the future's understanding of this moment.

Make it count.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

The Secret Sauce of High-Quality Museums: Internal Capacity

Here's something I've learned after years in the trenches of exhibit design and development: all truly high-quality museums share one critical characteristic. It's not their flashy architecture, their famous collections, or even their generous budgets. It's something far more fundamental.

High-quality museums have strong internal capacity.

Now, I'm not saying these museums create everything internally—that would be impossible and frankly, unwise. But they can handle many things in-house, and more importantly, they know exactly what those things are. Great museums understand their strengths and double down on them. They also know their weaknesses and where to find the right help.

High Quality = Internal Capacity

The Long Game

Developing genuine museum quality means thinking beyond your opening day celebration. You need a crystal-clear vision of what your institution will look like two, three, or more years down the road—not just two months after you cut the ribbon.

This requires investing in thoughtful experiences, dedicated staff, and deep expertise for the long haul. As Jane Werner wisely puts it: "Invest in staff, not stuff!"

The Two Questions That Matter

In my practice, I often pose two straightforward questions to museum partners:

1) How will you (the staff inside your museum, not contractors or consultants) fix things that break or don't work?

2) How will you transform great new ideas into real exhibits and programs?

If you can't provide credible answers to both questions, you're setting yourself up for trouble. You'll spend your days frantically putting out fires—dealing with problems that could have been anticipated, on top of all the truly unexpected challenges that will inevitably arise.

Even worse? Your bright, shiny museum will inevitably become dingy and boring. And I don't just mean physically—I'm talking about its intellectual and emotional spirit too.

Culture Beats Everything

Creating a robust institutional culture of internal capacity is the defining difference between a great museum and a mediocre one. But here's a crucial point: building strong internal capacity doesn't mean working in isolation.

Quite the opposite, actually.

When you truly understand your institution's strengths and weaknesses, you gain clarity about when and where to invest your precious time and resources. Those investments might involve tapping into local community expertise, sending staff to conferences, pursuing professional development opportunities, or yes—sometimes bringing in consultants to help build internal capacity in areas where you need it most.

You have many choices.

What's not a choice is doing nothing.

Because doing nothing will surely begin the slide from "high quality" to "who cares?" And honestly, is that the kind of museum you want to be part of?

Postcards from the Future!

Last month, during a workshop in Bulgaria, I did an activity called "Postcards from the Future!"

It allowed workshop participants to synthesize some of the work we did earlier in the week and to share a future goal related to the workshop content with a partner.

Basically, each participant chatted about their goals, and then had a partner create a "Postcard from the Future!" that would give them a nudge, or ask about progress, and offer help with what they would be working on in a month or so.

(We gathered up all the postcards and will be sending them out to each participant at the end of this month.)

It was such a fun activity that I thought, "Why not do this for my ExhibItricks blog?"

So, if you send me a postcard with a short message (and your return address) about a project you are working on, or a sticky museum/exhibit problem you are trying to solve, I promise to send you back a cool "Postcard from the Future!" with some friendly encouragement and/or my suggestions.

And who doesn't like receiving a postcard in the mail?

You can send your postcard to:

POW! World Headquarters

1684 Victoria Street

Baldwin, NY 11510

U.S.A.

P.S.  This offer is open to anyone around the world, since I have readers and subscribers from outside the United States.

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"

Museum Materials Hacks: When Home Depot Meets High-Touch Design

Today, we're diving into the delightfully scrappy world of unconventional exhibit materials. When creativity kicks into overdrive, and the hardware store becomes your new best friend. 

Because sometimes the best exhibit solutions are hiding in aisle 7, next to the paint brushes.

Here are some of my favorite "Wait, That's Not What It's For" materials:

Pool Noodles

Those colorful foam cylinders aren't just for cannon-balling into pools anymore. I've seen them used for:

• Edge Protection  -- slice lengthwise and slip over sharp corners.                          

• Cable Management  -- hollow core = perfect conduit for wiring.  

• Kid-friendly barriers -- Zip-tie them together for the world's friendliest crowd control                      

• Padding for shipping crates -- Cut to fit, way cheaper than custom foam.

Pro tip: Buy them off-season in bulk. 

Shower/Curtain Rings 

These little metal or plastic rings are the unsung heroes of flexibility.

• Quick-change graphics -- Hang banners that swap out seasonally.

• Modular displays -- Connect lightweight panels that reconfigure easily.   

• Interactive elements --Create flip-through graphic cards.

• Budget-friendly hardware  -- Sometimes you need 50 rings and $0.79 each beats custom fabrication costs.

Velcro

Industrial-strength Velcro is your secret weapon for:

• Removable artifact labels -- For non-invasive mounting. 

• Modular wall systems --Panels that stick and unstick without damaging surfaces. 

• Interactive components -- So visitors can move exhibit elements around safely.

• Temporary installations -- Perfect for pop-up exhibits/graphics in awkward spaces.

PVC Pipe: The Lego of Adult Museum Professionals

• Custom display stands -- Adjustable height, lightweight, paintable.

• Cable raceways -- Run power and data wherever you need it.

• Modular structures --Think jungle gyms, but for artifacts.

Magnetic Sheets

Thin, flexible magnetic sheeting transforms any metal surface into an interactive playground.

• Changeable graphics --Print directly onto magnetic material.  

• Kid-height interactive zones -- Magnetic poetry, anyone?

• Staff work areas -- Instant bulletin boards on metal cabinets.

 

Household Items with Museum Potential:

• Ice cube trays -- For organizing small artifacts during installs.

• Lazy Susans for rotating displays -- Because everything is better when it spins.   

• Drawer organizers -- For tool storage in Maker Spaces.

• Tension rods --For instant, non-permanent hanging systems.

Reality Check!

Before you go wild with the zip ties and duct tape, let's insert a quick Reality Check:

When to DIY: Quick fixes, temporary installations, tight budgets, prototyping, staff work areas.

When to call the Pros: Anything structural, high-traffic areas, permanent installations, safety-critical components, anything involving valuable artifacts.

The Golden Rule: If visitors will touch it, lean on it, or if it's holding something irreplaceable, spend the money on proper materials and installation.

So, next time you're wandering through a hardware store, grocery store, or even scrolling through Amazon, ask yourself: "How could this solve my exhibit problem?"

You'd be amazed at what creative solutions emerge when you stop thinking about objects in terms of their intended purpose.

The best museum design hack is the one that works for YOUR space, YOUR budget, and YOUR visitors. Now go forth and MacGyver responsibly!

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Sign up for Free ExhibiTricks Blog Updates" link on the upper right side of the blog.

Paul Orselli writes the posts on ExhibiTricks. Paul likes to combine interesting people, ideas, and materials to make exhibits (and entire museums!) with his company POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.) Let's work on a project together!

If you enjoy the blog, you can help keep it free to read and free from ads by supporting ExhibiTricks through our PayPal "Tip Jar"