Ringing In The New Year With "Museum Spirit"

Although he could have lived anywhere in the world, Louis Armstrong lived in a modest brick house on 107th Street in Corona, Queens, from 1943 until he died in his sleep there in 1971.  I could have ferreted out that information on the Web, but instead, I learned about Louis Armstrong by actually visiting his house, which is now a museum and National Historic Landmark. With bar none, the coolest kitchen (below) I've ever seen.

There's something interesting in visiting a place and feeling, if not precisely the "ghosts" of the past, at least the "spirit" of the people who passed that way before you.  I have felt that way when visiting Graceland and the Mark Twain House, but also in particular outdoor locations like 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 had 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 potent and authentic 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.

Here's wishing you a "spirited" start to thinking about the museum spaces you will work in this year!

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!

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2021 in the Rearview

I don't know about you, but I'm happy to put 2021 in the rearview mirror.  Yet, despite the many challenges that came over the past 12 months, some recurring positive aspects of my work and professional practice continued to poke through the gloom.

Here are some good things I'll be carrying with me and considering some more in 2022.  (Each title link below brings you to a related 2021 ExhibiTricks post.)

Design Inspiration

I always enjoy being inspired by and sharing the work of creative folks.  I especially enjoyed the wonderful cable tie sculptures made by Sui Park.

Prototyping (and TAPE!)

Taking a little time to prototype and test ideas is such an important part of making great exhibits, but so often overlooked or "rationalized" away.  Make a New Year's resolution to use more TAPE!

Museum Spirit

Some museums have it, and some don't.  What can you do in 2022 to imbue your work, and the places where you work, with authentic museum spirit?

FREE STUFF!

I think one of the major strengths of museum workers is their willingness to share -- their ideas, their time, their hard-won lessons learned. So I was delighted this year to work with ASTC to release all four volumes of the Exhibit Cheapbooks out into the wild for FREE! (Of course, you can always check out the "Free Exhibit Resources" section of the POW! website for articles, videos, and other cool stuff!)

Here's wishing ExhibiTricks readers and subscribers a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022!

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 Spirit?

Although he could have lived anywhere in the world, Louis Armstrong lived in a modest brick house on 107th Street in Corona, Queens from 1943 until he died in his sleep there in 1971.  I could have ferreted out that information on the Web, but instead, I learned about Louis Armstrong by actually visiting his house, which is now a museum and National Historic Landmark. With bar none, the coolest kitchen (below) I've ever seen.

Mrs. Armstrong's kitchen

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 in visiting Graceland and the Mark Twain house, but also in very particular outdoor locations like The Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, or the shiny, silvery "bean" in Millennium Park in Chicago.  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.

As a little bonus about "Pops" here's a cool remembrance by Ricky Riccardi, the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum, about the last music Armstrong listened to the day before he died.

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"