The Theory of Loose Parts: A Different Kind of Exhibit Design?

Is your museum "messy"?

I don't mean fetid restrooms or ketchupy hand prints outside the lunchroom walls --- I'm wondering if there is a certain level of chaos or disorder inside your exhibit halls --- or put another way, how tolerant are you and your visitors with "loose parts"?

The notion of "loose parts" has kept coming to mind over the past few weeks as I've been thinking and talking about playgrounds and playground projects of various sorts.  The July 5th issue of The New Yorker has an article entitled "State Of Play" by Rebecca Mead  (PDF available here) that outlines a brief history of playground design and the tension between tightly conscribed playspaces and the "adventure playground" movement that allows users much more freedom.  It's well worth a read.

Mead also cites an essay by architect Simon Nicholson with the excellent title "How Not to Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts."  (Not easily found on the Web, I'm afraid, but here's a downloadable PDF "cheat sheet" on the subject.)   Nicholson writes in his essay that, "In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it."

Museums aren't playgrounds (necessarily) but even many "hands-on" museums seem inordinately resistant to the notion of "loose parts."  Why is that?  Have we trained a generation of museum visitors (and staff!) that a little messiness or disorganization is a bad thing?  Or are museums resistant to loose parts because the best "loose parts environments" require more staffing? 

In any event, maybe one way to look at exceptional museums (like The Exploratorium or ¡Explora!) is their willingness to facilitate the use of loose parts in their exhibits.

In another part of Mead's New Yorker article, she discusses the "Imagination Playground" that architect David Rockwell is working on, and mentions the set of "loose parts" (in the form of hundreds of differently-shaped blue foam blocks) that will be deployed there.  It will be interesting to see how such an "unstructured" space plays out in New York City when the IP opens later this month.
 
One spin-off of the Imagination Playground process is the sale of "Imagination Playground in a Box"  a big kit of the blue foam blocks that you can bring to any spot and turn kids loose with.  Apparently children's museums and (affluent) elementary schools around the country have been purchasing the $25,000.00 set, but here's a link where you can nominate your local playground or park to win a set for free.

Do "loose parts" make sense for your museum? Why or why not?  Let us know in the "Comments" section below!

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Screened Out: Preferences for Technology in Museums

I asked Susie Wilkening from Reach Advisors to summarize some of the data from their latest research that could apply to exhibit developers and the use of technology in exhibitions. (A larger version of the graph shown above can be found by clicking here.)

She kindly agreed, and here is her guest post:



We live in a tech-heavy world.  Screens are everywhere, including airports, restaurants, gas pumps, backseats of SUVs, and perhaps furtively pulled out of pockets during children’s soccer games.  Earbuds are in place at work, on commutes, and even when walking dogs.  For many, it is difficult to imagine going a day without logging in and tuning it at some point.

And then there are museums.  

People come to museums for lots of reasons.  To learn something new. To relax.  To socialize.  To see something beautiful.  To unplug . . . literally.  To drag their kids away from screens.  To take the earbuds out.

The museum as antidote to our tech-heavy world?  Perhaps.

In Reach Advisors’ latest study, over 40,000 core visitors to museums were asked how they prefer to experience museums and historic sites.  Turns out, interpretation solutions involving screens, earbuds, or cell phones were not high on the list.  In fact, for some audience segments, they were decidedly unpopular.

Let’s see what the data says.  First, the counterintuitive part.  When it comes to audio tours, videos, and movies, older respondents were significantly more likely to say they prefer them than younger audiences.  That’s right.  Older audiences like them better than younger ones.  Respondents over 70 are well over two times more likely to prefer audio tours than respondents in their 20s or 30s.  And older respondents are much more likely to enjoy video clips and movies.
  
And then comes the other important part.  Computer interactions, whether more information, databases, even games, were even less popular, this time across-the-board.  Only 11% of respondents said they preferred experiencing museums and historic sites with computers.  It peaks, at nearly 14%, for respondents in their 40s (statistically hardly a peak, by the way.)

While we didn’t ask respondents why they did (or did not) choose certain interpretation methods, some respondents told us anyway.  Here are some sample comments:


        •  Quality family time that isn't centered around electronic
            equipment is something we could all use more of. 
            We are forever grateful for this activity.

        •  When there are screens around, exhibits tend to become
            things children observe, rather than participate in.

        •  Too many . . .  screens or videos distracts and detracts. 
           Adults and kids alike are just stunned into information
           overload.  Museums are not for information downloads. 
           They are places to encounter/experience something out
           of your ordinary . . .  in my view, different media have to
           be thoughtfully integrated into exhibits.


If the majority of core visitors generally do not prefer technology in museums, is there a place for it?  If it is well-integrated, then we still think so.  One of the most effective exhibits I have ever encountered is the virtual dining table in the European Fashionable Living Galleries at the Detroit Institute of Arts.  It truly deepened my appreciation for European porcelain, and it was thoughtfully integrated in the exhibit.
 
But the data also tells us that we don’t have to do technology because we feel we have to.  Or because our visitors expect it.  Turns out, many don’t.  Instead, it allows us to step back and decide if the technology we are considering genuinely adds to, and deepens, the experience for our visitors.  If it does, we still think there is a place for it.  If it doesn’t, well, it might be best deployed elsewhere (a website?  YouTube?) or scrapped entirely.

There is one final caveat.  Our survey respondents were core visitors to museums, solicited through museum e-mail lists.  They don’t represent more infrequent visitors.  Those individuals may, or may not, have wildly different perceptions of the value of screens and technology in museums.  We hope to find out some day.

But when it comes to our core visitors, overwhelmingly they do not prefer high-tech interpretive solutions.  Instead, they want what museums have been providing for generations:  real experiences through exhibits, hands-on activities, and the cool stuff we have kicking around.   I, for one, find that reassuring.


Susie Wilkening is Senior Consultant and Curator of Museum Audiences at Reach Advisors.  For more information about Reach Advisors’ latest study of museum-goers, please visit their blog.


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Tape-a-palooza!

In honor of the Summer Solstice here's a big posting about all kinds of tape.  OK, there's no real connection between tape and the Summer Solstice, but that's how we "roll" at ExhibiTricks!

Tape is one of those things that you often use, but rarely think about, so I thought I'd highlight some interesting and unusual tapes for you to add to your exhibits (and prototyping!) toolkit:

 
Gaffer's Tape

If you think duct tape is useful, try Gaffer's tape. You can think of Gaffer's Tape as duct tape without the sticky residue. It's the standard tape in the film and theater worlds. Best of all, the adhesive is designed to not rip off paint. You can leave Gaffer's tape stuck to a wall for days, and then remove it without tearing up the wall surface or leaving sticky gunk behind.



Vypar X-Treme Tape
X-treme tape is a non-adhesive, self-bonding wrap. It's not really "tape" since it's not sticky. But it really grips and wraps around wet stuff or slimy stuff --- think water exhibits, hoses, bubble exhibits, etc. Once it's in place -- it is NOT coming off! You just pull on the tape and it fuses to itself under tension. As a bonus it comes in a range of colors as well.


And now, two variations on good old reliable duct tape:

Gorilla Tape
Gorilla Tape is like regular duct tape on steroids. Sure, it's much stickier, but it also adheres to uneven/rough surfaces.


Clear Duct Tape
From the creative minds of 3M comes "clear "duct tape! It is less noticeable than standard duct tape, but more importantly, 3M claims it lasts 6 times longer than the standard variety, having been engineered for extreme temperatures and UV exposure.


Vet Wrap
A "self-clinging" wrapping material that does not require tight compression.


Instant-bonding Glue Dots
Adhesive "dots" that require no drying time, are clean and easy to use, and work on a variety of materials. Glue Dots bond instantly to any surface.


Terrifically Tacky Tape
This is double-sided craft tape with red liner that is super strong. (The bond actually increases after the first 24 hours it is applied.)

This is the same kind of ultra-thin, very sticky tape as "3M 4910 VHB Tape" but TT tape comes in shorter-length rolls so it is less expensive.


EMPTY EMPTY and PACKED PACKED tape rolls from Benchmark.
Use on crates for traveling exhibitions so you don't mix 'em up!
(Benchmark sells lots of other interesting exhibit and mount-making supplies as well.)


3M Dual Lock Reclosable Fastener System
Clear self-mating reclosable fastener with clear acrylic adhesive on the back. This is the "mushroom" topped style, rather than hook and loop, so it fastens to itself and doesn't collect fuzz like the "hook" half of velcro.


Colored Plastic Vinyl Floor Marking Tape
Great for outlining areas on floors or walls. These tapes are highly adhesive and resistant to water, oil, fungus and chemicals, have a semi-gloss finish, and can be written on with permanent markers.


1/4"-wide Colored Plastic Vinyl Tape
Also from Identi-Tape, these 6-mil vinyl adhesive tapes are available in a 14 colors plus clear in 36-yard long rolls. These tapes are ideal for constructing lines and tables on dry erase boards, identification of small tools, decorative striping, etc.


Any discussion of tapes, and especially duct tape, would be incomplete if we didn't mention the annual "Duck" brand duct tape "Stuck At Prom" Scholarship Contest. Duck makes duct tape (a little confusing, I know) and holds an annual contest for couples to create a complete set of prom outfits using duct tape! (You can see one example at the top of this blog posting.) Also check out the completely mind-boggling array of past contest entries at the Duck Tape website.




Did we miss any of your favorite sticky supplies? Let us know in the "Comments Section" below!

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Museum Exhibit Design Inspiration: Matthew Albanese

Dioramas, whether large or small, may be considered by many to be too "old school" for the hyper-connected museum-verse.

Until you see the work of artist Matthew Albanese. 

The incredibly artful and detailed miniature worlds he creates are mesmerizing, but even better, he shares the techniques and materials --- mostly familiar household stuff alchemically transformed (like the tornado image above made of steel wool, cotton, ground parsley and moss) through detailed miniature construction --- on his website. 

You can see examples of finished images in the "Strange Worlds" section of his website, and learn about how he created his finished photographs in the "Modeling My Worlds" area.


There's something incredibly inspiring about someone who creates beautiful work and is willing to pull back the curtain by explaining parts of the process.  Museums are great at showing "end products" but not so great at explicating the creative process --- that's why I think it would be great to have a show of Albanese's photos and the mini-dioramas that were constructed to create them.

Is there an opportunity to use such "old school" work to bridge the traditional world of museums with the tribes of digital natives?  (Perhaps as a way to create more engaging videos or online media experiences ...) Let us know what you think in the "Comments" section below.

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Help Build "Critical Mass" for the Exhibits Exchange Group

I need your help (and bright ideas!) 

A few months ago, I started a free Google group called the "Exhibits Exchange"

The "Exhibits Exchange" group is a place to post information regarding the many well-used (but still usable) "retired" exhibits and/or components for sale, trade, barter, or exchange.   It seems like a no-brainer to me, given the requests for this sort of thing that continually pop up on the ASTC and CHILDMUS lists.


So what's the problem?  Well, honestly,  numbers.  Even though we've had some good early success, and found homes for some exhibits, the whole concept of an Exhibits Exchange will work much better with a bigger group of members --- "critical mass" if you like.   More members broaden the potential pool of both offerers and takers.




I'm asking ExhibiTricks readers help in two ways:

1)  If you're not already a member of the Exhibits Exchange group,  please join up (and tell a colleague or two about the group as well!)


2)  If you have any bright ideas for building up the membership of Exhibits Exchange, leave a comment below or just email me directly.


Thanks!
 

Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Free Updates" link on the right side of the blog. P.S. If you receive ExhibiTricks via email (or Facebook or LinkedIn) you will need to click HERE to go to the main ExhibiTricks page to make comments or view multimedia features (like videos!)

Exhibit Design Inspiration: Solving Problems With Materials

Several people sent me the TED talk (embedded above or available here) by Tom Wujek talking about a design challenge for teams of four people that involves solving a "simple" problem with inexpensive materials.

I love how such a simple challenge can generate so many interesting results (including the interplay between group members.)

ExhibiTricks readers may already know of my interest in different approaches toward prototyping  --- I think the building challenge shown in this TED video is another great example of "prototypical thinking" --- trying out design ideas quickly, with familiar materials.

Enjoy!


Don't miss out on any ExhibiTricks posts! It's easy to get updates via email or your favorite news reader. Just click the "Free Updates" link on the right side of the blog. P.S. If you receive ExhibiTricks via email (or Facebook or LinkedIn) you will need to click HERE to go to the main ExhibiTricks page to make comments or view multimedia features (like videos!)