Northern States Conservation Center announces the launching of an on-line
training course in exhibit fundamentals at the end of June.
MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
Instructor: Lin Nelson-Mayson
Dates: June 26 through July 21, 2006
Location: Over the Internet
Nearly every museum develops exhibits, but how can we improve communication
with our visitors while presenting our objects to their best advantage?
This course explores museum exhibits from initial idea to final
installation in a variety of museum settings. This is a basic overview
course on museum exhibits. Topics covered include exhibit theory, the role
of the museum's mission, creating a time line, intellectual and physical
accessibility, writing the exhibit script and other interpretive texts, the
role of design elements (sequencing, color, graphics, lighting,
audio-visual), basic installation techniques (including placement guides
and hanging framed artwork), object safety and security (including
mount-making), visitor safety, and types of exhibit evaluations. Each
student will develop an exhibit plan based on their museum's own exhibit goals.
The course will last for four weeks. The course format is self-paced
through 6 sections. The instructor will be available at predetermined
intervals throughout the course. This course will include on-line
literature, slide lectures, and student-teacher/group-teacher dialog. The
course is limited to 20 participants.
If you are interested in the course, please sign up at
www.museumclasses.org and pay for the course at
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html. If you have trouble completing
an on-line order, please contact Helen Alten at [log in to unmask] or
Eric Swanson at [log in to unmask]
Course Outline
1. Introduction: Exhibition Theory and the Museums Mission
1. Introduction What is an Exhibition?
2. Mission and Exhibitions
3. What makes a good exhibition?
4. Types of exhibitions
5. Finding ideas for exhibitions
2. Intellectual and Physical Accessibility & Exhibition Evaluations
1. Intellectual Accessibility
2. Physical Accessibility
3. Types of Evaluations
3. Creating a Timeline and Writing Texts
1. Developing and exhibition concept
2. “Team” exhibition development
3. Developing an exhibition timeline
4. Budgeting for an exhibition
5. Writing labels
4. The Role of Design Elements and Basic Installation Techniques
1. Light
2. Color
3. Sequencing and Floor Plan
4. Graphics
5. Audio-visual
6. Fabrication
7. Specific Installation Techniques
5. Object and Visitor Safety
1. Mount making and handling
2. Potential hazards to exhibited objects
3. Object security
4. Visitor safety and security
5. Exhibition maintenance
6. Conclusion
Museum Exhibition Standards of Excellence
Current Issues in Museum Exhibitions
Complete Exhibit Plan
Lin Nelson-Mayson, with over 25 years of museum experience at small and
large institutions, recently joined us as a museumclasses.org instructor
after being the Director of ExhibitsUSA, a nonprofit exhibition touring
organization that annually tours over 30 art and humanities exhibitions
across the country. For five years she was a coordinator or judge (two
years) for the American Association of Museums’ Excellence in Exhibitions
Competition. She currently serves on the Exhibition Committee for the
National Sculpture Society. Ms Nelson-Mayson has extensive experience with
the planning, preparation, research and installation of exhibitions and the
decision-making processes each museum must go through to ensure that the
exhibition aids in the fulfillment of the museum’s mission. Ms
Nelson-Mayson’s experience includes teaching museum studies and museology
courses. Her particular interest is the needs of small museums.
Her credentials include the following;
ź An MFA from The Ohio State University in sculpture and critical
writing
ź A BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in painting.
ź Work as a curator for the Ross County Historic Society
(Chillicothe, OH), the Art Museum of South Texas (Corpus Christi), the
Columbia Museum of Art (SC), and the Minnesota Museum of American Art (St.
Paul).
ź An active member of the American Association of Museums, the
Association of Midwest Museums, and past chair of the Minnesota Association
of Museums.
Student Comments:
“I liked how Lin’s lectures were interesting, easy to follow, and written
from experience.”
“I thought the chats were valuable. That interaction made this class more
than just a correspondence course.”
“One of the most important strengths of this class was the enthusiasm and
knowledge of Lin. During chats it was apparent that she wanted to include
all participants so she made great efforts to address everyone who was
there and her comments to me personally were always positive and
upbeat. She made you want to do as much as you could. I also appreciated
and recognized the expertise of Helen and Eric. Their input was always
valuable.”
“Lin was very helpful with her suggestions and feedback to my assignments
and journal. She also had a way of remembering her students during the
chats. Impressive.”
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