I've used sound recordings from time to time in some of my exhibitions,
but the sound has always had a connection with the exhibit theme.  In my
planetarium program about the Sun, I married a contemporary symphony
about the Sun (with the permission of the composer etc.) with silent
SOHO imagery.   Appropriate label copy described what the visitor was
seeing and hearing...and I believe it was a very effectual way to
supplement the silent images and their captions.   Because of the layout
of the exhibiton, it also "pulled" people into that section of the
exhibit to see what was happening there (a little ironic since it was an
auditory come-on).

The only difficulties I've had with either sound or voice-overs in a
gallery space is finding the right balance between the making the sound
audible for the immediate listeners but not distracting to other
exhibition visitors.   Sometimes the gallery itself is not very
conducive to sound (it either deadens it or makes it too "alive",
setting up echoes and all sorts of interference).

I've had no negative reaction from our Board.   I HAVE had visitors
break into spontaneous song!

Shirley Albright
New Jersey State Museum

Mary Agnes Beach wrote:

> Have any of the art museum folks out there made attempts to have
> recorded music in your galleries on a daily basis for the run of an
> exhibit?  If so what have your responses been from your audience?
> Your board?  Has there been a problem with choosing music to suit a
> range of visitors?  If you have not done this but considered it what
> has held you back?  I am a curator at a community art museum of
> American art and our board and director want to consider adding music
> or other sounds to our exhibits so I thought I would put the question
> out on the museum discussion list and see what all of you wonderful
> professionals had to say.  Many thanks!Mary Agnes Beach
> Curator of Exhibitions and Collections
> Hickory Museum of Art
> Box 2572  Hickory, NC  28603
> 828-327-8576  X 203
> fax 327-7281
> www.hickorymuseumofart.org