On 18 Apr 1996, Dennis Lloyd wrote: > > Hildegard ([log in to unmask]) writes: > > What *is* the difference between an exhibit and an exhibition? > > > > I have always thought (and had it firmly engrained in my education) that an > > "art" museum has exhibitions, and exhibit implies a historical, natural > > history, material culture, etc. museum. > > > > Now, when I hear the word exhibit being used to refer to contemporary art, > > I cringe. Trouble is, I've recently changed jobs and everyone on the staff > > of my present museum uses the word exhibit in just such a way. > > I feel that your "firmly engrained" education may have had an > influence here, Hildegard. The teaching of definitions present a problem > in the classroom when those terms have many different meanings. I teach > a 1st-yr exhibit design theory course, and have to start *somewhere*, so I > put forth the definitions that I have grown to know and love. I stress, > however, that there are different interpretations of the words, depending > on what institution you are in, or what continent you are on, for that matter. > I tend to think of an exhibit as either a small exhibition, or a > single display within a larger exhibition. My thinking tends toward > historical and natural history museums. Art museums tend to havbe > different interpretations for these terms. Books on basic exhibit design > will usually have a paragraph or two dealing with these definitions. If y'all had to review half a dozen museum presentations every week you would soon abandon such niceties and quibbles. I use "exhibit," "exhibition" and "show" interchangeably, along with any other synonyms or near-misses I can come up with, in my feeble attempts to be belletristic as well as bellicose. Repent, o ye hairsplitters! Hank Burchard * <[log in to unmask]> * Washington DC