Dinosaurs and dioramas : creating natural history exhibitions /
Two experienced exhibit designers lead you through the complex process of design and installation of natural history exhibitions. The authors introduce the history and function of natural history museums and their importance in teaching visitors the basic principles of science. The book then offers...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Walnut Creek, California :
Left Coast Press,
[2014]
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Table of Contents:
- Part 1. Science sets the stage. Chapter One. A brief history of natural history museums. From private collections to public institutions : asserting control over the natural world. An affair to remember : science and natural history. A triad of purpose : preservation, research, and education. Natural history : the way of the dodo? Conclusion ; Chapter Two. Natural history and the nature of science. Nature and its history. Science as a way of knowing. Inquiry and the myth of the scientific method. Conclusion
- Part 2. Development and design. Chapter Three. What's gonna work? : Teamwork. Teamwork : the good, the bad, and the ugly. The players. In or out : internal staff. In or out : external partnerships. The process. Conflict. Conclusion ; Chapter Four. Knowing the audience. "The visitor". Learning in informal environments. Science in informal environments. Know your audience. Conclusion ; Chapter Five. Finding focus : ideas, goals, and bubbles. The big idea. Learning and experience goals. Bubble diagrams. Conclusion ; Chapter Six. Strategies for encouraging engagement. Is it hands-on, interactive, or participatory? Hands-on. Participatory. Multimedia. Dioramas. Design and logistics. Conclusion ; Chapter Seven. Telling a story : words to paper. Audience, label types, and hierarchy. Label writing 101 : initial considerations. Label writing 101 : pencil to paper. A brief note on the myth of dumbing down. Conclusion ; Chapter Eight. Material of the visual. Typography. Typeface. A tale of two serifs. Layout. Images. Look and feel. Production. Conclusion ; Chapter Nine. Hammer to nail : 3D design. Tracking, timing, and museum fatigue. Accessibility. Moving through the space. Lighting. Objects and display. A note on organization. Consideration of budget. Conclusion ; Chapter Ten. If you build it, will they come? : after the opening. A brief note on marketing. Measuring and maintaining success. Creating a living exhibition : educational programming. Conclusion ; Final thoughts : now let's take a journey, together.