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Museums have always been one of the most complex types of buildings.
Their design needs not only to incorporate the needs of visitors: flow
of space throughout, accessibility and an enjoyable and educational
experience, but also the demanding needs of the many and varied types of
exhibits on show. Most museums and galleries have rolling programmes of
exhibitions which change on average every three months. “Exhibits” can
range from natural history, through to paintings; contemporary art
installations through to ancient books.
As visitors we take all of this for granted and are presented with a
seamless experience made up of inspiring objects. Behind the scenes a
vast army of curators, technicians and movers dedicate themselves to
creating this experience for the millions of visitors who frequent these
spaces daily. Museum display systems have become increasingly complex |
– partly driven by an ever more demanding audience and partly by
advances in technology. As visitors our expectations are ever-rising;
competition within the world of museum and galleries is fiercer than
ever.
Technology has come to play an increasingly significant role in how
objects are presented. The introduction of technology into the museum
enables a whole multitude of information to be communicated in addition
to that contained within the exhibits themselves. It is rare now to
visit an exhibition where there are no computer or TV screens
imparting background information and in some cases forming the basis
for the exhibition itself. This presents fresh challenges to the
exhibition designer: how can screens be displayed without dominating the
space? How can technology serve its useful educational and
entertainment functions without cluttering a space? An ergonomic solution is also demanded so that visitors can enjoy an exhibition in safety and comfort.
| Museum furniture has had to develop quickly to keep apace over
the last twenty years (since this trend first became apparent). Museum
display systems today are likely to include at least one monitor stand.
Furniture and support systems need to blend with their environment, and
not distract the viewer from the exhibit. They must also carry heavy
loads and comply with the most extreme health and safety requirements. A
popular option is to wall mount screens
so that they do not take up precious floor space and avoid trip hazards. This requires specialist equipment though as a strong monitor arm needs to carry an incredible load with the advent of large scale plasma and LCD displays.
For an increasingly computer literate audience with shorter and
shorter attention spans technology plays a crucial role within the
museum and gallery of the present and the future. Information can be
presented on large screens; computer terminals and touch screens. In
this way monitors
can be seen as replacing (or at least supplementing) the guide book of
old. The new and radical ways of presenting information within museums
can change our experience of the visit, affecting the way we interact
with our fellow visitors, the space and the exhibits. Perhaps the most
significant change is the way that technology in the museum enables
education and entertainment providers to create a context in which the
exhibits can be better understood. |
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