Font composition in the design project of a museum exhibition. Semantic structure of museum exhibition and development of exhibition design
The Art Newspaper Russia offered famous architects, designers and curators to take part in a short survey in order to find out what the main problems of museum and exhibition design in Russia are and for whom it is more important: for spectators, museums or those who create it
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What prevents you from doing large, high-quality exhibitions? Tell us about your most successful museum project.
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What is its specificity, unusualness, complexity?
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Which museum design did you particularly remember, liked and why?
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What do you see as the task of a designer of museum exhibitions and spaces?
Boris Bernasconi
1. So far nothing has interfered. Although, of course, in Russia there is a completely different approach to creating such large-scale projects, unlike, for example, Europe or the USA. This is due to the fact that they are usually financed by the state, and this entails certain difficulties, including bureaucratic ones.
2. The most successful project is probably the city pavilion Monument to the Place on Lubyanka Square. I wanted cylinders to appear in the city that would record certain “sick” points on the map of Moscow, for example, destroyed monuments. A black cylinder installed at one of these points turned into a kind of museum of a place that needed to attract attention. It's been 14 years since this idea was born, but I still consider it one of the best in my portfolio. Mainly because I was the customer of this project and relied solely on myself and my own feelings.
Museum project World Culture Mill in Oslo. BERNASKONI, 2009
3. All big museum exhibitions- both in Russia and in Europe - they are made according to approximately the same principle, therefore strong impression They don't produce it for me. But what really struck me was this science and technology museum Ars Electronica Center in Linz. Moreover, it is not only its high-tech design that is striking, but also the concept itself. The fact is that this museum works with many Austrian and international universities, which show their scientific discoveries in the form of working models. Museum visitors can not only see what’s new in science, but also take part in some of the processes themselves, for example, try to breed new varieties of plants. Thanks to this, the museum becomes a laboratory where you can get a real research experience. In addition, the Ars Electronica Center constantly hosts exhibitions related to art, science, and innovative business. This is the most interesting museum I have seen in the last ten years.
4. The main task is to convey the meaning of what the exhibition is dedicated to. Very often people just hang up pictures and arrange objects. This is also a complex task that requires certain competence: the ability to work with light, materials, understanding of scale and much more. But the main thing that gives interest to any exhibition is the connection between the exhibits and the space, not only the exhibition space, but also the semantic, mental, space of our lives. Why, for example, is the exhibition of nominees for the Kandinsky Prize always so interesting for the viewer? Because all the works selected by the expert council are on the crest of a wave, they reflect the processes that are taking place in society. This connection of art with the present time is always keenly felt and is reflected, among other things, in design. Any exhibition requires a meaningful selection of content and its distribution in space. One of best examples how it should be is the work of the Triumph gallery. People work there who understand why this or that picture should be here, how it should be articulated, what meaning it carries. Unfortunately, such a jewelery approach to creating exhibitions is rare in our country.
Katya Bochavar
1. My method is this: I do my best within the given situation. Even if the exhibition volume is physically small, the ideas can be big. Yes, I don’t divide projects into large and small, the size is in this case doesn't matter. Nevertheless, I love the scale and often receive proposals to create large-scale exhibitions, especially as part of festivals (Gogolfest, Archstoyanie, Lexus Hybrid Art and others). No one bothers me to do my job, but sometimes they give me bad help - however, this happens in every case. Money can be deceived. You can make it so that no one will even guess that the project’s budget is three kopecks and everything rests, as they say, on raw talent.
2. I do several projects a month, and it’s hard for me to talk about the most successful one. I hope that each of them is good in its own way. My permanent and most favorite at the moment are two state gallery-workshops, “Khodynka” and “On Peschanaya”, united in a cluster under the general name GROUND (State Regional Artistic University of Independent Talents). For me, as an artist, curator and exhibitor, this project is rare opportunity constantly, in the mode of two exhibitions a month, to realize my ideas, to experiment. The project is very free, in which creativity is not clogged with routine, but becomes a discipline and formula of life for the entire team, and the GROUND team itself is another product contemporary art. I don’t know how long the project will survive in the difficulties that are coming our way, including attacks on modern art, music, theater, literature, because our main task is their popularization, but we all hope for the best and are in a hurry to sow the reasonable, the good, the eternal, while there is This is an opportunity, and we are putting all our strength into it.
Exhibition Shelter of pianos in the gallery "GROUND Sandy" (art director Katya Bochavar). 2014
3. I really liked the design of the exhibition at MMOMA on Petrovka Museum with predictions made for the 15th anniversary of the museum. The main compliment that can be safely given to this exhibition is “just like not here, but abroad.” Understanding of the entire space and bold decisions to change it, meticulous work on every detail, compositional finds and original architectural installations, subtle and appropriate color and lighting solutions, understanding of the exhibited material and respectful attitude towards it, working with the psychology of the viewer and the ability to guide him through the space in a thoughtful way - in a word, everything in this exhibition is good and excellent.
4. The main task is to make sure that the exhibition is of interest to absolutely everyone, regardless of age, education, nationality, social status and everything else. The exhibition should have several levels in depth, and the more, the better. It should “catch” and draw the audience into dialogue, awaken a desire to repeat the experience of communicating with culture, and expand the worldview of both visitors and the creators of the exhibition themselves. And the exhibitor must first of all think about the subject of exhibition and the viewer, and not about his beloved self. The desire to express oneself through content leads to sad consequences, sometimes simply “killing” exhibits. The author of the exhibition design is a medium between the viewer and the exhibit; he is a psychologist, an artist and a bit of a magician.
Sergey Choban
1. There was nothing stopping me from doing the exhibitions I was involved in. Communication with museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Museum of Architecture. Shchuseva and others were always pleasant and constructive. Fortunately, there were sponsors who supported these projects.
2. Our bureau designed the Museum building architectural drawing in Berlin. Its peculiarity is that we were dealing with a very small territory. Because of this, the museum itself turned out to be very compact and intimate, which is reflected in the internal design, which turned out to be laconic, practical and universal. Any modern museum is, first of all, a complex engineering facility that should lead to savings in energy, operating costs and space. It is on this principle that our museum was created.
Russian pavilion at the XIII Architecture Biennale in Venice (curator Sergey Choban). 2012
3. The last vivid impression was the Frieder Burd Museum of Contemporary Art in Baden-Baden. It was built by Richard Meier in the early 2000s. It houses art from the 20th to 21st centuries, which very accurately corresponds to the scale of the interior spaces, exhibition surfaces, materials and textures. This is the most important thing for any museum. It’s not the special effects that are important, but the geometry of space and proportions.
4. I think that the main task here can only be one - creating unique spaces. In any case, when doing exhibition design, I set myself exactly this task. A person who comes to an exhibition must immerse himself in a unique space, which is an organic part of the exhibition concept, and not something separate.
Olga Treivas
1. We deal with large, high-quality exhibitions, be it the Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, large-scale projects of the Garage Museum or the anniversary exhibition of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. Although good project does not depend on size. In any case, we come up with our own, unique story for every new project.
2. It's always exciting to work with new platform. This is exactly what the work with the Lost in Translation exhibition for MMOMA turned out to be like. Venice Biennale. This is where there really were translation difficulties, unpredictable situations, and unexpected secrets of the beautiful Palazzo Ca’Foscari! As a result, laconic and simple in architecture, it fits perfectly into exhibition halls oldest university.
Main project More light 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art (exhibition design - Form Bureau: Olga Treivas, Vera Odyn and etc.). 2013. Moscow, Central Exhibition Hall "Manege"
3. The new space for temporary exhibitions at the Jewish Museum began work with a rather intimate exhibition of Le Corbusier - the Architect of the Book. The exhibition is dedicated to the book by the greatest architect of the 20th century, Le Corbusier, Poem of the Right Angle, 1955, one of the outstanding examples of the livre d’artiste genre. Never before has it been shown in such detail. The architecture of the stands followed the structure of the book's contents and showed each page of the publication separately.
4. The task of exhibition design is to immerse the viewer in such an atmosphere when the object of the exhibition is revealed the best way. Sometimes it’s enough to immerse it in a white cube, sometimes it’s enough to build a “story” around it.
How do Western designers work on museum exhibitions?
Egor Larichev, Dima Baryudin
It seems to us that the main word here is “consciously.” The Western sense of history is not the same as in Russia. We either live in history or try to escape from it into the future. There, the narratives of the past require a separate fragile shell, which our colleagues painstakingly and thoughtfully create.
Andrey Vovk
I can’t say about the whole West; each company has its own characteristics. At RAA (Ralph Appelbaum Associates), most projects are developed in their entirety, including story and exhibit content. In this case, the museum plays the role of consultant and customer. The work process becomes more efficient and productive. This is how we worked on almost all projects in Russia, and you can’t say that this is not possible in Russia. It is possible and necessary.
How does the design of permanent exhibitions differ from temporary exhibitions?
Jonathan Barnbrook
When working on a temporary exhibition, you need to remember that it will be shown in other places - it must be easy to understand. You also need to be creative when working with temporary materials. In the case of a permanent exhibition, you need to immediately understand what it will look like in ten years. This means more durable materials, but also simpler designs that don't become dated as quickly. All exhibitions should not only educate - they should also have an element of entertainment.
Egor Larichev, Dima Baryudin
In responsibility. The temporary exhibition is always a fireworks show. And the permanent exhibition in this sense is gas venting, air conditioning, creating a comfortable environment. Using timeless technologies, working with more sustainable materials, searching for technological solutions. It is clear that a great museum, in the end, is an endlessly calibrated balance of meaning and technology, comfort and sensitivity, effectiveness and correctness.
This section will describe the principles of visitor behavior in museum interior. We offer several starting points research:
- Exhibition structure;
- Characteristics of the object;
- Characteristics of architecture;
- Characteristics of visitors.
The list of these principles is not exhaustive. We only hope that it stimulates your thinking and encourages you to explore in practice. Which will certainly help you approach museum design from a more professional side.
“Interior design and object decoration increases interest in the exhibition”
We offer some empirical foundations, but more research is needed to validate these methods, to identify the specific dimensions of each variable, and to determine the relative influence of each factor on visitor behavior.
Museums of flora and fauna
For example, consider an exhibition with all kinds of animals and other fauna.
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Large objects or animals attract attention many times more than small ones.
Many Western researchers have found a strong relationship between the size of the animal and the time spent viewing zoo exhibits. Similar results were seen in reptile pavilions.
2. Moving objects or animals focus attention better than static ones. In science museums, more attention is paid to moving mechanisms. In the seasons active life The number of visitors to the zoo is also growing significantly.
3. Objects or animals that are unusual and exotic for a particular area attract more attention than ordinary ones. Visitors constantly flock to see rare species animals such as: white tigers, koalas, panthers, pandas, etc.
4. There are certain qualities of objects or animals that, by their nature, cause burning interest. For example, the Hope Diamond, a large diamond, one of the famous in the New World, is of great interest in itself. On the other hand, paintings of babies will be more interesting to visitors than antique furniture. Thus, it is important to consider the factors of psychological sympathy or increased interest in certain areas of life or topics.
5. Objects that combine, along with the visual, the possibility of sensory and tactile contact, always attract more visitors. The opportunity to touch an exhibit significantly increases the time a visitor spends at the exhibition. Voice-over of the exhibition object also increases attraction and holds attention. Thus, we can say that the combination of visual, audio and tactile components of the object being examined makes it much more attractive to visitors.
The already mentioned Ship Vasa Museum in Stockholm fully implements these principles, offering its visitors interactive maps of sea routes, “sound rooms” where you can hear with your own ears what life sounded like on board the ship, and reconstructions of passenger cabins and other rooms ship. Does it mean to say that you can touch absolutely everything in this museum? Even if an ancient cannon shell raised from the seabed is standing under glass, nearby there will definitely be an exact plaster shell of it that can and should be touched, stroked, and even licked from all sides!
6. Interactive elements also significantly increase viewing time. For example, a button on a device that throws light into an otter's den received more views than similar exposures without light. It is worth noting that computers and buttons are less interesting for visitors than the ability to hand-feed animals.
7. The triangulation method makes it possible to make the exhibit a catalyst for social interaction between visitors. So street performers and unusual sculptures stimulate social contact between strangers on the street.
Architectural objects in museum design
1. The more opportunities you provide for a visitor to unhindered exploration of an object, the more attention that object (or subject) will receive. There are at least three variables here: lighting level, visual obstructions, and visual screens. Light levels become a factor when the level is so low that visitors cannot view the object for 15-20 minutes. On display with low level lighting, very few visitors.
Visual obstacles include solid barriers, rocks, trees, and other objects that block the line of sight between the visitor and the object or animal.
Visual screens refer to materials such as fences and glass display cases that create glare that makes it difficult to clearly see an object or animal. Eliminating these obstacles will give you an undoubted increase in visitors and an increase in the time spent viewing the facility.
2. The proximity factor plays a certain role. The shorter the distance between the visitor and the object, the more often visitors will stop near the exhibit, and the inspection time will also increase.
3. The position of the exhibited object or subject in relation to the visitor affects the time spent near the exhibit. At this point, the visitor’s eye level and the viewing point of the exhibition are taken into account. The viewing time will increase if the arrangement of objects is centrifugal. In addition, the top positions of rows of objects will receive more attention than lower positions.
4. A more “real” exhibit is perceived as more positive. There is an observation that animals were perceived better when they were shown in natural conditions than in cages - this was also reflected in the viewing time.
5. Sensory competition. The concept includes the presence of exhibits nearby that visually compete with each other. Or their auditory stimuli are in conflict. This will reduce the visitor’s perception of the exhibition if the display cases are placed on both sides of the entrance.
6. The depth of the location of the exhibition object can have an effect opposite to what was intended. Visitors can actually learn more about an exhibit that has not been recessed into the depths of the halls.
Museum design and public factors
1. Demographic characteristics: Age, gender, socioeconomic status, and educational level and even ethnic factors can influence the reactions of exhibition visitors.
2. Visitors' special interests attract and hold their attention. Research suggests that special interests (likes and dislikes) are important predictors of guest behavior.
3. Museum fatigue. Visitors are less and less interested in exhibitions where objects are mostly similar to each other.
4. Perception is fully influenced by instinctive feelings, for example, a sense of beauty or danger. People tend to look at repellent snakes with apprehension for a long time, even if they pose no threat at all.
5. Dominance. If the visitor looks at the captive animal from above, rather than looking at it from below, then a feeling of dominance towards the object is likely to be activated.
6. Social influence. Other people's behavior influences the behavior of others. People tend to imitate the behavior of others in order to match the behavior of others. For example, visitors adjust their walking speed in a crowd or a particular room. People are attracted to a crowd that is interested in something and crowds out others.
All of the above aspects and standards greatly influence the design of exhibition halls. We recommend not to exclude any of them when analyzing your exhibition and be sure to supplement the work with a professional museum design project.
Architectural and artistic solution is included in the concept of “museum exhibition” as a mandatory and organic component that embodies modern artistic and aesthetic principles. This definition expresses a modern approach to understanding a museum exhibition as a unity of scientific and artistic principles, ensuring the effectiveness of the main form of museum communication.
Contemporary museum practice places emphasis on great attention creating an exhibition image that is formed in to a greater extent thanks to the architectural and artistic design of the exhibition. This means artistic design and implementation in volumetric-spatial and artistic environment exhibition ensemble based on an artistic concept in order to optimally master the content of the exhibition by museum visitors. The main task of artistic design is to use various types art to help reveal the conceptual solution of the exhibition, enhance the emotional impact and ensure effective contact between the visitor and authentic museum objects. The art of architectural and artistic solutions refers to both fine and expressive views, relies on the entire arsenal of artistic and technical means.
Thus, decoration expositions and exhibitions in modern museums are understood as a synthesis of space-time arts and achievements of science and technology (architecture, painting, sculpture, decorative and applied arts, cinema, music, speech, theater, computer, etc.). Modern exhibition space is an organic artistic unity of all elements of the ensemble: emotional, conceptual and plastic.
The role of the artist in creating the exhibition.
Artistic design is largely determined by the creative imagination of the artist, makes extensive use of data from psychology and pedagogy, and takes into account the combination of a number of factors that influence the process of artistic perception and a person’s ability to assimilate a certain amount of information.
These include such important data as optimal height the exhibition belt, the angle of inclination of the display cases, the most convenient for viewing the exhibits displayed in it, the amount of materials that fall into the field of view of a person at a time and from one position, the amount of information that a person can absorb in one and a half to two hours of stay in the exhibition halls. The artist must strive to different ways to concentrate the viewer’s attention and maintain his interest throughout the inspection of the exhibition, to be able to relieve “museum” fatigue and emotional overload in a timely manner.
Creative imagination the artist is based on a deep, comprehensive knowledge of the object, i.e. the real sociocultural process and the features of its reflection by museum means. When working on an exhibition, the artist must rely on knowledge of the museum audience of a particular museum and the socio-demographic composition of its visitors.
It is especially important to draw attention to the leading exhibition complexes or individual objects in terms of content, to keep it on those exhibits that play main role in understanding the scientific concept of exposure. The museum exhibition is perceived visually, so the artist’s task is to create visual rows, zones of emotional impact and routes for visitors. However, expert artists emphasize that the artistic image in the exhibition cannot be perceived only as a chain of visual associations. This is a more complex concept, the formation of which involves knowledge, reflection, correct historical understanding events and its assessment.
Creative method contemporary artist, who organizes a museum exhibition, is close to the method of an architect and designer, since the palette of his materials includes museum objects, exhibits, visual, architectural-spatial and technical means of displaying them. As a result, together they are rethought, creating a unique figurative language. The contrast of forms, materials, textures, structures, which gives plastic richness and variety to the exhibition, must be mastered by a modern museum designer.
Color organization of exposure is necessary for activation visual perception exhibits. It enhances the overall emotional atmosphere. The emotional power of the impact of color makes it possible to develop a kind of color symphony in which the color chords, for example, sounded in the first hall, should then, like a melody in a piece of music, grow in strength and finally sound with a solemn finale. Color should support and express the content of the exhibition.
The role of the museum artist as a “director” is also manifested in the fact that the museum exhibition has become a kind of performance in which specific means of the museum’s artistic language are used. The museum exhibition organically combines the scientific accuracy of the content with the vivid entertainment of the display. The task of the museum artist is to translate the scientific content of the exhibition from verbal language into figurative language. The dialogue of things and documents makes it possible to expand and strengthen the interaction between the exhibition and the visitor, to become effective method their communication.
Exhibition design is a true synthesis of functional as well as aesthetic characteristics of a holistic spatial-objective exhibition environment. It can include both the spatial-architectural layout of exhibition materials and the structural construction, as well as the formation of an image and a lighting solution.
Exhibition design is an expressive and figurative exhibition part, providing it with communicativeness, as well as an increased level of functional and utilitarian characteristics in terms of presentation and preservation of exhibits.
Exhibition design (from the English design - plan, project, drawing), the totality of aesthetic and functional qualities of the integral subject-spatial environment of a museum exhibition. E.d. includes architectural and spatial organization of exhibition materials, structural design and equipment, color and lighting solutions, image creation, etc. based on artistic and compositional principles and techniques. Acts as a figurative and expressive component of the exhibition, ensures its communicativeness and high level utilitarian and functional qualities in terms of preservation and presentation of exhibits.
Principles of building a museum exhibition
The principle of science. The basis for creating a museum exhibition is a scientific concept. She formulates the goals of creating the exhibition, scientific significance, the interest of the exhibition for visitors, a description of the exhibition and the size of the required space, a description of museum objects from its own collection or possible borrowings from other museums, the necessary costs, potential sources of funding and support, the approximate time frame for creating the exhibition.
The principle of objectivity. A museum object (exhibit) is the basis for the uniqueness of each exhibition. The cognitive value of the exhibition, as well as its emotional orientation, depends on the selection of museum objects. Such an exhibition provides visitors with the opportunity to directly become acquainted with museum objects.
Principles of clarity and universality. When constructing an exhibition as a means of mass communication, adherence to these principles is mandatory. Significant assistance in this is provided by the versatility of the presentation of exhibition materials. The leading exhibits are brought to the fore, the rest are, as it were, “muffled”, relegated to the background and even to the “hidden” plan, placed in a horizontal showcase, turnstile, album, on a retractable shield, etc. It is also possible to combine “lightweight” public halls, designed for the “average” visitor, and special halls, which create conditions for in-depth independent work of visitors. To make the exhibition more accessible, a system of texts, sound recordings, as well as visual scientific and auxiliary materials is being developed. The creation of a unique aesthetic environment throughout the entire exhibition is of great importance.
Methods for constructing museum exhibitions
The method of constructing an exhibition is a scientifically based order of grouping and organization of exhibition materials based on the content of the exhibition. In domestic museology, the following main methods of exhibition are traditionally distinguished: collection, ensemble, illustrative, museum-like.
Topic 5. Museum architecture and equipment in exhibition activities. Design in a museum exhibition.
Architectural and artistic aspect of the exhibition. The role of the artist in creating the exhibition.
Museum equipment, its role in organizing the exhibition space. Types of equipment: showcases, stands, billboards, podiums, stands, and so on. Functional, aesthetic, ergonomic, design requirements for them.
Design in creating the image of the exhibition. Artistic techniques in solving design problems.
Any exhibition requires accompaniment to reveal its meaning to the visitor. Even exhibitions created by modern methods (aesthetic, installation), designed for minimal interference in the process of communication “viewer - museum object,” require the presence of explanatory texts (indications of what kind of object, time and place of production, authorship, etc.) . Traditional exhibitions (systematic, landscape, ensemble, thematic) are accompanied by scientific and auxiliary material (reproductions and copies, maps, diagrams, diagrams, etc. - which refers to scientific and auxiliary materials), texts, labels.
Texts on display– a thought-out as a whole and systematically organized set of headings for sections and topics of the exhibition, annotations, labels, indexes, etc., i.e. all inscriptions used in the exhibition that are not exhibits, but perform official functions. The texts characterize the level of scientific content of the exhibition (the more there are, the more information within the relevant discipline is offered to the visitor). The texts are especially important for single visitors who explore the exhibition on their own. An important requirement for the use of texts is to avoid replacing subject matter with verbal commentary.
The texts in the exhibition are divided into capital, leading, explanatory, etiquette, and indexes. Heading text – helps the visitor navigate the exhibition (contains the names of halls, thematic sections, exhibition complexes). Lead text – expresses the main idea of the exhibition as a whole, individual sections, themes, halls, complexes. In fact, it resembles an epigraph to works of art. Explanatory text – annotation to the hall, theme, complex or individual exhibit. Explanatory texts provide information that lies beyond the viewer’s perception of the exhibits.
Label– a text-annotation to a separate item, containing attributive data about the item: name, authorship or origin, material, size, method and time of production, whether the item has memorial significance, information about what is being shown – an original or a copy. If the exhibition presents mainly originals, and the number of copies is small, the status of the originals may not be indicated on the labels, only copies should be noted. And, conversely, if the exhibition consists primarily of copies (for example, in museums of casts, etc.), then only the status of the original can be specially noted on the labels, and the copy should not be noted. All labels form labeling – the totality of all labels in the exhibition.
Signposts– texts that help you navigate the museum premises and independently navigate the exhibition (sequence of halls, complexes, etc.). Signs can be located on walls, special stands, etc., i.e. actually in the museum premises. The role of pointers can be played by diagrams and plans placed in guidebooks.
Texts should be arranged taking into account the features human perception. Texts, especially headings and supporting texts, should be readable by several visitors at once and be well lit (the lighting should attract attention to them). Words included in one semantic block should not be broken when broken down line by line, as this will make it difficult to perceive the meaning of the text. The font composition allows for stylization, but in any case, the inscriptions should be perceived as an integral unity, and the artistic design of the font should not make it difficult to read with variegation, complex outlines, etc. Heading and leading texts should be raised above the flow of visitors - they are located above eye level. Explanatory texts, annotations, labels, and indexes are placed at eye level or slightly lower or higher. Inscriptions located above or below eye level are best placed on inclined planes perpendicular to the line of sight, which makes them easier to perceive.
In the 20th century For the convenience of visitors, texts in the exhibition are beginning to be replaced by application technical means (technical intermediaries ), transmitting verbal, visual, sound, audiovisual information using special equipment. TO visual means include electrified cards, illuminated displays, luminous signs and labels, indicators different color, serving to attract the attention of visitors to certain places in the exhibition and included during the excursion.
Sound intermediaries are divided into two groups: 1) those called upon to comment on the exhibition ( background commentary – recording the tour on audio cassette, replacing a professional guide; sounds of nature - the voices of animals, birds, the sound of a waterfall, etc.); 2) serving as an addition to the exhibition and even sometimes playing the role of a “museum object” (voice reproduction famous singer in his memorial museum, recording of the game on musical instrument, placed in the exhibition, etc.).
Audiovisual aids simultaneously affect vision and hearing. These include slide films (a series of slides sounded for demonstration), slide programs (thematic slide shows), split screens (devices for simultaneous display of images on several screens using projectors), polyfilms (installations with large, usually 6–15, rarely more, screens ), films and videos.
Museums use automatic reference installations (informants) that provide information about the operating procedures of the museum, the preparation and holding of exhibitions, expositions, stock collections, the availability and location of shops, canteens or buffets, etc. The types of such devices are different: audio answering machines, mechanical reference books (provide texts printed on the display), audiovisual and visual responders
Visual and audiovisual technical means today can form part of the exhibition equipment. Exhibition equipment – a complex of elements and devices that carry out the structural and spatial organization of the exhibition, ensuring the safety and fixation of exhibits at any point in the exhibition space, performing certain artistic and symbolic functions. Exhibition equipment has come a long way in development. Initially, it reflected the tastes of the era, and the principles of its manufacture differed little from the principles of manufacturing any other furniture (this is especially typical for private closed museums, which often combined private chambers and a museum). Only in the 1st quarter of the twentieth century. the idea is developed that the equipment should not interfere with the perception of the exposure, and, therefore, simplicity of form and functionality “becomes” it
Exhibition equipment is divided into unique - created to demonstrate a specific collection, and universal - unified, flexible systems that can be used in any museum or continue to be used after re-exposition. Individual equipment can be styled to match a specific era to complete the look of a museum display. To the types of modern equipment include:
Stands– vertical flat boards (including pneumatic equipment – inflatable stands, container stands – used both for transportation and for exhibiting). Stands include turnstiles – hard flat surfaces, similar to books, mounted on an axis using hinges
Showcases– equipment for spatial display of objects. Modern display cases not only protect objects from dust and from unwanted contact with the visitor’s hands, but can create an ideal storage mode (for example, vacuum display cases used in the Louvre
Podiums– elevations for open display of volumetric objects
Universal modular systems(frame, frameless, combined, frame, space-rod, rocker).
In ensemble exhibitions they use mannequins . In the 1960s–1980s. exhibitions with mannequins have been criticized for being too “naturalistic”, but in recent decades the use of mannequins has returned to museology practice
At the stage of forming a scientific concept, the artist who is entrusted by the museum with the creation of a future exhibition is involved in the work (usually if the museum has such a staff member or an artist with whom cooperation is long-term), or several artists, each of whom will give their own vision for resolving general and specific requirements museum workers for a future exhibition. In general, the artist’s involvement in the work on the exhibition can occur at different stages, but still no later than the drawing up of a thematic plan. The general (scientific) concept is drawn up as a single document, including a description of the general concept, plans and drawings of exhibition halls indicating the areas of preferred placement of exhibition complexes, individual large exhibits, scientific and auxiliary material (dioramas, models, etc.).
The artist must ensure a full acquaintance with the exhibits, especially museum objects: the opportunity to examine marks, copyright or watermarks, factory marks (for mass-produced items), heraldic signs, etc. To do this, magnifying glasses can be installed to highlight a fragment of an object, the exhibit can be mounted on a rotating stand, providing visibility from all sides, the mirror surface of museum exhibition equipment can be used to demonstrate the back side of flat objects, etc.
Topic 6. Museum pedagogy in the implementation of the educational and recreational functions of the museum. Forms and methods of interaction between the museum and the visitor. Design of museum and pedagogical programs.
The scientific and practical nature of museum pedagogy and its directions. Interdisciplinarity of museum pedagogy and its connection with psychology, pedagogy, sociology and museology.
Terminological diversity and socio-political conditionality of the concepts: “educational”, “political-educational”, “scientific-educational”, “mass ideological-educational work”, “cultural-educational”, “recreational activity”, etc.
Theoretical basis museum pedagogy. The concept of “educational potential of a museum.” Recreational opportunities of the museum. The role of the museum object and the museum environment in the educational and recreational processes.
Forms and methods of working with visitors and their classification. Traditional and innovative forms work with the visitor.
Museum pedagogical program and stages of its design.
Museum pedagogy– a special scientific discipline at the intersection of museology, pedagogy, psychology and specialized of this museum disciplines (or their complex), the subject of which is museum communication. Its task is to develop new methods of working with visitors, museum pedagogical programs, and study the impact of forms of museum communication on various groups of museum audiences.
Under museum audience in this case, we mean the totality of people included in the sphere of cultural and educational activities of museums (excluding museum employees who are involved in the scope of this activity due to their profession)
Museum pedagogy as a practical form of work began to take shape in the 2nd half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The term “museum pedagogy” was introduced in 1931 by Freidel. Initially, museum pedagogy was focused on developing work methods and studying primarily children's audiences. Only in the 1970–1980s. the importance of such research for other groups of visitors is recognized (although work with children and adolescent groups remains the most important area), the connection of museum pedagogy with all parties museum work.
The data on which museum pedagogy draws conclusions is provided by museum sociology – a special scientific discipline at the intersection of sociology (primarily the sociology of culture), cultural management and museology. Museum sociology studies the functioning of the museum as social institution; implementation of public needs, requests and expectations in its activities; the impact of the museum on society and society on the museum; attitude towards the museum of various social, professional, age and other groups, their needs and value orientations.
In modern museology, ideas about the importance of sociological research not only in the cultural and educational activities of museums, but also in other areas of work. Sociology develops methods of expert assessments, functional characteristics of museum collections, content and semantic indicators museum activities, criteria for the effectiveness of intra-museum communications, connections between museum and extra-museum work (determining the measure of significance of this work and its individual forms for the museum audience, experts, specialists, etc.).
Sociological research forms an important part of scientific research work modern museums. Museum sociology relies both on general sociological data (for example, on data from censuses or general sociological studies on the size, age, social, professional, etc. characteristics of the population), and conducts its own research through surveys, questionnaires, observations, study of documents, etc. d.
The separation of museum sociology into an independent field of scientific knowledge occurs in late XIX- early 20th century In Russia, the first studies of the social and demographic composition of visitors, their needs and behavior were carried out in the 1920s, mainly based on materials from temporary and traveling exhibitions. In the 1930s such research was curtailed and resumed only in the 1960s. Scope of sociological research domestic museums falls on the 1970–1980s. During this period, sociological services were created in many large museums: the Hermitage, the State Historical Museum, the Russian Museum, etc. Major studies were carried out, for example
The term cultural - educational activities has been used in domestic museology since the early 1990s. Before this, other concepts were used (mass political and educational work, scientific and educational work), reflecting an understanding of the essence of work with visitors in various historical periods and changing faster than the terminology to denote other areas of museum activity. The transfer process carried out in the museum cultural meanings and meanings, the purpose of which is the perception of information by visitors, is defined as museum communication, during which the information potential of museum objects is revealed, educational and other functions of the museum are realized.
The content of cultural and educational activities is expressed in the forms of organizing work with museum audiences and interaction with the education system. Back in the 1970s, it was noted that the museum’s arsenal could include up to one hundred various forms, among which 10 basic forms are noted.
These are: lecture; excursion; consultation; scientific readings; clubs, studios, clubs; literary evenings, film screenings, concerts; meeting interesting people; holidays; historical games; competitions and quizzes. There are many characteristics of forms: traditional - new; dynamic - static; group - individual; active - passive; simple - complex; one-time - cyclic; commercial - non-commercial, etc. For example, traditional forms that served as the basis for the emergence of new ones include lectures and excursions, conferences, scientific readings, consultations, clubs, circles, and studios. Forms borrowed from other spheres of culture, education and science or due to the development of new technologies for museum activities can be considered non-traditional.
IN modern conditions cultural and educational activities are focused on the personality of a potential and actual museum visitor; in this regard, the following main directions can be identified: information, training, development creative beginnings, communication, relaxation.
Such a distinction is conditional, because the directions themselves are changeable, mobile and often closely related to each other, or intersect in some aspects.
However, to acquire methodological skills in museum - pedagogical activity it is necessary to clearly understand the purpose and objectives of the work in each of the indicated directions, as well as think through the most optimal form of work with museum audiences and methods of pedagogical influence.
A collection of different forms combined common theme and subordinated to a single pedagogical goal, become the basis of the museum-pedagogical program.
Let us consider in more detail the essence of each of the directions.
1) Information is the first stage of mastering museum information, i.e. primary receipt of information about the museum, the composition and content of its collections or about individual museum objects, as well as on issues related to the profile of the museum and various areas of its activity. It is carried out through such traditional forms as lecture and consultation. However, modern level development information technologies involves their implementation and active use in the museum, for example, in the form of a special information center. Information services include a wide variety of ways to present information to visitors using computers, ranging from the quality of signs, plans and guides for both adults and children, to the use of information kiosks installed in the lobby or rooms of the museum with an Internet connection. Information Systems contain high-quality images of exhibits indicating their location, accompanying and explanatory information.
2) Training is the second stage of mastering museum information at a qualitatively new level, including the transfer and assimilation of knowledge, as well as the acquisition of skills and abilities in the process of museum communication.
Studying in a museum involves obtaining additional or alternative knowledge that is impossible or not fully possible to obtain in other places. educational institutions. This is facilitated by the introduction of museum-pedagogical programs based on acquaintance with and study of original objects.
The distinctive features of learning in a museum are informality and voluntariness. A special feature of learning in a museum is the opportunity to maximize one’s abilities and satisfy interests; it is stimulated by the expressiveness, diversity and authenticity of museum objects. Training can be carried out in the form of excursions, museum lessons, or club classes. A museum lesson (lesson) is primarily used as a form of museum work with students of schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, and colleges. A museum circle is an association of people with similar interests for the purpose of deepening, expanding and acquiring skills related to the profile of the museum.
3) The development of creativity is the third, highest level of comprehension of museum information. The development of creativity involves using the potential of the museum, concentrated in monuments of material and spiritual culture, to identify inclinations and reveal the creative abilities of the individual. The museum has special conditions to stimulate creative process. The most effective of them is the opportunity to “enter” the system of the best samples, traditions, and examples of the culture of the past. This direction can be implemented in the form of a studio, creative laboratory or festival, quiz, historical game, etc. The studio aims to reveal Creative skills participants based on the study of museum collections.
Creative laboratory- an association of interested parties conducting experimental research in the museum under the guidance of a researcher scientific activity combined with creative practice. A festival is an event with a wide range of participants, accompanied by a display and viewing of various types of art or works performed by participants in studios, clubs, and other creative groups.
4) Communication - establishing mutual business or friendly contacts based on common interests related to the theme of the museum and the content of its collections. The museum provides ample opportunities both for communication with museum information and for meaningful, interesting and informal interpersonal communication. It can be organized in the form of a meeting, club, Olympics, get-togethers, or in some non-traditional form.
A meeting is a meeting organized for the purpose of meeting and communicating with interesting people on a topic related to the profile of the museum. The club is a public regulated organization that provides the opportunity to freely communicate with people who have the same focus of interests related to the museum and its contents. Gatherings are a theatrical form, the participants of which gather in a museum for communication, entertainment in combination with some kind of joint applied activity (embroidery, lace weaving, weaving, modeling, etc.).
5) Recreation - organizing free time in accordance with the desires and expectations of the museum audience, satisfying the need for recreation in the museum environment. Most of these forms of leisure are designed for audiences of different ages (fair, carnival, Open Day, museum festival, concert, KVN, etc.), but there are also specially designed forms of recreation and entertainment for certain categories of visitors (playroom for preschoolers, Christmas tree in the museum for junior schoolchildren, tea party for older people, graduation party in a museum, wedding, etc.).
Most often, successful forms are complex in nature. Like directions, forms are mobile, they are improved and developed. They took shape over decades and changed over time under the influence of historical circumstances, scientific research and development, and the demands of society.
The basic principle of any form of cultural and educational activity is providing visitors with the opportunity to do what interests them, creating conditions for self-realization. It is important to consider psychological characteristics various types and categories of museum visitors. The effectiveness of this work also depends on the interaction of the museum with the school, the integration of school and museum pedagogy.
Currently, cultural and educational activities are one of the leading areas of museum work, primarily with children and adolescent audiences. Museums are developing targeted programs aimed at both children and adults, creating education departments with a new structure, organizing children's centers, exhibitions, and exhibitions for children and families. Integration processes contribute to the identification of new issues and methods, which are reflected in cultural and educational programs and projects.
