EXHIBITON DESIGN & T 58
REFRESH RENEW
his year it’s all about using the space available to best effect: exhibition space is being cre-
ated from back-of-house areas and redundant spaces are being brought into use. Flexible exhibition space is a must, with room for temporarary exhi- bitions, and interactivity is essential. A number of ambitious refurbishments have just been unveiled, with design being the key to propelling the attrac- tion into another league.
The Florence Nightingale Museum, UK
One such example is The Florence Nightingale Museum in London, UK. The centenary of the death of the legendary nurse kick-started the museum to under- take the major overhaul. The 21-year-old site was much in need of a face-lift, with tired exhibits and a route which didn’t fl ow well. The £1.4m (US$2m, 1.6m) refurbishment has seen everything replaced with a free fl owing space, with the content arranged in three pavilions, and an area for temporary exhibitions. After an international design compe- tition, Dutch company Kossmann de Jong was chosen to design the museum – its fi rst such project in the UK. The content has been changed to show the relevance of what Nightingale was campaigning for and many interactive features have been added.
“There’s a touchscreen showing the
register of nurses sent to the Crimean War, so visitors can turn the pages to fi nd out their stories. Children can also see if they could be Florence Nightingale and work out what treatment the soldiers need,” says museum direc- tor, Caroline Worthington. “We’ve used stethoscopes for the audio tour, where people can hear her story in her own words. For kids we use peepholes, to allow them to follow a trail of cartoons.” As this is an independent museum,
which completely relies on admissions and sales from the shop and web shop, Worthington is hoping this will mas- sively boost visitor numbers, capturing more of the passing tourist trade on the city’s South Bank and also appealing to GCSE-age students (14- to 16-year olds).
Revamping an old exhibition can change the look of an attraction and provide a great selling point to kick off the season. Kath Hudson looks at some recent launches
The Museum of Chinese in America in New York City has had a US$3.25m redesign
Museum of Chinese in America, US
The Museum of Chinese in America in New York has benefi ted from a dramatic US$3.25m (£2.26m, 2.6m) rede- sign at the hands of Maya Lin Studios. Established in the 1960s to keep alive the oral histories and experiences of the older generation of Chinese immigrants to America, it’s hoped the redesign will transform the museum into a world class facility with more exhibitions. The previous site is now an archive
and research centre, and the new 14,000sq ft (1,300sq m) site, in a con- verted industrial machine repair shop, offers six times as much fl oor space. Lin avoided the commonly-used Chinese pagoda and used a minimal- ist design, with Shaker infl uences. The core exhibit revolves around
The Florence Nightingale Museum in London has had a £1.4m refurbishment Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
the museum’s historic courtyard, evocative of a Chinese courtyard house. Every year a prominent Chinese American artist will be invited to install a work here. Short, biograph- ical fi lms of Chinese Americans are projected onto the windows facing the courtyard. Visitors will be invited to tell their stories online, via interac- tive kiosks, and become part of the digital archive of Chinese Americans. Sustainable design elements and strategies have been used throughout and it is expected to receive a Silver LEED rating.
AM 3 2010 ©cybertrek 2010
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