Calvin Cliffs Museum: Innovative Exhibition Strategies on a Budget

1. CALVIN CLIFFS – A CASE STUDY How one small unknown museum uses many exhibition strategies while on a small budget -- if they can do it, you can too -- Elaine Heumann Gurian

2. CALVERT CLIFFS MUSEUM • Maryland seashore • Important Paleolithic cliffs, fossils • Topic – everything about the area • Audience • Yachts and boat enthusiasts • Summer tourist season • Big Air Force installation nearby • Winter rural and isolated • School groups Elaine Heumann Gurian

3. ORIENTATION • An interactive map • Answers – Where is this in context. Elaine Heumann Gurian

4. ORIENTATION -- MAP • Has voice over • Adds History • Further Context Elaine Heumann Gurian

5. ORIENTATION -- TIMELINE • Answers question – Where in sequence is this. Elaine Heumann Gurian

6. ORIENTATION – MAP • Model • Three-dimensional • Answers relationship question. Elaine Heumann Gurian

7. OBJECTS • Many Objects in a case. • Reading rail with labels. • Quite ordinary installation. Elaine Heumann Gurian

8. OBJECT & PHOTO • Real Object • Photo putting object in context. • One of the quickest cheapest exhibition strategy that answers the question -- “How was this used?” Elaine Heumann Gurian

9. A REAL OBJECT IN CONTEXT Elaine Heumann Gurian

10. REPRODUCTION • Touchable object • Historic story – Answers question “What is the size of the tobacco barrel that went to England?” • Audience can understand size. Elaine Heumann Gurian

11. CONSTRUCTED MODEL • Answers the questions – “What did it look like? How big was it?” • Adds emotional quality (intended or unintended?) “How frightened would I be if I met this?” Elaine Heumann Gurian

12. TOUCHABLE READING RAILINVENTED PAINTED BACKGROUND • Combined labels and specimens. • Visitor can touch material and look closely. • Answers both visual and tactile questions. • These cliffs are only 5 miles away. Thus this serves as a gateway to the real site. Elaine Heumann Gurian

13. Reading Rail– Contemporary materials • Turns easy-to-find material into museum artifacts. • Lends authority to ordinary material. • Changes the way visitors will attend to ordinary materials in the service of a story. Elaine Heumann Gurian

14. A MULTIPLE STRATEGY • Background • Read flora, object • Reading rail • Mounted touchable object. Elaine Heumann Gurian

15. a reproduced full-scale environment • These are the strata of the cliffs down the road Elaine Heumann Gurian

16. AUDITORIUM Adds: -- • Possible Performance and live demonstrations. • Respite. • Additional information. • Sound, • Motion, • Context. Elaine Heumann Gurian

17. TECHNOLOGY -- Movie • Small Theatre in exhibition • Adds context, motion, etc. Elaine Heumann Gurian

18. Take advantage of surprise--REALITY • Real bird nest • Placed by bird • Now used by teachers • Visitors don’t touch or take away. Elaine Heumann Gurian

19. Amenities Food Service • Contemplation • Rest • Eat • Talk, socialize • Real environment • Also has shop, etc. Elaine Heumann Gurian

20. INVITATION TO ANOTHER WORLD -- PROCESS • Showcase skilled craftsman • Recognize contemporary tradesman • Talk to real experts • Relationship with community Elaine Heumann Gurian

21. ROLE PLAY – DRESS-UP • Fantasy. • Story telling. • Transport to another time. • In the best ones, experience other ephemeral information like gender roles, etc. Elaine Heumann Gurian

22. ACTIVITY -- SIMULATION • Archeology dig • Fun in its own right. • Also establishes the care and skill needed for a dig. • Activity as physical and tactile learning over time. Elaine Heumann Gurian

23. HANDS ON • The real object • The real sound • The real activity Elaine Heumann Gurian

24. HANDS ON -- TALK-BACK • The audience as teacher. • The indication that the audience opinion counts. • A change in a power relationship. Elaine Heumann Gurian

25. HANDS-ON ACTIVITY • Actively answers questions. • Audience participation in own learning • Quiz • Easy to misuse the strategy. Elaine Heumann Gurian

26. MORE ABOUT • Multiple levels of information • Here very simple • Often technology used for this purpose. • For audience who wishes to know more. Elaine Heumann Gurian

27. MORE ABOUT -- OBJECTS • For close study • Visual Storage • For audience who wishes to know more. Elaine Heumann Gurian

28. MORE ABOUT –GAMES, BOOKS, TEACHER • Children’s room • Multi-generational • Additional information • Teacher attendant Elaine Heumann Gurian

29. A REAL ENVIRONMENT • This habitat was created, is small and has an interpretative trail throughout. It is the real flora and fauna Elaine Heumann Gurian

30. A VOLUNTEER WITH MATERIAL Real touchable materials on a cart, Real Animals A knowledgeable teacher. Elaine Heumann Gurian

31. THE CART ! Elaine Heumann Gurian

32. SECTIONS – TIMELINE • Emblematic • First person • Sequence Elaine Heumann Gurian

33. ARTIFACT ENVIRONMENT • Stage for demonstrations • Craftsmanship • Section timeline • Real material Elaine Heumann Gurian

34. SECTION TIMELINE • Suggests Dress and roles • Peoples history Elaine Heumann Gurian

35. RECAPITULATION • A reinforcement exit strategy Elaine Heumann Gurian

36. COLLECTIONS STORAGE • Study Storage • Real size • For the specialist Elaine Heumann Gurian

37. REPRODUCTION, CREATED AS A CLASS • LABEL TELLS PROCESS OF MAKING • TOUCHABLE • STUDENTS LEARN HANDS ON HISTORY Elaine Heumann Gurian

38. THE REAL EXPERIENCE • UNSTAND HOW IT FEELS IN MOTION • WHAT THE WORLD LOOKS LIKE • HOW IT SOUNDS IN ACTION • SOURCE OF INCOME Elaine Heumann Gurian

39. RESEARCH • ARCHIVES • OBJECT STORAGE • OPEN TO SCHOLARS Elaine Heumann Gurian

40. ENTHUSIASTS • INVITATION TO AMATEURS • CHANGE OF AUTHORITY • ENLARGED DEFINITION OF MUSEUM • WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY Elaine Heumann Gurian

41. ALTERNATIVE SITE • ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE Elaine Heumann Gurian