Suggestions for Museum Displays

The following are recommendations from Wanda Chin, of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Allison Young, of the Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Association, for ways to approach a museum exhibit telling the story of the Aleut Independence Movement. These basic plans apply to creating any museum exhibit as well.

Basic Exhibition Plans: Always answer these questions which will guide your planning and efforts toward the creation of an exhibit:

WHO are you doing this for? Identify your audience. Is it for the Islanders? Readers above 4th grade? Students? Children or Adults? For example, if the elders already know the story, so you want to educate the young, gear the exhibit toward them. However, at the same time, make it accessible for outsiders as well.

WHY are you doing this? What outcome(s) do you want from the audience? Information, emotion, reaction. To celebrate? To Inform? To Challenge? What do you want people to know when they walk away from the exhibit?

Hint: Limit yourself to 3 major themes/elements you want people to remember and know about the Aleut Independence Movement. What three things (and possibly three subthemes) about the movement do you want to focus on to help visitors understand. Focus on those elements.

Keep it simple. Use simple explanations of why the movement started. Use two or three lines to explain the different elements. If you use more than two or three lines, then break them up with illustrations and photographs. Do not use complex sentences and use no commas.

Stay focused on the topic. For example, in the exhibit about the Aleut Independence Movement, there would be no need to give a lengthy explanation about the seal harvest except as it pertains to the Independence Movement. One sentence should do and then move on about the Independence Movement.

Asking questions in your exhibit is a good way to get a point across.

Talk about the leaders. Have similar information about each person. For example, Did they all live on St. Paul?

Use photographs, artifacts, and illustrations. Be aware of the amount of space you will have available for the exhibit.

HOW will you accomplish this? Determine method/budget/resources: how much is this going to cost? Is this project $100 or $2,000? Who will provide the resources: human, financial, materials, etc. How much time can you use to make this product/exhibit? Schedule the work: research, planning, sketching, drawing, building, preparing, installing, promoting, advertising, opening, scheduling visits, more promoting.

WHAT will the product be: a digital, 2 dimension or 3 dimension exhibit, paper, etc? How much space should it take? Use photographs, objects?

WHEN will this take place? Month, Day, Year(s) How will you promote the product? How will audience find out and see it?

WHERE will this take place? How will you get people to go there? Why would they come back? Security?

Suggested Publications

Wand Chin and Allison Young recommend the following publications for guidance in setting up the museum and exhibitions:

Planning for People in Museum Exhibitions, Kathleen McLean, Association of Science-Technology Centers. An Association of American Museums (AAM) bestseller. Spiral Bound 200 pages, 1993, $35.00. This can be ordered online at the AAM website: https://secure.aam-us.org:80/nonmembers/web_store.cgi

The Alaska State Museum has a lending library for museums in Alaska. The following is a list of books recommended by Wanda Chin and Allison Young in the Alaska State Museum library. I have included the description of the book from the State Museum website. The State Museum website http://www.museums.state.ak.us/lendinglibrary.htm lists several other books as well and states "Books are available for one month, with the possibility of a one-month extension if no one else has reserved the book. There is no charge except borrower pays return shipping. The museum also has a series of conservation videos available. To borrow either books or videos, contact Ken DeRoux, Curator of Museums Services, at 1-888-913-6873.

Cataloging from Scratch: A Manual for Cataloging Undocumented Collections in Small Museums, Caroline M. Stuckert , MAAC Associates Inc., 1991. "This book discusses how to develop records for objects for which there is no indication of ownership, status or date of entry. Perfect for new or existing small museums or historical societies that have never documented their objects or have inherited artifacts or objects without any accompanying paperwork. 92pp."

Exhibition Planning and Management, American Association of Museums, 1992. "A primer of selected reprints on the core elements of exhibition planning and management from NAME. Articles are from: Innovation, Exhibit Builder, International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship, Industrial Design, and more. 112pp."

Exhibit Labels: An Interpretive Approach, Beverly Serrell, AltaMira Press, 1996. "A vital reference tool for all exhibit professionals. Includes discussions of label planning, writing, design, and publication. Contains resource list, glossary, and bibliography. 261pp."

Exhibits for the Small Museum, Armita Neal, American Association for State and Local History, 1976. "Also a standard work, still relevant in many ways but dated in others, this book expands on some of the material in Help for the Small Museum. Covers exhibit planning, scale models, case designs and interiors, lighting, mannikins and viewer dynamics. 169pp."

Guide to Traveling Exhibition Organizers, Edited by Shirley Reiff Howarth, The Humanities Exchange, Inc. 2000. "Lists more than 80 organizations that offer traveling exhibitions to museums, art centers, libraries, and other display spaces. Each organization is described, giving its history, philosophy, types of exhibitions, security and transportation requirements, fee ranges, education programs, staff information, and sample lists of its exhibitions. Spiral bound 99pp. "

Help For The Small Museum, Armita Neal, Pruett Publishing Company, 1969/1987. "Long a standard work on the basics of building exhibits, but now dated in some respects, especially with regard to label production, this book nonetheless provides numerous ideas and tips for designing exhibits and constructing exhibit cases, panels etc. 176pp."

Good Show! A Practical Guide for Temporary Exhibitions, Lothar P. Witteborg, Smithsonian Institution, 1981. "Offers practical guidance on creating temporary and small exhibitions, including basic steps for exhibition planning, design, fabrication, and installation. Information on security, conservation requirements, and accommodating visitors with disabilities is included. Also includes an outline of exhibition development, a bibliography, and a chapter on sources. A completely revised chapter on sources, an updated bibliography, and an exhibition development outline also are featured. 184pp."

Going Public: Community Program and Project Ideas for Historical Organizations, Robinson and Sorin, Bay State Historical League, 1999. "This book is a compilation of ideas for breathing new life into local historical agencies through community based programming. It presents 27 case-study program ideas as well as guidelines and methods for planning and implementing programs. Paper 70pp."

Organizing Your Museum: The Essentials, Susan K. Nichols, American Association of Museums, 1989. "Practical information and advice that trustees, volunteers, or staff need to know about starting a museum and successfully managing every stage of its development. 180pp."

Registration Methods For Small History Museums (2nd edition), Daniel B. Reibel, DBR Publications, 1991. "The definitive guide to registration methodology for smaller institutions and beginning or part-time registrars. 246pp."

Starting Right: A Basic Guide to Museum Planning, Gerald George & Cindy Sherrell-Leo, AltaMira Press, 1987/1995. "Covers a gamut of concerns associated with launching a new museum. Subjects include choosing a building, collections care, registration, exhibits, conservation, staffing, financial management, fund raising, and more. 152pp."

Suggestions for Funding

Allison Young suggested that the Saint Paul Island Heritage Commission apply next year for the Alaska State Museum's Grant-in-aid program for the year 2004. This year's deadline, June 1, 2002, has already passed for applying for funds for the year 2003. The form, instructions/ eligibility requirements can be found at http://www.museums.state.ak.us. Click on "Grant information for Alaska Museums" then click on "Grant-in-aid program." However, please note that only non-profits are eligible. Allison suggested applying through your non-profit organization and/or look for other programs like this one. I have attached a copy of the instructions and application form to this report. According to the Alaska State Museum's Grant-in-aid program instructions, the grant provides funds "to purchase materials, equipment, personal services or other items necessary to support and improve museum services and operations." Awards as much as $10,000 have been given in the past. Allison suggested that this type funding could provide needed money for Daria Dirks to participate in a museum internship for hands-on experience and to purchase materials for the museum.