How Increased Use Of Technology Changed Museum And Gallery Design And The Visitor's Experience-00-

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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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