Online course on exhibitions

Northern States Conservation Center announces the launching of an
on-line training course in exhibit fundamentals at the end of June,
2006

MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
Instructor: Lin Nelson-Mayson
Dates: June 26 through July 21, 2006
Location: Over the Internet

    Nearly every museum develops exhibits, but how can we improve
    communication with our visitors while presenting our objects to
    their best advantage? This course explores museum exhibits from
    initial idea to final installation in a variety of museum
    settings. This is a basic overview course on museum exhibits.
    Topics covered include exhibit theory, the role of the museum's
    mission, creating a time line, intellectual and physical
    accessibility, writing the exhibit script and other interpretive
    texts, the role of design elements (sequencing, color, graphics,
    lighting, audio-visual), basic installation techniques
    (including placement guides and hanging framed artwork), object
    safety and security (including mount-making), visitor safety,
    and types of exhibit evaluations. Each student will develop an
    exhibit plan based on their museum's own exhibit goals.

    The course will last for four weeks. The course format is
    self-paced through 6 sections. The instructor will be available
    at predetermined intervals throughout the course. This course
    will include on-line literature, slide lectures, and
    student-teacher/group-teacher dialog. The course is limited to
    20 participants.

    If you are interested in the course, please sign up at
    <URL:http://www.museumclasses.org> and pay for the course at
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>. If you have
    trouble completing an on-line order, please contact Helen Alten
    <helen [at] collectioncare__org> or Eric Swanson
    <eric [at] collectioncare__org>

    Course Outline

    1.  Introduction: Exhibition Theory and the Museums Mission

            Introduction  What is an Exhibition?
            Mission and Exhibitions
            What makes a good exhibition?
            Types of exhibitions
            Finding ideas for exhibitions

    2.  Intellectual and Physical Accessibility and Exhibition
        Evaluations

            Intellectual Accessibility
            Physical Accessibility
            Types of Evaluations

    3.  Creating a Timeline and Writing Texts

            Developing and exhibition concept
            "Team" exhibition development
            Developing an exhibition timeline
            Budgeting for an exhibition
            Writing labels

    4.  The Role of Design Elements and Basic Installation
        Techniques

            Light
            Color
            Sequencing and Floor Plan
            Graphics
            Audio-visual
            Fabrication
            Specific Installation Techniques

    5.  Object and Visitor Safety

            Mount making and handling
            Potential hazards to exhibited objects
            Object security
            Visitor safety and security
            Exhibition maintenance

    6.  Conclusion

            Museum Exhibition Standards of Excellence
            Current Issues in Museum Exhibitions
            Complete Exhibit Plan

    Lin Nelson-Mayson, with over 25 years of museum experience at
    small and large institutions, recently joined us as a
    museumclasses.org instructor after being the Director of
    ExhibitsUSA, a nonprofit exhibition touring organization that
    annually tours over 30 art and humanities exhibitions across the
    country.  For five years she was a coordinator or judge (two
    years) for the American Association of Museums' Excellence in
    Exhibitions Competition. She currently serves on the Exhibition
    Committee for the National Sculpture Society. Ms Nelson-Mayson
    has extensive experience with the planning, preparation,
    research and installation of exhibitions and the decision-making
    processes each museum must go through to ensure that the
    exhibition aids in the fulfillment of the museum's mission. Ms
    Nelson-Mayson's experience includes teaching museum studies and
    museology courses.  Her particular interest is the needs of
    small museums.

Her credentials include the following;

    An MFA from The Ohio State University in sculpture and critical
    writing

    A BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in painting.

    Work as a curator for the Ross County Historic Society
    (Chillicothe, OH), the Art Museum of South Texas (Corpus
    Christi), the Columbia Museum of Art (SC), and the Minnesota
    Museum of American Art (St. Paul).

    An active member of the American Association of Museums, the
    Association of Midwest Museums, and past chair of the Minnesota
    Association of Museums.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:59
                 Distributed: Wednesday, June 14, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-59-012
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