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Every year, museums and heritage sites around the world invest millions in developing and maintaining interactive exhibits. These exhibits are delightful, a source of wonder, inspiration and learning, providing joyous, memorable, shared experiences for adults and children alike. Or at least they can be. Sadly, many end up frustratingly difficult to operate, boring or perennially broken. Poor design, ill-conceived content and badly planned maintenance can lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities for enjoyment and learning.
Interactive Exhibits addresses this gap by bringing together the author’s three decades of experience and insight from across the museum and heritage sector. Providing an overview of the full exhibit life cycle – from initial concept and prototyping to installation and operation, and drawing on lessons from both successes and failures, this practical guide demystifies the process of creating interactive exhibits that truly work. Chapters include:
- what are interactive exhibits and why do you need them?
- what do good interactive exhibits look like?
- generating ideas for interactive exhibits
- working with exhibit developers
- looking after interactive exhibits
- the future of interactive exhibits.
A comprehensive and subject-defining text, this book is essential reading for museum and heritage professionals, exhibition designers and project managers as well as students studying to enter the museum and heritage sector.
Few aspects of exhibition-making are as engaging, or as challenging, as creating interactive experiences that genuinely connect with visitors. In this highly practical and deeply informed guide, Gammon distils years of experience into a resource that is both authoritative and accessible. Rich with examples, thoughtful reflection, and actionable advice, the book will help practitioners at every stage of their careers design interactives that are more purposeful, inclusive, and impactful. An essential addition to the bookshelf of anyone working in museums, science centres, heritage sites and cultural organisations.
— Alex Tyrrell, Director of Exhibitions, Interpretation and Design, Imperial War Museum
Ben Gammon brings decades of experience in developing interactive exhibits to this clear and practical guide. Through real-world examples and insights from a career spent researching, designing, and evaluating visitor experiences that engage and inspire, he shares helpful ideas and tools for anyone developing interactives. This book is a valuable resource for museum and heritage professionals looking to create interactive exhibits that are more engaging, meaningful and effective.
— Gregory Chamberlain, Editor, Museum-ID
Interactives done badly waste valuable resources and leave visitors with a negative impression of their museum experience. Done well, they can engage audiences in a way no static display can achieve, making museum visits even more memorable and inspiring. I cannot recommend highly enough Ben Gammon's practical and evidence-based guide to creating brilliant and meaningful interactives. If you are setting out on a museum project, read this first - it will save you a lot of time and provide an inspiring introduction to the immense possibilities, regardless of your budget.
— Dawn Kemp, Director of Museums and Special Collections, Royal College of Surgeons of England
Whether you’re completely new to them or you have created and delivered them for years, you will need this book if you plan to create interactive exhibits. It includes absolutely everything you need to know, from early concept planning and audience testing, through to delivery and build, with plenty of examples of both successful and not so successful case studies to learn from. And very helpfully, it reminds us that not all concepts and ideas are suitable to be translated into interactive exhibits. In true interpretive spirit, it is also incredibly well written and a joy to read.
— Elin Simonsson, Head of Public Engagement, Royal Horticultural Society
An excellent and much needed practical, overview of exhibit development from an experienced and well-respected interactive developer. Ben Gammon provides an easy-to-follow, practical, introduction for those about to embark on this process but also for the more experienced professional to dip into and retrieve information at the right time for their project. The book covers everything from idea generation and what makes a good exhibit through to the full development and installation process. It is peppered throughout with delightful anecdotes and examples from the authors own wealth of experience. A must read for all in the sector.
— Dr Gillian Lang, Director of Experience Development, Glasgow Science Centre
Interactive exhibits can transform a visitor experience, but creating them successfully requires both technical expertise and a deep understanding of audiences. Drawing on many years of practice, Ben Gammon provides a comprehensive guide from someone who understands not only how interactive exhibits are developed, but how visitors actually engage with them. Rich in practical insight and real-world experience, this is the book I wish I had when I worked in exhibition development. An invaluable resource for museum professionals seeking to create memorable, meaningful and impactful visitor experiences.
— Emmie Kell, Director, Museums and Cultural Property, Arts Council England, UK
Ben Gammon is an independent consultant with 35 years’ experience in the museum and heritage sector. He was previously Head of Audience Research, and then Director of Learning and Audience Development at the Science Museum, London. As a consultant he has worked on many exhibition projects, including ones at Life Science Centre, Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery and the Bath Abbey Visitor Centre.
Introduction
Chapter 1: The What and Why of Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 2: Interactive Exhibits That Are Easy to Operate
Chapter 3: Interactive Exhibits That Are Appealing and Impactful
Chapter 4: Developing Ideas Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 5: Commissioning Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 6: Making Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 7: Installing Interactive Exhibits on the Museum Floor
Chapter 8: Looking After Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 9: The Future of Interactive Exhibits
Chapter 10: Conclusion