Open Forum

Dear All

What are the best exhibits you have seen or been a part of creating? What worked so well about them? For me, it was an exhibit at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco called Rama Epic: Hero, Heroine, Alli, Foe. It broke down the story by the characters and each one's story. I really enjoyed it. I look forward to the stories. 

Thank you,

Rachel 

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Rachel Alschuler
Museum Education/ Visitor Experience
San Francisco CA
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That looked like a really cool exhibit! 

I was a curatorial assistant for the Kaleidoscope of Burmese Art Exhibition Suite by the Center for Burma Studies in 2016. It was a beautiful exhibition showing off the Center's priceless Burmese pieces. The Curator separated the suite into three exhibitions within the NIU Art Museum. One focused specifically on highlighting some older pieces from the collection including silver and textiles with the main attraction being the Buddhist sculptures arranged in front of a red wall. The other gallery juxtaposed contemporary Burmese paintings with older pieces from the collection to show the inspiration of the old onto the new. It was truly one of the best art exhibitions I've seen (though I am probably biased as the curator was my mentor and she did allow me to curate the textile section of the exhibit, haha). 

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Markie Striegel
Curator of Collections and Exhibitions
Geneva History Museum
Geneva IL
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Dear Markie

Thanks for sharing. That sounds like a good exhibit that showcased a culture and a country not known well in this country. I think it's important to expand our knowledge of Asia and all the places and people that make it work.

Thanks,

Rachel

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Rachel Alschuler
Museum Education/ Visitor Experience
San Francisco CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-01-2024 10:40 AM
From: Markie Striegel
Subject: Best Exhibits one has seen or been a part of

That looked like a really cool exhibit! 

I was a curatorial assistant for the Kaleidoscope of Burmese Art Exhibition Suite by the Center for Burma Studies in 2016. It was a beautiful exhibition showing off the Center's priceless Burmese pieces. The Curator separated the suite into three exhibitions within the NIU Art Museum. One focused specifically on highlighting some older pieces from the collection including silver and textiles with the main attraction being the Buddhist sculptures arranged in front of a red wall. The other gallery juxtaposed contemporary Burmese paintings with older pieces from the collection to show the inspiration of the old onto the new. It was truly one of the best art exhibitions I've seen (though I am probably biased as the curator was my mentor and she did allow me to curate the textile section of the exhibit, haha). 

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Markie Striegel
Curator of Collections and Exhibitions
Geneva History Museum
Geneva IL
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Hi Rachel,

I was involved with the development and production of the "Mission Future, Arizona 2045" exhibit at the Arizona science Center. This is a very different type of exhibit that looks at the future through the eyes of five different characters and has no museum or anonymous voices. There's more info about the exhibit including visitor evaluation in the Spring 2024 issue (Volume 43, Issue 1) of Exhibition. 

Check out the article.

Best,

Paul Martin

Codirector

Center for Innovation in Informal Learning,

 School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Arizona State University

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Paul Martin
Codirector
Tempe AZ
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Hi Rachel,

Without hesitation, the best exhibition I have ever seen was "The Keeper" at the New Museum. It was about all the ways we collect and keep things.  Superb. Different. Personal. Relatable. 

The other unforgettable exhibition was the Kerry James Marshall exhibition, because his work is breathtaking. I cried at the end. 

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Tamsen Young
Digital Media & Strategic Initiatives Manager
Museum at FIT
New York NY
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The best exhibit I have ever seen was at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna in the early 2000s It was on one painting, "Painter in his Studio" by Johannes Vermeer.  The painting was set into a wall in the center of the gallery so you could see both the front and the back of the painting and then around the sides of the room they discussed different aspects of the painting.  One part was about the textiles, the clothing being worn and the curtain in the foreground. Another section talked about the map on the back wall and the importance of map making and its significance.  There was a section on the pigments and how artists of the time created their paints. A section on the conservation that the painting has gone through over the centuries. A section about the painting's history including talking about how it was a piece of looted art.  They also had the text in at least three languages on the labels (German, French, and English) with more languages available on separate sheets.  It was a great exhibit and as a historian who enjoys art I really apricated learning about the history of the painting and the social history of the time in which it was painted. 

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Jenny Yearous
Curator of Collections Management
State Historical Society of North Dakota
Bismarck ND
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Dear All

Thank you for the responses. I enjoy hearing about all the unique and interesting exhibits you have seen. 

Thanks,

Rachel

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Rachel Alschuler
Museum Education/ Visitor Experience
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-06-2024 09:30 AM
From: Jenny Yearous
Subject: Best Exhibits one has seen or been a part of

The best exhibit I have ever seen was at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna in the early 2000s It was on one painting, "Painter in his Studio" by Johannes Vermeer.  The painting was set into a wall in the center of the gallery so you could see both the front and the back of the painting and then around the sides of the room they discussed different aspects of the painting.  One part was about the textiles, the clothing being worn and the curtain in the foreground. Another section talked about the map on the back wall and the importance of map making and its significance.  There was a section on the pigments and how artists of the time created their paints. A section on the conservation that the painting has gone through over the centuries. A section about the painting's history including talking about how it was a piece of looted art.  They also had the text in at least three languages on the labels (German, French, and English) with more languages available on separate sheets.  It was a great exhibit and as a historian who enjoys art I really apricated learning about the history of the painting and the social history of the time in which it was painted. 

------------------------------
Jenny Yearous
Curator of Collections Management
State Historical Society of North Dakota
Bismarck ND
------------------------------

One of the best exhibits I've ever seen was at the Higgins armory in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. It was a long time ago, and I don't remember the name of the exhibit. It had something to do with a mythical global explorer who collected oddities from around the world. The artist was phenomenal. The entire installation was like a mini museum onto itself with all kinds of steam punk type artifacts and handwritten notes. The background story was that this explorer had located these items during his travels. The place was wall-to-wall oddities. And the thing I love the most about it was that there were a lot of items placed at the level of a child's eyesight and adult would miss it if they didn't get down on their level. so it truly engaged every age. There were clues to his journeys and pages from his travel diary to help you piece together his adventures. I could've spent the entire day in this one installation. My teen daughters were enthralled.

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Meghan Gardner
Creative Director
(781) 270-4800
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Original Message:
Sent: 8/7/2024 7:00:00 AM
From: Meghan Gardner
Subject: RE: Best Exhibits one has seen or been a part of

One of the best exhibits I've ever seen was at the Higgins armory in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. It was a long time ago, and I don't remember the name of the exhibit. It had something to do with a mythical global explorer who collected oddities from around the world. The artist was phenomenal. The entire installation was like a mini museum onto itself with all kinds of steam punk type artifacts and handwritten notes. The background story was that this explorer had located these items during his travels. The place was wall-to-wall oddities. And the thing I love the most about it was that there were a lot of items placed at the level of a child's eyesight and adult would miss it if they didn't get down on their level. so it truly engaged every age. There were clues to his journeys and pages from his travel diary to help you piece together his adventures. I could've spent the entire day in this one installation. My teen daughters were enthralled.

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Meghan Gardner
Creative Director
(781) 270-4800
------------------------------

Hi Rachel,

I was the designer on a show called Wild Color, and really enjoyed learning the conservation needs of objects from different collections. It was a good exercise in creating case layouts that ensured all the objects were properly displayed.

An exhibit that really blew me away was the Crypte Archéologique de l'İle de la Cité. It is located underneath the plaza in front of Notre Dame, and houses the excavated ruins of a Gall-Roman city. The space is pretty dark, so the ruins stand out in a dramatic way. Hanging above the ruins are thin, translucent banners with images completing the buildings, so it gives you a sense of what it once looked like without being distracting or overpowering the space.

Thanks for the great question!

Sarah

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Sarah Daley | 3D Exhibition Designer
Field Museum of Natural History
Chicago IL
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Dear Sharah

I am glad you enjoyed the exhibit. It is always good when one sees an exhibit one connects with and enjoys.  I enjoy asking them.

Thanks,

Rachel 

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Rachel Alschuler
Museum Education/ Visitor Experience
San Francisco CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-08-2024 11:00 AM
From: Sarah Daley
Subject: Best Exhibits one has seen or been a part of

Hi Rachel,

I was the designer on a show called Wild Color, and really enjoyed learning the conservation needs of objects from different collections. It was a good exercise in creating case layouts that ensured all the objects were properly displayed.

An exhibit that really blew me away was the Crypte Archéologique de l'İle de la Cité. It is located underneath the plaza in front of Notre Dame, and houses the excavated ruins of a Gall-Roman city. The space is pretty dark, so the ruins stand out in a dramatic way. Hanging above the ruins are thin, translucent banners with images completing the buildings, so it gives you a sense of what it once looked like without being distracting or overpowering the space.

Thanks for the great question!

Sarah

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Sarah Daley | 3D Exhibition Designer
Field Museum of Natural History
Chicago IL
------------------------------