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Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

As a graphic designer that has worked on more exhibit labels than I can count, I can't help but mention typographic issues in the examples in the diy museum labels. A few things that stand out:

Headline leading (space between lines). The space is so tight here that if the first line had a descender (lower case g, for example) it would overlap the second line.

Widows. (term for the single words on the end of a paragraph of type). This is considered poor typography because it hangs by itself and creates too much white space between paragraphs.

I also see that the paragraphs are force justified (hard edges on both the right and left side of the text block). Force justifying creates inconsistent spaces between words within the paragraph. It works with very small type (newspaper columns) or a longer line length, but not for short line lengths/larger type like shown here on ID labels. It is better to have labels with less text/larger type flush left, ragged right. That would help with the widows, too.

This may seem very nit-picky but it helps with readability, comprehension, and looks more professional. I think it is possible to work from a template if you don't have the funds for a graphic designer, but having a graphic designer get you set up with a template and a few typographic rules/parameters would really help.

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Yes to Beverly Sarnell's book as mentioned previously.

This guide from the Smithsonian is also great!

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hi Hanna, Have you seen Beverly Serrell's book Exhibit Labels? It may give you the insights you looking for in regard to "policies and procedures". It's a great book. Her newest edition is due to come out any day now!

As for the first part of your inquiry, do you have an ideal size you're looking to produce? At the Crocker we do 8.5x11 as well as 8.5x5.5 for just the base amount of info (we call them tombstones, not sure if everyone calls them that?). We occasionally go linger when need be, but most of our permanent collection labels adhere to the full sheet size labels.

As for the template, we use InDesign to load up all the labels. I can share that template, but it's nothing special. Just some boxes of various wall colors and grid lines for the outsides. We print everything to an adhesive backed material using an HP Latex printer. For our permanent collection we adhere the label to mat board and cut off the perimeter (maybe this is the part you're trying to avoid) for the temp exhibits we cut off the excess and stick them right to the walls.

What kind of printer do you have?

How many labels do you make for each show?

Describe your ideal work flow including budget of time and resources?

I'm a nerd for this work, I'm happy to problem solve the best solution for your situation....

Cheers,

Matt 

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society

Hello! I am looking for some resources on museum label standardization - we are hoping to find some sort of template so we can easily create same-size labels without hand cropping each individual label. I would also love to see any label policies/procedures regarding labels if people are willing to share! :)

thank you!

Hanna McKellar

curator

Bar Harbor Historical Society