The Display Case Series
Museum Exhibition Display Cases
Part 1: Introduction
The aspiration of museum designers, architects, curators, and showcase manufacturers has long been to create an invisible museum exhibition display case.
Consequently, they all have a shared vision. This is to display and communicate everyday items, along with extraordinary exhibits, in their purest form, without restriction or barrier. Placing a piece of glass or acrylic between the visitor and the exhibition creates a physical barrier. Moreover, the observer or visitor has lost something precious. I always feel very fortunate that, as a museum exhibition designer, I can see, touch (with cotton gloves), and analyse papers, artworks, or artefacts from significant historical collections without these physical constraints.
However, it has also made me very sensitive to how museums, trusts, and various organisations purchase museum display showcases. If these organisations had a little more informed knowledge on the subject combined with some forward-thinking, it would improve their exhibition displays and overall visitor experiences.
As a result, and with this in mind, I will be taking you on a museum exhibition showcasing a journey of discovery over the next few months. Let us examine the numerous steps in creating excellent museum exhibition display cases. This will include everything from rough sketches to terminology, materials, lighting, conservation, and installation.
Furthermore, I will keep looking at how it is possible to purchase bespoke museum showcases that allow visitors to enjoy what is on display without feeling disconnected, improving the visitor experience, communication, and learning.
All this can be achieved without any additional cost to the showcase; in fact, there can be areas, if specified and tendered correctly, where savings can be made.
If you would like to read more about this topic in further detail, you can contact us with your queries or visit the page on Museum Display Cases, which has a list of showcases and museum display case services. Lastly, below you can find the latest blogs on my museum exhibition showcase journey of discovery:
extraordinary exhibit displays in their purest form
Read the full museum display cases series
Part 2 – So is that Vitrines or Showcases?
Whether the showcases are produced of acrylic or glass, vitrines are commonly used in Europe and the United States.
Part 3 – How to achieve invisible showcases
The technique of creating a successful showcase design, build, and installation does not happen in a vacuum. It takes a determined team of specialists to produce something greater than the sum of its parts.
If you have a travelling exhibition, you will have a different shopping list of requirements than a permanent museum or gallery installation.