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| I made this! Hooray for geometry! |
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| High quality signage and exciting materials |
I also like that the there were two signs at two different levels of difficulty. One included step-by-step instructions with very straightforward, simple language. The other was more open-ended. It encouraged visitors to think more deeply. My one complaint with this signage is the "Dear Families..." note that asks visitors to disassemble their creations. Some of exhibit developers in our APE exhibit book mentioned the importance of allowing visitors to admire others creations. It is a form of visitor interaction that can encourage individuals to explore the exhibit more thoroughly.
The Paper Skyscrapers exhibit was also in the Design Lab.
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| These graphics are to die for. |
The signage on the jars where the rulers and scissors for the challenge were kept interested me.
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| See how the layout also increases ease of reading? |
There was another sign, but this conveyed everything that the visitor needs in 20 words or less. And it is located in creative spot, where the visitor naturally looks as she sits down at the exhibit table. I am finding that where signage is place is just as important as what it says.
About half of the exhibits on the main floor were less APE-like. They were all hands-on, but less intuitive and less open-ended.
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| Bold lettering + careful placement = easy reading |
This pulley exhibit, for example, confused me at first. I wasn't quite sure what to do. Then I discovered that all there was to do at the exhibit was pull on each of the three pulleys. The exhibit looks very clean and well put together. I like the signage on the wall. However, I found this exhibit pretty boring. Most of my time at it was spent reading the very wordy signage (four paragraphs in 14pt font!)
Still, most of the exhibits were great. I look forward to working with The Works in the future as a teacher.
Your photos and captions had me thinking about a few ideas. First, the idea that signage placement is important (and may indicate the audience for whom the signage is intended) is an interesting observation.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I agree that it's too bad visitors are directed to disassemble their magnetic creations--is there a role for technology here? I'm thinking a hand-held tool with a camera (iPad, laptop?) that visitors can use to take a photo of their creation and then put it on the tool's screen. This way, visitors could add their own captions with a challenge to future visitors--see if you can do this! It's curious that at this exhibit, people are supposed to take their work apart, while at the tower-building exhibit, people are encouraged to display their work for future admiration. We could ask Jill about the decision behind the magnetic creation sign . . .
Finally, several of the exhibits you photographed would translate easily (and relatively inexpensively) to a classroom, don't you think? And with all kinds of money opportunities directed at STEM-related resources (classroom grants is what I'm thinking about), you could get what you needed for your first classroom with a bit of application effort (filling out a grant application, I mean).
I especially liked the can with directions around the circumference--reusable with different materials, activities, and resources. Very cool.
I'll be curious to see how your exhibit's signage was ultimately influenced by the museum trips you took this month.