Exhibitions of Past, Present, and Future as Story Inspiration

Story inspiration can come from anywhere at any time. For exhibition-related storytelling, we typically begin with a point of interest: person or people, a topic, or place. Then, in an effort to flesh out the story we begin to consider which objects in the collection relate to our point of interest and can therefore help tell the story. But where and how can we derive inspiration for online storytelling?

In our previous post, Storytelling Inspiration with Collections Online, I covered how the flexibility of collections online can inspire online storytelling. This week we’ll tap into another source of storytelling inspiration: exhibitions of the past, present, and future.

Museum Exhibitions as Inspiration for Online Storytelling

Exhibitions are story containers that, until recently, were deployed as entirely physical and only possible to experience in-person. As a result, many past exhibitions can be mined for story re-releases or as inspired remixes for an online deployment. The same is true for present-day and anticipated future exhibitions where we can work in tandem to create online renditions of the physical exhibit’s story.

Exhibitions of the Past: Reimagining and Remastering

Any museum operating for longer than a decade will have a wealth of past exhibitions to pull from, many of which can have a new life online. Remaking classics or past popular exhibits is an excellent way to connect with online visitors and provide meaningful stories.

Another major benefit is that the story does not have to be created from scratch. The storyline, the items showcased, and even the panel text and labels are all available—and if good processes are in place, that text should be captured in the Collections Management System (CMS). The story inspiration here is about reuse and remixing.

Past exhibits can be altered to emphasize (or further detail) different aspects of the story. Think of it as the Director’s Cut, a remastered version of a classic movie where the quality is enhanced and deleted scenes are included.

Exhibitions of the Present: Enhancing Stories with New Elements

At any moment in time, active museums host a few permanent to long-term exhibitions along with one or more rotating exhibits. Straight replication of a gallery view is easily done—however, in an online venue there are so many ways you can enhance the story being told that it is worth considering the addition of different story elements. This is a perfect opportunity to engage in multi-vocal storytelling, and to facilitate deeper dives into story areas impossible within just a physical space.

Additionally, replicating exhibitions in the present can offer story inspiration and present new ways to engage with your audience and educate museum visitors. The flexibility of adding an online component to an in-person exhibit allows enhancements to the story. When considering a hybrid exhibition, it’s important to be intentional about when and where online elements are added.

 As a refresher, the most typical collection online items to supplement physical exhibits are:

• A QR code or link to read more about the item in the Collections Management System (CMS).
• A QR code or link to view online galleries of related materials delivered by the CMS.
• Audio-visual supplements that demonstrate how a particular item was created or used.
• Delivering additional information (as text or audio-visual) that offers different perspectives related to the item or exhibit topic.

Exhibitions of the Future: Looking Ahead for Inspiration

Finally, we come to exhibitions of the future. For these, you have ample time to consider how you wish to replicate and enhance the story for an online venue. Storylines explored but then abandoned can make for excellent short stories online; they can also be incorporated as part of the larger story not covered by the physical portrayal. There are fewer limits with an online venue so ideas discarded when considering an in-person exhibit can serve as excellent sources of inspiration for an online story.

A Wealth of Storylines

Exhibitions past, present and future each have their particular brand of inspiration and benefits. There are no time-related constraints nor expiration date, and you can refer to these opportunities for story inspiration at any time. There is such a wealth of storylines to choose from, the challenge will be determining which ones to select.