Manual of Museum Exhibitions - Third Edition

Maria Piacente

Rowman & Littlefield

Hardback $175.00 / Paperback $85.00 / eBook $81.50. Save 30% with code: RLFANDF30

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All museum activities converge in the very public forum of the exhibition. Whether large or small, exhibitions are responsible for driving museum attendance and revenue as well as showcasing new research and engaging audiences in new ideas. As museums move from a transmission to a visitor-centered model, exhibitions are more experience driven, participatory, and interactive, built around multiple perspectives and powerful storytelling. The exhibition development process is more complex than ever as audiences demand more dynamic, diverse and inclusive experiences. Museum leaders, interpretive planners, designers, and curators are rising to the challenges in innovative ways.

This manual details the exhibition process in a straightforward way that can be easily adapted by institutions of any size. It explores the exhibition planning and development process in a wealth of detail, providing the technical and practical methodologies museum professionals need today. This 3rd edition includes many new features and expanded chapters on evaluation, virtual exhibitions multimedia, travelling exhibition, curiosity and motivation, DEAI (diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion), while retaining the essential content related to interpretive planning, roles and responsibility, and content development. New and exciting case studies, exhibition examples, and more than 200 color photos and figures illustrate every step of the process. No museum or museum professional can be without this critical guide to an essential function.

About The Author

Maria Piacente has spent more than 25 years in the global cultural sector, specializing in interpretive planning, exhibition development, and project management for cultural projects of all sizes, ranging in scope from art to science to history. Formerly the Vice President of Exhibitions and Events with Lord Cultural Resources, Maria is currently the Senior Vice President for Exhibitions and Galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum.

« This new edition provides updated in-depth, practical information on the conception, organization, and creation of museum exhibitions that made earlier versions my textbook of choice for teaching museum studies and a recommended resource for new professionals. Expanded sections on evaluation, interpretative planning, and digital and emerging media bring this edition up-to-date. Placed at the beginning of the book, the editor and authors engage with critical issues of today’s world, including social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion – of museum audiences as well as those within the museum. »

Patricia Podzorski, Curator of Egyptian Art and faculty member, Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program in Museum Studies, Department of Art, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee (USA)
« As museums continue to expand and deepen their engagement with new and diverse audiences, Maria Piacente's Manual of Museum Exhibitions is essential reading. This book is a well-written and accessible manual for instructors and museum professionals alike. It considers both the practical elements of organizing museum exhibitions and the bigger picture questions of audience and community impact. From the conception phase to program evaluation, this book contains all the information you need to organize dynamic and vibrant museum exhibitions. »

LaNitra M. Berger, PhD, Senior Director, Office of Fellowships, Office of Undergraduate Education, Associate Director, African and African American Studies Program, George Mason University

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