"Exhibit design (or exhibition design) is the process of developing an exhibit—from a concept through to a physical, three-dimensional exhibition."
How to use lighting to enhance the atmosphere of an exhibition space and highlight specific exhibits or elements.
Illumination: Understanding the principles behind the distribution and intensity of light to achieve a specific mood, atmosphere or effect.
Color Rendering: Learning how lights of different colors can change the perceived color of other objects, and the accurate reproduction of colors in the exhibit.
Lumens and Watts: Knowing the measurement and standard units of light and electricity in lights, and how to size and buy the right lights for your exhibit.
Light Sources: Understanding the different types of light sources, such as incandescent, fluorescent, metal halide, and LED lights, and their advantages and disadvantages.
Lighting Fixtures: Getting familiar with the various types of fixtures, housings, lenses, and accessories used in the exhibition design, such as spotlights, floodlights, track lights, and pendant lights.
Light Distribution: Learning the different ways to control, direct, and focus the light beam, such as reflectors, lenses, diffusers, and louvers.
Lighting Techniques: Exploring the different lighting techniques and effects used in exhibit design, such as accent lighting, silhouette lighting, backlighting, uplighting, and downlighting.
Lighting Controls: Knowing the various tools and devices used to adjust the intensity, color, and direction of light, such as dimmers, color filters, timers, and sensors.
Safety and Regulations: Understanding the safety codes, rules, and laws that govern the use of lights in public spaces, as well as the best practices for preventing fire hazards and electrical malfunctions.
Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Learning how to inspect, clean, replace, and repair lights and fixtures, as well as how to troubleshoot common problems, such as flickering lights, short circuits, and faulty wiring.
Budgeting and Scheduling: Planning and managing the lighting design process, including cost estimation, vendor and material selection, project timeline, and installation and dismantling logistics.
Creativity and Innovation: Developing design skills and creativity to use lighting as a medium for storytelling, branding, and emotional impact, and staying up-to-date with new trends, technologies, and materials in the lighting industry.
Ambient lighting: The most common type of lighting used in exhibition design, ambient lighting provides overall lighting to the exhibit space.
Accent lighting: Used to highlight specific exhibit elements such as art, sculptures, or artifacts. It can also be used to emphasize certain areas of the exhibit space.
Task lighting: Used to provide illumination in areas where specific tasks are performed, such as information kiosks or interactive exhibits.
Backlighting: In this type of lighting, a light source is placed behind an exhibit element, creating a glowing effect that draws attention to the object.
Up-lighting: This type of lighting is used to create a dramatic effect by pointing light fixtures upwards to illuminate exhibits from below.
Downlighting: The opposite of up-lighting, downlighting involves pointing light fixtures downwards. This type of lighting is used to illuminate specific areas or objects within the exhibit space.
Wall washing: Wall washing is used to create a uniform wash of light on a wall, creating a neutral background that allows exhibit elements to stand out.
Color-changing lighting: This type of lighting uses LED technology to change the color of the light, creating a dramatic effect that can be used to draw attention to specific areas of the exhibit space.
Focused beam lighting: This type of lighting is used to create a spotlight effect, drawing the visitor’s eye to specific exhibit elements.
Daylighting or Natural lighting: It is the use of natural light, which creates a more relaxed and inviting atmosphere in the exhibit space.
"It is a continually evolving field, drawing on innovative, creative, and practical solutions."
"Directors, curators, exhibition designers, and technicians are some of the people who collaborate to design exhibits."
"These positions have great importance because how they design will affect how people learn."
"Learning is a byproduct of attention, so first the designers must capture the visitors' attention."
"A good exhibition designer will consider the whole environment in which a story is being interpreted rather than just concentrating on individual exhibits."
"Some other things designers must consider are the space allotted for the display, precautions to protect what is being displayed, and what they are displaying."
"For example, a painting, a mask, and a diamond will not be displayed the same way."
"Taking into account artifacts' culture and history is also important because every time the artifact is displayed in a new context it reinterprets them."
"The process of developing an exhibit...to developing communicative environments that 'tell a story' in a three-dimensional space."
"Success of an exhibit design can be evaluated by capturing the visitors' attention and facilitating their learning."
"The challenge of developing communicative environments that 'tell a story' in a three-dimensional space."
"Innovative, creative, and practical solutions are skills that exhibit designers need."
"A good exhibition designer will consider the whole environment in which a story is being interpreted."
"Precautions to protect what is being displayed" must be considered by designers.
"A painting, a mask, and a diamond will not be displayed the same way."
"Taking into account artifacts' culture and history is also important because every time the artifact is displayed in a new context it reinterprets them."
"Directors, curators, exhibition designers, and technicians" collaborate in exhibit design.
"Learning is a byproduct of attention, so first the designers must capture the visitors' attention."
"Directors, curators, exhibition designers, and technicians have great importance because how they design will affect how people learn."