博物館展示設計的趨勢與方向

Tendencies and Directions in Designing Museum Displays

Alex McCuaig ； 陳玫岑

《科技博物》 3卷3期 (1999/05) Pp. 69-80

https://doi.org/10.6432/TMR.199905.0069

並列摘要

Many things are happening in the areas of museum and exhibition design as we approach the end of the century. Museums come in a wide range of types and forms, and in this article we look at the British Museum of Science to see some of the changes that science and technology museums are going through. I will discuss a few of the trends taking place in British science museums in order to show what I think the museum of the next century will be like and what we should all expect in the future.
From the Past up to the Present
The earliest science and technology museums were little more than places where objects marking the course of development of science were stored and preserved. There was little or no public access, and minimal contact with people outside the museum. The 20th century has given us new attitudes toward the importance of displaying the materials in museum collections. These displays have gradually developed to where museum visitors can often interact with them, and we are well on our way into a new age of education for museums. The end of World War Ⅱ saw the establishment of large science-based centers around the world. These centers have helped to bridge the gap that many people have felt between themselves and science and technology. They have allowed science to shrug off its image of being unfriendly and to take on new aspects of fun and adventure. In addition, the design of the museum environment is now almost as important as the design of displays, meaning that the museum setting can now serve to enhance the effect of the information and objects on display.
We have also found that not all displays need to be interactive or to call for participation by the visitor. Creatively conceived exhibits can be effective in informing the public and provoking further thought for those who see them, even without the use of interactive devices.
Museum studies have shown that most people do not in fact go to a museum to learn. This means that it may be of no great benefit to put a great deal of effort into developing a pure learning environment in the museum. For now it is perhaps enough to tweak the curiosity of visitors so that they will be motivated to think about what they have seen after the leave the museum.
Display designers have had a significant effect on the design and layout of museums since the 1950s. Researchers know a great deal about the main subjects of displays, but they are usually not particularly skilled at putting together exhibitions around these subjects. The principal role of the designer then is to lay out all the materials chosen for display in a way that will be attractive and appealing to the museum visitor.
Government subsidies for museums became a hot political topic in the UK in the 1980s. As a result many museums have been forced to find ways to be self-sufficient. This has hiked the level of competition among museums several notches, and they have been hard pressed to go out and find new visitors. All of this raises the possibility that museums may have to 'go commercial', something along the line of theme parks; in order to remain viable in the future.
Challenges facing Museums
One of the greatest challenges for the museum in the 20th century is to define its rule and even its name for the future. The UK is well under way with plans for museums in the 21st century, including a ¢G1 billion project to develop an entirely new class of museums. This new project is slated to be introduced sometime in the year 2001. One possible area of concern is that 22 of the 34 museums involved in the project are science and technology museums, and each museum will require its own distinctive concept and development plan so that they will not be too similar in their layouts and contents.
Case Studies
1. Wellcome Wing. This is the main theme area for the upcoming millennium at the London Museum of Science. It is intended to serve both as a look at the recent past and the future ahead of us. Themes will rely heavily on current popular topics in science. It will also seek to respond to what the media are saying about science and technology, and to correct any impressions the public may have picked up through insufficient or incorrect reporting by the media.
2. Discovery Centre. This Birmingham facility will study the role of the area in the rise of the Industrial Revolution in England and what has happened since that time. The museum concept involves placing science and technology in the context of society. It will examine the various 'ages' that have occurred in the course of science and technology, and take a good look at what lies ahead in the 21st century. Part of the planning for the museum will be on the theme of ”The Impact of Science and Technology on Birmingham and its Citizens.”
3. Imaging Frontiers is the Millennium Year project for the British National Museum of Photography and Television. The key point in this project will be digital imaging and how the digital technology revolution has changed the way we receive information. It will avoid the use of computer screens as much as possible and create a public space in its exhibition hall that will challenge many of the concepts held by the general population, providing an environment far beyond their wildest imaginations. The project will explain concepts in digital technology using artistic methods, and conversely it will introduce artistic concepts from a scientific viewpoint.
4. Wildscreen World. Developed as part of Bristol 2000 for the millennium, this project offers a vision of what we might expect in a 21st century zoo. Art joins technology to take viewers on a journey into the realm of nature. There are not real animals to be found here, but there is a world of information on animals and how they live.
The Deep is all about life under the sea, with interactive displays, aquaria, seated tours and other features to introduce many varieties of fish and other marine life. It provides a wide range of experiences for the visitor in a combination commercial-entertainment setting.
Directions and Trends
What do these five new plans hold for museums in the 21st century? Science is often viewed as a two-edged sword which can bring danger as well as progress. Museums must always maintain a neutral stance. They must be moral and ethical at all time, and make visitors feel that they are in a place where they can re-examine their inner elves. Moreover, museums must continually strive to be more interesting and stimulating, providing materials that are entertaining without being extravagant. These plans all demonstrate the powerful impact of creativity in science and technology as well as the convenience that science has brought to our lives.
Three trends should be widespread among museums in the 21st century: new concepts in science and technology; interesting kinds of enterprises; and applications of technology. Museums must present more information on the need for and benefits of science and technology, delve into the ways that science and technology impact our society, and make appropriate responses to cultural change. Museums must recognize and accept racial and religious mixtures in society and work to bridge cultural gaps by finding common areas of experience. We need to explore problems that exist in our everyday lives, and to attract new visitors to museums.
The rise of the design industry in England has had an obvious impact on museums in that country. Designers serve a museum by helping to keep tabs on what other museums are found with their displays. They also can make proper responses to a larger number of factors that may affect them.
Thus it is important to consider the role of the museum in society in the future. Many people see the museum as a new kind of ‘church’, yet an attitude of reverence is not really called for in studying science and technology. The museum of the future must be a place for all people, where anyone can feel at home no matter who they are.
Finances have always been a stubborn sticking point for museums. Many of the science museums and science centers around the world are supported largely through donations, a fact which is not likely to change any time soon. In the future there will probably be less 'national' museums and more regional or local institutions, and traveling exhibitions will also become more widespread. Taiwan already has several national-class museums and they are looking for ways to raise visitor numbers. It is time for these museums to seriously explore different forms of cooperation to attract more people.
Science and technology become obsolete over time, and museums must be constantly on the lookout for new ways to express old ideas. New means of communications based on the contents and the spirit of the exhibition theme must be found and presented to the public.
Conclusion
In short, museums exist in a precarious condition where they face a never-ending challenge from the public. The museum must reflect current conditions in society even as it works to lead society in new directions. It must offer an environment that is stimulating and culturally meaningful, a place in which people from different backgrounds can come together and communicate with each other.
The museum must always strive to be as lively as possible and to show applications of science and technology in imaginative ways. At the same time, the museum must be aware that money is not the only means for achieving a diverse culture.
To sum up, we know that the needs and desires of the public are constantly changing, and we must be ready at all times to give them a place in which they can feel free to enjoy and learn. The new museum of the future is one which brings together the needs and the hopes of the visitor. It must understand and be responsive to these needs, and it must be willing to draw on all the available resource and collective strength from other museums, in order to be a successful institution in the future.
Author
Alex McCuaig is director of MET Studio in England. He founded MET in 1982 and has worked with museums in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Singapore, Taiwan and other areas to develop their skills in designing exhibitions. His more notable exhibitions include the QE2 project in 1994 and Hong Kong Telecom in 1996.