USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center
Abstract
In this capstone project, I study the process of developing an exhibition for small history museums. Working with the Treasure Island Museum, a small history museum in San Francisco, I explore the different options for developing exhibitions for small history museums, with small budgets, in contrast to the more well funded practice that larger museums have the opportunity to produce. For museums, exhibits are the media used to communicate with visitors, and it is important to install new ones regularly. Being limited by budget and staff constraints this can be a challenge, but I argue that the benefits from the exhibits are greater than the disadvantages from devoting resources to the project. The paper examines best practices for exhibition development and project management and offers a solution to bringing costs down so that smaller, financially challenged museums can create well-constructed exhibitions on a regular basis
