Some people are unlikely to enter a museum of their own accord, but an informal pop-up display at their local shopping mall might grab their attention. This is even more likely now that the pop-up format has become so commonplace.
However, there is some debate over whether a pop-up museum is simple or difficult to design.
“My experience is that they are no less work than a touring exhibition,” says Charlotte Dew, the researcher and administrator for the Touring Exhibitions Group.
“We found the design-build requirements were larger than taking it into an environment that is controlled. The levels of security and protection need to be greater than they might be generally.
“Unless it’s a pop-up without objects, it is quite a challenging way to work. We always struggled to find designs to make it as light a touch as you hope it should be.”
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History takes a simple approach to designing pop-up displays. It uses painted white boxes as pedestals and puts old picture frames around objects, for example.
The museum’s approach to pop-up displays is outlined in its museum organiser kit. This points out that its approach to exhibition design is underpinned by a desire to encourage audience participation. It recommends that pop-up museums are created by the audience.
Pip Diment, the acting head of exhibitions and programmes at Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales), also believes that audience participation should be the focus of museum pop-ups.
“It’s about setting up a situation where people can come and contribute,” she says. “We have always had an outreach department, but it was mostly associated with schools. Now, we are doing this in more different ways; taking it into communities and going out far more than we used to. It’s much more of an exchange of ideas rather than a passive acceptance of what we have to show or offer.”
Jason White, the assistant curator at The Civic Barnsley, says: “We use pop ups to get people engaged in the museum that were not aware of it.”
The Civic Barnsley presents its pop up in a market stall – a format it believes has encouraged visitors to be more forthcoming than they would have been in a more formal environment. The pop-up approach has allowed The Civic Barnsley to tackle less known about issues.
“We did one on Coal not Dole: Women Against Pit Closures at a time when there were a lot of exhibitions on the miners’ strike – but no-one was doing that side of the story,” says White.
For this project, the pop up cost £975, with most of the spend (£395) going on design and graphics. These elements don’t have to be expensive, says White, and can include a handling box and pop up banner.
“It comes down to the engagement; many people wanted to tell us their stories and bring ephemera,” says White.
However, there is some debate over whether a pop-up museum is simple or difficult to design.
“My experience is that they are no less work than a touring exhibition,” says Charlotte Dew, the researcher and administrator for the Touring Exhibitions Group.
“We found the design-build requirements were larger than taking it into an environment that is controlled. The levels of security and protection need to be greater than they might be generally.
“Unless it’s a pop-up without objects, it is quite a challenging way to work. We always struggled to find designs to make it as light a touch as you hope it should be.”
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History takes a simple approach to designing pop-up displays. It uses painted white boxes as pedestals and puts old picture frames around objects, for example.
The museum’s approach to pop-up displays is outlined in its museum organiser kit. This points out that its approach to exhibition design is underpinned by a desire to encourage audience participation. It recommends that pop-up museums are created by the audience.
Pip Diment, the acting head of exhibitions and programmes at Amgueddfa Cymru (National Museum Wales), also believes that audience participation should be the focus of museum pop-ups.
“It’s about setting up a situation where people can come and contribute,” she says. “We have always had an outreach department, but it was mostly associated with schools. Now, we are doing this in more different ways; taking it into communities and going out far more than we used to. It’s much more of an exchange of ideas rather than a passive acceptance of what we have to show or offer.”
Jason White, the assistant curator at The Civic Barnsley, says: “We use pop ups to get people engaged in the museum that were not aware of it.”
The Civic Barnsley presents its pop up in a market stall – a format it believes has encouraged visitors to be more forthcoming than they would have been in a more formal environment. The pop-up approach has allowed The Civic Barnsley to tackle less known about issues.
“We did one on Coal not Dole: Women Against Pit Closures at a time when there were a lot of exhibitions on the miners’ strike – but no-one was doing that side of the story,” says White.
For this project, the pop up cost £975, with most of the spend (£395) going on design and graphics. These elements don’t have to be expensive, says White, and can include a handling box and pop up banner.
“It comes down to the engagement; many people wanted to tell us their stories and bring ephemera,” says White.