ON TARGET WITH OFF-SITE EXHIBITS

By Charles Jacobs

Local History Notebook, January / February 1987

Thanks in part to the off-site exhibit, the past is becoming more accessible. Men, women, and children from all walks of life are being instructed and diverted where they least expect to find history. Onlookers, perhaps without realizing it, step back momentarily from the whirlwind of today to discover themselves, their families, communities, institutions, and environments through their heritage.

The Right Place

Before designing the "right" exhibit, find the "right" place. Is the lighting adequate or deleterious? Is the location too crowded? Are there too many distractions or is it too remote? Will the exhibit layout work with the existent pedestrian traffic? Or will cul-de-sacs and jams occur? Are aisles wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs? Will someone monitor the space? Is it secure? Or is the potential "gallery" a high risk area for vandalism? Off-site "galleries," unlike many museum situations, offer anything but ideal conditions for exhibitions.

The Right Exhibit

Like most permanent museum exhibits, the off-site installation must "sing for its supper." Its scope, theme, message, and perspective must be immediately obvious. Coherence and clarity are held at premiums. Duplicate artifacts can be used in off-site exhibits.

Many of the most effective off-site exhibits are "grabbers." They may feature bold graphics, dynamic design, panoramic photographs, and eye-catching colors. Typically, they employ a bit more show business than sedate museum installations to catch the attention and interest of the passerby.

Ideally, artifacts should have primacy in exhibitions. Unfortunately, the lack of security, climate control, and space forbids the use of authentic objects in many off-site installations. The safety and integrity of the artifact come first. Will the object be exposed to direct sunlight and wild fluctuations in temperature and humidity? Will it be protected by a fire detection system, a guard, a lock, or an electronic system?

Quality reproductions (many of these are listed in Jay Anderson's The Living History Sourcebook and Alan Wellikoff's The American Historical Supply Catalogue) may serve as "stand-ins" for artifacts and should be identified as such. "Mockuments" (whether it be the Declaration of Independence or a "Wanted: Dead or Alive" poster) and photographic reproductions are mainstays of the off-site exhibit. Three-dimensional facsimilies ("non-firing firearms," crockery, and the like) and models will break up the monotony of a flat arrangement while sparing their genuine counterparts. Most curators agree that reproductions should be used sparingly; after all, genuine objects, the transmitter of "artifactual ideas," are fundamental to the museum.

A good rule of thumb for the off-site exhibit technician is to find a theme appropriate to the site. A comparison of before and after, yesterday and today streetscapes is effective in the urban setting. A retrospective of mail order merchandising (integrating copies of pages from old catalogs) might be well received at a shopping center. Nineteenth century agricultural implements and techniques are favorites at county fairs. Consider the uniqueness of the locality, as well as larger human concern and contexts with which many will identify.

Anniversaries are the catalysts for many off-site exhibits. Now it's possible to celebrate the centennial of a rail line at a depot, commemorate a naval victory on the high seas (or at least a ferry), and even honor a founding father's birth at a gravesite.

The participatory or self-discovery exhibit is the darling of the off-site scene, popular with adult and child alike. Who doesn't like to be challenged (as well as instructed) by an exhibit fashioned in the manner of the board game "Trivial Pursuit" or the game show "Jeopardy!"? Viewers indeed like to be asked to manipulate, identify what something is, and compare and contrast. Many hands-on activities also allow the visually impaired to participate.

Underlying all off-site exhibit projects should be the institution's goal or mission statement. It will guide the selection of themes and materials, ensuring the relevance of your exhibit.

If the staff or board of an institution decides upon an ambitious program of off-site exhibition (establishing a series of changing exhibits and changing locales), it might well consider the acquisition of a structural system of framed panels. Cost-conscious exhibitors may want to construct units of plywood, 2 x 4's, glass/acrylic, and hardware, but should be aware of the fact that the finished products will in all likelihood be less portable, versatile, durable, and convenient than commercial structural systems. Many of the modular tube, channel, pole, and connector units can be tailored to practically everything from tabletop to a gymnasium. Organizations have found commercial structural systems to be among the best of their investments--indispensable at and away from home.

While commercial exhibit systems are convenient and classic, successful off-site exhibits have been staged for little money. Mat board, gator board, and foamcore can serve as temporary panels, but one should be aware of their limitations, fragility, and susceptibility to warping. Some shoestring exhibits have even all but been literally that ”clothesline" shows taking after the street fair "art gallery." When it comes to graphics, the resourceful preparator has substituted gravestone and brass rubbings for expensive photographic reproductions.

Many local historical organizations have followed the leads of the National Park Service and statewide organizations and installed outdoor exhibits. Exhibits have popped up on street corners, at bus stops, and along county roads. The cost of erecting an outdoor box, a structural system, or an aluminum or bronze cast marker is prohibitive for most exhibitors. The fact that they are favorite targets of the vandal do not make them any more appealing to exhibitors. Weather resistant, silk screened labels, laminated signs, and metal photos (photographs reproduced on aluminum by an anodizing process) are economical alternatives.

Secure an insurance policy for the off-site exhibit. Ask your agent for risk coverage; seldom do the owners and managers of malls, offices, and terminals assume liability for exhibits.

Should arrangements for an off-site exhibit be formalized in the manner of an outgoing loan? It might not be a bad idea for the museum/ historical society and the host site to draw up an agreement specifying duration of the exhibition and obligations of both parties. How do you finance your off-site exhibit? Your host may underwrite the installation and promotion of the project (after all, off -site exhibits will not only draw viewers, but customers to malls and stores). You may find the Chamber of Commerce is cooperative and supportive. Off-site exhibit projects are often attractive to grant sponsors.

Suggested Reading

The following books are recommended for information on on-site exhibits. Many of these books are available through the Local History Office Lending Library.

Brayton, Frances. "School Loan Exhibits for the Historical Society." Technical Leaflet No. 16. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 1971.

Dudley, Dorothy. Museum Registration Methods. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Museums, 1979.

Edwards, Alice. "The Portable Exhibit: Increasing Your Audience." Technical Insert No. 15. Illinois Heritage Association Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 3, May-June 1985. Champaign, Illinois: Illinois Heritage Association, 1985.

Keck, Caroline. Safeguarding Your Collection in Travel. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 1977.

Lewis, Ralph H. Manual for Museums. Washington D.C.: National Park Service, 1976.

Lord, Barry, ed. Planning Our Museums. Ottawa: National Museums of Canada, 1983.

Murphy, Patricia M., comp. and ed. Traveling Exhibition Sources: A Directory. Little Rock, Arkansas: Arkansas Museum Services Division, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, 1985.

Neal, Arminta. Exhibits for the Small Museum: A Handbook. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 1983 and Help! For the Small Museuem. Boulder, Colorado: Pruitt Publishing, 1969.

Chopstick, Robert. "Traveling Facsimile Exhibits for the Historical Society." Technical Leaflet No. 70. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 1974.

Smith, Jeffrey E. "Taking History Downtown." The Local Historian. Vol. 1, No. 5 (November/December 1985):5.

Witteborg, Lothar P. Good Show! A Practical Guide for Temporary Exhibitions. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1981.

Charles Jacobs is curator-director of the Sullivan-Johnson Museum of Hardin County and Region I Representative of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums. A graduate of the Masters program in Museology at Syracuse University, he has installed off-site exhibits in restaurants, fairs, storefronts, and along roadsides.

The Local History Notebook is edited and published by the Ohio Historical Society's Local History Office, in order to bring useful information to persons working in the local history field. The selection of subjects and authors is based on inquiries to the Local History Office and on the editor's determination of issues which are timely in nature and lasting in scope. The reference inserts are copyrighted 1987 The Ohio Historical Society. Reprints are available; please specify volume and number. For information on prices, write to: