Fundamentals

Every exhibition begins with an idea. Once you have your subject and believe it will make a good exhibition, you need to develop the theme to see if the exhibition is feasible and to convince others that it is a viable project.

This first stage of exhibition planning is the most important. Adequate time should be allocated for the idea to be worked up into a fully thoughtthrough product. There should be as much research as necessary and this stage can take a few months to many years. Make sure that your idea addresses an important subject that hasn't been done before, or at least not in this way. Consider who you need to get on board, including those who have expertise or knowledge that you don't have. Be clear about the purpose of the exhibition and the target audience. What will you want to have achieved by the end and what will be the legacy?

There should be good answers to all the above questions before detailed planning (see Chapter 2) begins. Mounting even the smallest exhibition needs time, resources, careful consideration and a variety of skills. It is important to produce good arguments, as you will be spending time and money. This will create not just backing for the project but active enthusiasm. This first chapter looks at the key things you will need to consider at this stage.

Concept

If this is an original concept, you should make sure that it really is unique and hasn't been done before. Research the subject, both within your organization and nationally, and internationally if necessary. Find out if any other organization is planning to do something similar in the near future. If so, this is not necessarily the end of the project: it could lead to collaboration and an even better exhibition.

If you are looking for a subject, consider themes that haven't been presented in your organization or in your region. Is there an area, theme or period of history that hasn't been explored? If you are part of a large organization such as a museum or library, is there a need to balance large exhibitions with small ones? Are there objects in store that haven't been seen for a while or books, manuscripts and other works on paper which can only be exposed to the light for short periods?