Museum Interactive Exhibits: How to Choose the Right Vendor

When you are looking to outsource your next museum interactive exhibit, it is imperative that your audiovisual vendor excels at storytelling. If their first comments are about the creative approach and making a connection with visitors, that is a good sign. You may be the content expert, but it is your vendor’s job to interpret the story in a way that your target audiences find engaging and memorable.

Top Ten Questions to Ask Prospective Museum Interactive Exhibit Vendors

Once your initial project is identified, provide prospective vendors the answers to these ten questions along with a list of “must-haves” and “like-to-haves.” These answers will help guide their proposal and will assist them in personalizing their approach.

1. Who is your target audience? Whether this is your typical visitor or your goal is to attract a new demographic, be as specific as possible.
   
   
2. What are your goals? Identify the call to action and/or an emotional connection you wish to make.
   
   
3. What are your communication objectives? List the three most important messages for visitors to remember.
   
   
4. Who is the voice of the exhibit? This might be a museum director, curator, professional talent, celebrity, historic character (real or fictitious) or even an artifact.
   
   
5. What elements does the museum own or have access to? This can include artifacts, graphic designs, photos, audio/video assets, etc.
   
   
6. Do you want museum staff to update content for the media program? If so, what is their technical skill level and how often do you anticipate revisions?
   
   
7. Does the museum own or wish to purchase AV hardware for the exhibit?
   
   
8. Does the content require progression of thought or can it be accessed randomly?
   
   
9. How much ambient sound is in proximity to where the exhibit will be located?
   
   
10. What ADA requirements need to be met (physical, visual, audio) and how will this affect the storytelling?

Finally, when selecting a vendor to assist with your audiovisual or museum interactive exhibit needs, we recommend sending a Request for Proposal for one project and providing as much information as possible to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison. You can then see how multiple vendors approach the same project and make a well-informed selection.

Now let the challenge begin!

Interested in learning more about some of the interactive exhibit work Impact Communications has completed for our clients? Check out:

• Mission Nutrition Exhibit Gallery: Created for the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center in Mobile, AL, this interactive exhibit includes an Augmented Reality app. Impact designed and fabricated exhibitry, developed the content, designed and produced graphics and animations, developed games, tested and installed all components.
• Battle of Midway: Six Minutes that Changed History, which combines the use of digital media and authentic exhibit fabrication in a 4,000 square foot permanent exhibit housed at the USS Midway Museum.