Museums have faced tremendous impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they are more important than ever as spaces for community education and gathering. To support the ongoing efforts to reopen these spaces of cultural convening, Isometric has created a Toolkit for Museum Reopening, a preview of which is on this page. The complete toolkit is available for free download via the button below.
Before the pandemic, exhibitions were designed to be creative, engaging, and educational. This will not change, but they will now need to be redesigned with another factor in mind—keeping visitors safe. Rethinking the architecture and visual design of exhibitions can allow us to build a better museum experience in a post-COVID world.
We go to museums to interact with artifacts and installations in a shared space. Sometimes we’re invited to engage physically with installations; at other times, we peruse information on a tablet. These shared surfaces for interaction extend to A/V displays, seating, door handles, elevator push buttons, stairway handrails, and more. How do we ensure safe interactions without impacting the visitor experience?
With outdoor exhibits, there is less control of the space than with indoor ones. Outside, people feel more free to wander around, and it can be challenging to guide the flow of visitors without rooms and hallways. Can we design flexible outdoor frameworks that accommodate the display of objects? How do we guide visitors to avoid crowding and while maintaining a meaningful community experience?
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of museums in our communities. However, some community members, especially those in vulnerable populations, may be hesitant to return to public spaces like museums even after reopening. Virtual exhibits can increase accessibility, allowing anyone to engage with collections without the need for physical travel. How can we create online exhibitions that are as impactful as physical ones?
