Developing digital media for museum exhibitions : environment, collaboration and delivery : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Museum Studies at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
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Date
2011
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Massey University
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Abstract
This thesis explores the development and deployment of digital media in
museum exhibitions. This thesis aims to discover how developing digital
media contributes to new exhibition methodology and development
processes in museums by investigating the development of the Tangata o
le Moana exhibition at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
(Te Papa).
A detailed study of the Tangata o le Moana exhibition at Te Papa, and two
digital media elements within it; the New Home: Land of Plenty? video
installation, and the Pacific Beats Mixing Booth, are the focus of the
research. My experience of the exhibition is recorded. This is followed by
participant interviews with the 3D designer and Interpreter. Development
documents and organizational archives reveal motivations and goals in
developing digital media for exhibitions. In order to place the research in
a wider context of exhibition design and visitor behaviour, it focused on
three key elements in exhibition creation - environment (the physical and
social space), collaboration (the effect of the relationships on
development) and delivery (the exhibition). This data is compared with
current literature regarding exhibition development. The research
demonstrates that by incorporating digital media into exhibitions a new
relationship in the exhibition space develops. New museological ideas
that place exhibitions in an open-ended framework can align with
constructivist learning techniques. Combined with experiential
environments and creating liminal experiences, there is significant
potential for digital media to contribute to new exhibition methodologies.
The environmental effects of digital media combined with the focus on the
media content rather than ‘real things’ indicates a divergence from
traditional museum practice. The thesis argues that these experiential and
liminal experiences are largely incidental. Narrative forms of exhibition
development predominate. This indicates that involving collaborators with
expertise in digital media and experience design is not contributing to
developing new exhibition practices.
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Keywords
Digital media in exhibits, Museum exhibits, Museum exhibition development, Tangata o le Moana, "New Home: Land of Plenty?", Te Papa museum