Developing Exhibitions: Planning & Design (Winter 2025) - Online Course

Developing Exhibitions: Planning & Design (Winter 2025) - Online Course

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Course Description

An AASLH Small Museum Pro! Online Course

Developing Exhibitions: Planning & Design is an online course about how to plan and design exhibitions. Guided by an expert instructor and supported by cooperative student learning, participants will develop an exhibition and create a design package. Participants will decide what their exhibit will be about and why, identify its storyline ideas and organizing concepts, develop a budget, and decide on its look and feel.

Throughout the course, participants will complete readings from the required textbooks, review supplemental examples and case studies posted to the course site. Whether participants come to the course with an imaginary exhibit in mind, or with the intention to develop an actual exhibit, this course will guide them through each step, providing encouragement and guidance along the way and a chance to exchange ideas and experiences.

Each week participants will be expected to:

  • Study materials directly within the online class site;
  • Find other resources on the web or in the community and share them with the class;
  • Share your own knowledge, experience and resources with the class; and
  • Complete one or more exhibit-development assignments and share your work with the class.

Details

SESSION DATES: January 13 - March 9, 2025

COST: $215 AASLH Members / $315 Nonmembers / 10% discount for STEPS participants with promo code found in the online STEPS Community

OPEN REGISTRATION: August 20, 2024 – January 6, 2025; 30 participant limit. Courses typically fill up before the registration deadline, so register early.

Course Logistics

FORMAT: Online, Instructor-led, Weekly-paced course

LENGTH: 8 weeks

PARTICIPATION: Students should expect to spend approximately 5-7 hours per week on readings, text-based forum discussions, and assignments

LIVE ZOOM DISCUSSIONS: We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course. 

  • A one-hour live Zoom discussion will be held biweekly on Thursdays at 12:00 PM Eastern
  • Zoom discussions are recorded in case a participant is unable to attend the live sessions

MATERIALS:

  • Required text: Exhibit Makeovers, A Do-It-Yourself Workbook for Small Museums, Second Edition, by Alice Parman, Ann Craig, Lyle Murphy, Liz White, and Lauren Willis, 2017.
  • Texts are NOT INCLUDED with registration. Participants must order the book separately from the book seller of their choice. A discount code is provided after registration when ordering directly from Rowman and Littlefield. 

TECHNOLOGY: Participants will need access to internet and a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet to participate in this course. For the live Zoom discussions, we recommend having access to a camera and a headset, earpods, or other audio and microphone device. Automatic captioning is available in the Zoom discussions.

CREDIT: Successful completion of this course (B or higher) will earn one credit toward the Small Museum Pro! certificate from AASLH.

Participant Outcomes

At the end of the class, participants will:

  • Have firsthand, guided experience with a proven, step-by-step process for planning exhibits;
  • Have experience with tools that will assist you in exhibit planning for your museum;
  • Be familiar with other resources for more information; and
  • Have a network of small-museum professionals with whom to confer on future exhibits.

Who Should Take This Course

This course is a beginning level course designed for professional staff and volunteers of historical organizations and libraries who have little to no experience with exhibit development and design.

How to Register

Click here for instructions on how to register yourself or another user for this event. 

Jenney Fazande

AASLH Online Course Instructor

Email: jfazande1@gmail.com

Jenney Fazande is an experienced and creative designer with more than ten years experience in exhibit development, fabrication and museum administration. Holding a Master of Arts in Exhibition Design from the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Jenney has worked with museums and galleries of all sizes, including The National Museum of African American History and Culture, The National WWII Museum, The Smithsonian Anacostia Museum and Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Design Atlanta, The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, and more. Jenney has also collaborated with community artists working in varying mediums to bring unique installations to life in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Washington DC.

Experienced in all aspects of exhibit development and management – from design, fabrication and installation to accompanying marketing, public programs and financial oversight – Jenney can effectively translate concepts into compelling installations. An emerging leader in the museum field, Jenney was awarded the 2017 PACE SETTER Award by the Association of African American Museums for her innovative traveling exhibit, Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II, which has been on display across the country since 2016.

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
ABOUT THE COURSE
Course Messaging Instructions
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource. Instructions on how to set up your privacy and messaging settings for the course.
WEEK 1: Exhibit Planning and Design Introduction - A Course Review (January 13 - 19)
Zoom Chat: Thursday, January 16 - 12PM EST
01/16/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  Recorded On: 01/16/2025
01/16/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  Recorded On: 01/16/2025 Passcode for the Zoom, if needed, is: @RbP7Vsj
Introduce Yourself
Open discussion to continue.
Open discussion to continue. Introduce yourself, and describe your project, in 100-150 words.
Week 1 Forum
Open discussion to continue.
Open discussion to continue. No prompt this week. Feel free to post any questions, suggestions, comments, resources or anything else related to this week's content.
WEEK 2: Exhibit Planning and Content Summary (January 20 - 26)
Readings from the Manual of Museum Exhibits
Attest to having completed the readings
Attest to having completed the readings
Reading from Exhibit Makeovers
Exhibit Planning Worksheet
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Week 2 Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. Prompt: After reviewing at least two introductions and project descriptions, what project surprised or inspired you and why? Feel free to post any other questions, suggestions, comments, resources or anything else related to this week's content.
Assignment Week 2A: Complete the Exhibition Planning Worksheet (DUE January 26)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B Complete and upload Exhibition Planning Worksheet
Assignment Week 2B: Exhibition Concept Proposal (DUE January 26)
Passing Grade: A
Passing Grade: A - Write an Exhibition Concept Proposal using the information from the Exhibit Planning Worksheet and also include how the exhibition will relates to your Institution’s mission and where it will be in your institution.
WEEK 3: Exhibit Planning and Budgets (January 27 - February 2)
Zoom Chat: Thursday, January 30 - 12PM EST
01/30/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  0 minutes
01/30/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  0 minutes The passcode for the Zoom, if needed, is:
Reading from Manual of Museum Exhibits
Reading from Exhibit Makeovers, 2nd Ed.
Week 3 Forum
Open discussion to continue.
Open discussion to continue. Team Planning - How does it work at your organization?
Assignment 3A: Worksheet 5.5 (DUE February 9)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B
Assignment 3B: Create an Exhibition Budget (DUE February 9)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B
WEEK 4: Mood Boards, Bubble Diagrams, and Floorplans (February 3 - 9)
Read Exhibit Makeovers, 2nd Ed.
Assignment 4A: Create a Digital Mood Board (DUE February 9)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B Create and upload a Bubble Diagram for your project.
Assignment 4B: Create an Exhibition Floor Plan (Due February 9)
Passing Grade: A
Passing Grade: A
Assignment 4C: Create a Bubble Plan (DUE February 9)
Passing Grade: A
Passing Grade: A
WEEK 5: Interactives (February 10 - 16)
Zoom Chat: Thursday, February 13
02/13/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  60 minutes
02/13/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  60 minutes Passcode for the Zoom, if needed:
Research Interactive Ideas and Interactive Companies
Week 5 Forum
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. Interactives: Will they work for your museum and institution?
Assignment 5: Create an interactive proposal (DUE February 23)
Passing Grade: A
Passing Grade: A
WEEK 6: Text Panels and Labels (February 17 - 23)
Reading from Exhibit Makeovers
Assignment 6: Write a Sample Interpretive Panel and Object Label (DUE February 23)
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B
Week 7: Mounting, Production, and Fabrication (February 24 - March 2)
Zoom Chat: Thursday, February 27 - 12PM Eastern
02/27/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  60 minutes
02/27/2025 at 12:00 PM (EST)  |  60 minutes Passcode for the Zoom, if needed:
Readings from Exhibit Makeovers
Week 7 Forum (DUE March 9)
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue. - Discussion Chat – Production & Fabrication, What resources do you have and use in your area?
WEEK 8: Final Design Package (March 3 - 9)
Assignment 8: Upload Design Package (DUE March 9)
Graded as Pass/Fail
Graded as Pass/Fail
COURSE SURVEY AND CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Course Survey
13 Questions
13 Questions Please note the survey must be completed and a passing grade must be achieved before the Certificate of Completion is available.
Certificate of Completion
1 Small Museum Pro! Certificate Credit credit  |  Certificate available
1 Small Museum Pro! Certificate Credit credit  |  Certificate available Successful completion of this course (80% or higher) will earn one credit toward the Small Museum Pro! certificate from AASLH.

If you have any questions, please contact AASLH Professional Development staff at learn@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.

Cancellation/Refunds for onsite workshops must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the early-bird registration deadline date will receive a full refund. Cancellations made between the early-bird deadline date and eight days prior to the workshop will be subject to a $55 processing/materials charge. No refunds will be given within seven days of the workshop date. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.

Cancellations/Refunds for online professional development (webinars and online courses) must be submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the start date for the online course or the day of the webinar will be given a full refund. No refund will be given after the start date for the online course or on/after the day of the webinar. Registrants may transfer their registration to another person. Registrations cannot be transferred between courses or course sessions. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.