Decoding museum visualization choices

Decision influencers

Equally interesting are the considerations that shape these approaches to integrating visualization technology into their exhibits. Asking the professionals how they chose the display technology, gives us the following insights.

Visual display technology is chosen based on how the technology fits into the exhibition design, with 40.4% of respondents highlighting this as a key factor. The chosen technology must complement the spatial, aesthetic and functional aspects of the exhibit, ultimately ensuring a cohesive and engaging visitor experience.

Content creators also play an influencer role in the selection of visualization technology, with 34.5% of respondents indicating that their preferences are a major factor. These professionals often have specific requirements and creative visions for their exhibits, influencing the choice of display technology to ensure it aligns with their artistic and narrative goals.

Content investments

There’s no way around, budget also remains a critical factor in the selection of visualization technology for museums.  Museums must balance their financial constraints with the need to create engaging and high-quality exhibits. This often means making strategic decisions about which technologies to invest in, from content development to the image presentation and the consequent choice of display technology, ensuring that they can deliver impactful experiences without exceeding their budget.

As a result, 55% of the interviewed professionals indicate that they produce their content in-house or use Open-source content. Additionally, 57.5% of the professionals opt for PCs, laptops, or USB devices for image content playback, rather than relying on professional media servers. These choices reflect a preference for more accessible and affordable solutions. 

Decode the choices

Thinking about the display technologies present in museums and the reasons to choose these solutions, we see some trends reflecting the diverse needs and preferences in museum technology. We asked our museum experts to match a list of positive and negative attributes to the visualization options.

The answers show that flat panel displays are favored for their ease-of-use, projectors for their cinematic feel and wow-factor, and tablets for their interactive capabilities.

LED and rear-projection solutions, on the other hand, can be prohibitively expensive for many institutions and require intricate setup and maintenance, making them less practical for museums seeking straightforward and cost-effective solutions. These factors contribute to their lower preference compared to other visualization technologies.

Conclusion

In summary, the selection of visualization technology in museums is influenced by a variety of factors, including exhibition design compatibility, content creator preferences, and budget constraints. While flat panel displays, projectors, and tablets are popular choices, LEDs and rear projection systems are less commonly chosen due to their higher costs and complex installations. We’ll dive deeper into this in our next post.