The Science Museum and its exhibits

1)      Critique the Logo

The Science museums logo is a unique presentation of the words science and museum. I’m not sure what the font type is but I think it suits the mission and purpose of the museum. It has a sort of computer and technology feeling to it which is exactly what the contents of the museum consists of. Although, the contents of the museums is technology of the past whereas I think the logo seems to be more futuristic from the perspective of today’s technology.

I think the logo is appropriate for some audiences because those who seek out the science museum will understand the interpretation of the logo. On the other hand, I saw most people at this museum bring their children and I think this would not be appropriate for children. The font type and the way science and museum are broken up into a box-like shape would make this hard for children to read.  

2)      Navigation

I thought the general navigation around the museum was generally well done. There were plenty of signs directing to restrooms, other exhibits, the shop and café. The clear paths were easy flow from one exhibit to the next was nice too although, there were so many routes to take I felt flustered at times because I didn’t know which way to go.

My favorite part of navigating through this museum was having the map available. On one side there was color coded maps of all the levels which perfectly complimented the other side that had an explanation of each exhibit. It also wasn’t too big. Well done. 

 These navigation board was found at every entrance/exit. This was a great tool to find which exhibits I wanted to see.

3)      Shop/café

The shop and café certainly is an extension of the brand. The same futuristic font type is seen in the entrance and directions to the shop and café. For example, inside the shop the writing above souvenirs directly relates to the mission of the museum with its phrase “the science of shopping”. (see below)

 Also, in the gift shop there were lollipops with the museum logo. I think this was a great marketing tool of the brand the museum has made for itself. (see below)

The cafés sign reinforced the brand but I’m not sure what the food did for the brand. I did not get a chance to see what was on the menu. To reinforce the brand even further it would be a good idea to sell “science” sounding products.

    

4)      Display cases

The most traditional and logical museum display cases were the glass enclosure type. I saw these throughout the museum. These served to protect the historical piece from damage from visitors or to incubate at a certain temperature (for example extremely old wood that may decay).

Picture of the DNA model Watson and Crick created at Cambridge University in 1951.  

 For the most part the text integrated into the display worked well with each exhibit but I disliked many of their attempts. I thought in many displays the text was much too small to read. I do not have poor eyesight but I felt as if I had to get very close in order to read the description. One example was in the “Making the Modern World” exhibit on the second floor where they had many small models. The text was much too small and I found it difficult to follow which description went with which particular object. (see below)

 

Along with the small text, the position of the text cards was poorly done. Some were way too high to see and some were so low I felt as if I had to sit on the ground to read them.

Another type of display was a more modern way to engage visitors. This type of display used interactive forms such as computers to learn about science. For example, the “Who am I” exhibit used this form quite a bit and the “In the Future” exhibit used this form to display the possibilities of the future. Generally, I enjoyed this type of display more than the traditional form because I felt more engaged in the topic and I wasn’t exhausted after reading so much text.

"Who am I" exhibit with all the interactive learning stations

"In the Future" exhibit.

5)      Exhibits

My favorite exhibit was the “Who am I?” exhibit. When first walking upstairs you are greeted with a huge white screen/white panel. (see below)

This was impressive because of its huge size and when you stepped on it, small red dots appeared where you are standing. Once inside I wasn’t sure what to think. There are these large blobs (not sure what to call them; see picture below) that contain small computer screens that have different personality tests. Each blob is specific to what makes you human. Here some example of each station: my body, my face, my sex, and my personality.

My favorite pieces in the exhibit were the brain slices from normal and Alzheimer’s patients, the first pace maker, and a representation of how long chromosome X is. I thought the way they choose to display these and other pieces was really unique. They used slender cases one after another. This reminded me of bookcases which was easy to wonder in and out of (see picture below). I did not like how small a lot of the print was on the descriptions, especially pieces that we high up or really low.

The color scheme worked with the exhibit but I would have more vibrant colors in it. The white, silver, and hint of red with blue twinkle lights above were not distracting from the pieces in the exhibit but splashes of blues, red, purples, or yellows would have made it more exciting. Putting those colors in the entrance would have made the exhibit more inviting I think.

                               

For me this exhibit was most memorable because I am a biology major and learning about what makes us human and unique from one another is an area of science I love. Other than my own personal likes of human biology the interactive aspect of the exhibit made it unique and brought me back to being child playing interactive games.  

6)      Facts

One fact that I found most interesting was that the X chromosome is the longest in the human genome. It carries over 1000 of the 23,000 human genes. The base pair (DNA) code is in its 22^nd book volume and scientists are still not done decoding the entire chromosome. During replication it takes your body 16 hours to read and copy. Mistakes are rare, but can lead to disease such as Duchene’s Muscular dystrophy.