When I observed visitors in the Hall of Botany, it was almost alarming how frequently I heard people walk in and say "oh, it's just plants." My goal became getting rid of that "just" and helping visitors see how cool plants can be. For this initial update, funding was minimal, so we focused on low-cost/high-impact changes including a new introduction, a video, and making the labels accessible and engaging.
Updates to permanent exhibition; 3,000 square ft
April 2021 - present
Roles: exhibition development
Plants power life on Earth.
Visitors see plants as integral to their own lives and life on Earth more broadly
Visitors feel inspired by the beauty of the museum's dioramas and herbarium collection
Visitors understand the value of the museum's extensive and active herbarium collection
The dioramas all featured two labels of about 150-200 words each. Laminated flip panels identified each species within the dioramas, but observation revealed that fewer than 5% of visitors touched even one flip label during their visit.
Revised labels break information up into shorter chunks and highlight a few of the most prominent details in the scene. A map helps visitors quickly contextualize the diorama's environment.
Inspired by the artistry involved in herbarium work, I storyboarded and scripted a short video for the entry to follows a scholar's hands from specimen collection through digitization. Along with a label about the collection, visitors can see the work done behind the scenes.
