Designing a home has similar considerations to designing a museum exhibit. I recently met with a Timberframe constructor and he gave me some pointers to get started. He drew a triangle, at the peak was the budget, the two sides are size and level of finish. Work with these in mind as you envision your dream home or dream exhibit. In a museum exhibit I would switch level of finish with level of interactivity or immersion.

In a home, the kitchen is almost always the most expensive room in the house. Raising the quality of lighting, appliances, countertops or furniture can raise the overall square foot price of the home. It’s also the most interactive room in the house. In the museum world interactives cost more than most other types of exhibits. Before you start with drawing the design of your home it is best to think of these three parameters and your preferences. I personally prefer a smaller home with a somewhat higher level of finish. Yet, I can also do a hybrid approach. The level of finishes may be high in the great room and kitchen and less in the other rooms.

When you start down the path of planning your museum exhibit, think of these three parameters:

1. Budget

2. Size

3. Level of interactivity and immersion level

Which are you willing to give on in one content area versus another? What is the most important story to tell with an interactive? What other stories can be told in some other fashion? Can you reduce the overall square feet of the exhibit to enhance the visitor experience?

Many of our clients have highlighted the importance of their watershed. We have told this story in many different ways. Sometimes it is a graphic panel or exhibit wall. On the high end we have utilized a topographic horizontal projection interactive (see Cleveland Metroparks). An exhibit wall can cost a few thousand dollars and interactive projection map will cost tens of thousands of dollars.

For different types of models there are a variety of levels that affect budgets. You can use 2-D cutouts versus a three dimensional model.

https://content.taylorstudios.com/home/case_grand_bay.html View more photos from our exhibits at Grand Bay

If you are telling the story of a particular plant, person or object you can create a 3-D representation, detailed illustration or stock photography. These are three levels of pricing. If you want to go more interactive you could have an interactive steel butterfly that moves when you crank the handle or an Alligator that you crawl on.

Just like in your home you need to be careful of budget creep as you go through the design process. We, of course, are here to help you with that. Do you want a simple walk in shower or a grand Jacuzzi experience in your bathroom? Do you want a complete immersive environment with interactives or beautiful exhibit panels with simple interactives?

Here is a pricing guide to help you with your museum exhibit planning decisions.