The project and the museum layout

The museum is considered a building typology in all respects and has undergone considerable changes throughout history. Its development can be divided into phases: the first period dates back to the 1700th century, when the actual institution of the museum was not yet widespread but the doors of noble residences that housed private painting and sculpture collections were usually opened to a limited public. It was only between the end of the 1800th and XNUMXth centuries that, following the French Revolution, the need arose to make the cultural assets stolen from the noble class public, placing them in places designed for this purpose. Thus, the first museums were designed with the intent of educating and informing a larger user base than in the past. As the years passed, these buildings expanded, hosting an ever-increasing number of works and historical finds. This is how we arrive at the progressive implementation of exhibition halls and service spaces dedicated to welcoming and interacting with users.

The third phase of development involves the birth of the contemporary museum, conceived as a place of observation, education and multi-sensory experience. It is important to point out how over time the users and the needs that bind them to the exhibition places change. For this reason, the museum is no longer conceived as a container of works to be observed only but as a place to learn and interact with them. The direct consequence consists in the progressive change in the design of the spaces and components, studied on the changing needs of an increasingly curious public. In this regard, it is important to specify how the organization and the museum layout constitute a complex factor: they change depending on the time, the location, the theme, the type of exhibition and the audience they are intended for. However, there are some design rules that can be considered universal in order to obtain a successful result. The first aspect to consider is the context and the building in which the exhibition is located. The size, accessibility and characteristics of the place where the exhibition venue is located are elements of fundamental importance that must be studied and known in order to begin the design process. In fact, differently from the past, today we are more attentive to the state of mind of the visitor with the aim of involving him and not boring him. It is good to consider moments of "pause" from the visit, moments in which the gaze is diverted from the work and rests on the environment or on the openings that overlook the external context. For this reason, for example, if a window can offer a pleasant view it should be used for a break, while in the opposite case it can be filtered with exhibition panels or explanatory captions.

If you are in a building of great value, the museum can also become a "museum of itself" thanks to an environmental reading of the internal components such as floors, ceilings or stairs. It is therefore clear how essential it is to take into account the characteristics of the place and the architectural and historical consistency of the building that hosts the exhibition and how important it is to best convey this information to the public who will visit the place. The latter is considered a vital player for the museum project itself: depending on the target audience of the exhibition, the routes, the exhibition order, the position of the works will have to be studied and thermal, acoustic and visual comfort will have to be ensured. Furthermore, accessibility is of primary importance, guaranteed thanks to the total absence of architectural barriers. In order to obtain a correct interaction of the public with the museum spaces, it is necessary to analyze and design the exhibition equipment in the best possible way. This is not just about the physical structures designed to host the exhibited objects, but all those multimedia and interactive systems aimed at providing a real lived experience to the visitors.

Sounds, lights and colours convey precise sensations, leaving a well-defined memory to those who visit the museum. In fact, today, this place no longer has a simple informative function but becomes a promoter of culture with the aim of telling the story of each work, the context in which it was created. Furthermore, the added value is represented by the desire to educate by involving the visitor in first person, making him feel an active part of the museum. It is therefore essential to consider the display of the works: the position, height, light, distances, accessibility of each individual object must be studied in order to ensure the visual comfort of the public and their correct and safe conservation. It is therefore possible to divide the design of the museum display into three areas: the first at the macroscale, concentrated on the relationship between exhibition and exhibition spaces, the second at the intermediate scale, focused on the relationship between the public and the works and the last at the microscale, attentive to the characteristics of each individual object.

The evolution of the museum from its origins to the present day

The museum, from the Greek “mouseion = home of the muses”, has very ancient origins and served the function of collecting works and goods that constituted the spoils of war. For this reason, its main purpose was to inform and transmit but also to glorify the deeds of the ruling dynasty (first generation museums). It was only during the 1814th century that the museum was recognized as a true institution, a period during which wealthy lords donated collections of works in order to preserve them and not disperse them. At the end of the century, these collections took on a public character and for this reason the range of users who had access to them expanded considerably. It was from XNUMX that the first public museums were built in Northern Europe that would gain growing consensus among users (second generation museums). From an architectural point of view, the first museums had a central plan with an entrance and a dome above.

The galleries were instead arranged around a patio. Subsequently, there was a notable expansion of the structures, with new covered and uncovered additions inside the existing buildings. However, it was only in the 1977th century that the idea of ​​creating ad hoc museums to host the works of contemporary culture and no longer just those belonging to the past took hold. These were large buildings, designed to host works and interactive events, aimed at leaving the memory of an experience lived in the visitors. These artifacts are characterized by a strong symbolic connotation and pay great attention to the relationship between the context, the exhibition space and the work. An example of this is the Centre George Pompidou by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, built in Paris in XNUMX with the intent of creating the first multifunctional museum in the city that would also act as a center of attraction for the entire area. In fact, it was the first museum equipped with a cinema, auditorium and commercial establishments, which significantly enhanced a previously poor and under-exploited neighborhood.

Another famous case is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, which was built as part of an urban regeneration program dating from 1993-96. In fact, previously there was a disused industry on the lot: Frank Gehry's goal was to revitalize a space located close to the city center, providing it with a building capable of hosting large works. The latest and current generation of museums is characterized by buildings and open spaces that analyze and exhibit cultural characteristics of a specific area or territory (ecomuseums, open-air museums).
Sometimes, we see the recovery and repurposing of abandoned structures that once had different functions. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Berlin, for example, found its place inside an old train station on the Berlin – Hamburg line. In 1987, the additions generated the current complex that is not so much distinguished by the particularity of the spaces, but by the parties and contemporary works it hosts. In today's museums, additional activities are often planned in addition to the classic exhibition ones, studied on the event that revolves around the specific exhibition. It is a different approach that aims to make the public more involved.

Typical environments of the contemporary museum

Given that each museum reality is made up of specific characteristics linked to the place, culture and objectives set, it is possible to hypothesize a "typical structure" divided into recurring functional areas. The first is the access area, used to welcome the visitor and for this purpose equipped with an information desk and ticket office. In the immediate vicinity, but in a more external area, is the area with a bookshop, cafeteria and toilets. This core is conceived as a separate unit and can be used even during extended hours compared to the opening hours of the actual museum. Close to the entrance, there is the cloakroom and the rest area where visitors can meet in groups for guided tours. Sometimes this space is equipped with seats useful for waiting. Continuing, there are the exhibition rooms that wind along paths designed specifically.

The upper floors often house some rooms used for different functions that are necessary for the museum; these are the administrative offices, the studios for the restoration and enhancement of the works, the warehouses, while the deposits and archives are usually located in the basement floors. Sometimes there are also classrooms, libraries and conference rooms. These spaces are connected to each other through paths that are divided into public and private: the former are necessary for visits and access to service points, while the latter are used by museum staff and scholars. The two typologies must never meet but both must ensure accessibility, safety and the absence of architectural barriers.

Components of the set-up

The design of the exhibition includes the choice of the types of displays and explanatory panels, the lighting study and the calculation of the artificial light needed for each room, the colorimetry, the insertion of climate devices, the prevention of theft and fire. These are complex elements but essential for the success of the entire museum and for the psycho-physical comfort of the user. First of all, it is necessary to analyze the consistency of the building and of the parts that compose it, namely the floor, walls and ceilings. The floor must be resistant, ensure durability over time, ease of cleaning and safety. In fact, the surfaces must not be slippery and there must be no obstacles, in order to guarantee free use for all. As for the ceiling, it is a good idea to plan for the insertion of false ceilings essential for the insertion of scenographic lighting. Sometimes, floors and ceilings are an integral part of the exhibition and contribute to creating a specific atmosphere. Likewise, the walls and their openings must be considered: if on the one hand, the natural light that enters the environment is of fundamental importance to achieve visual comfort, on the other hand, it is essential to provide screening to protect the exhibited works. The latter can be arranged in different types of display, the main ones being:

HANGING SETUP
Chosen for works that do not need to be observed at 360° such as paintings, paintings and historical maps. The hanging therefore presupposes a frontal view and is made up of a wall, panel and hanger (hooks, chains ...).

SUPPORTED SETUP
Unlike hanging, it allows a full-field view of the work thanks to the presence of an element that raises it from the floor making it visible from the best point of view. The necessary equipment consists of the base, the pedestal and the platform.

SUSPENDED SETUP
Designed for all those objects that need to be observed from below or above, at 360°. Here the space-work relationship is privileged (where the space is constituted by the ceiling) and the installation includes ropes, tie rods and hooks to hang the object.

PANEL SETUP
It includes a plane on which to anchor the two- or three-dimensional element; the panel can be mass-produced or handcrafted and is made of different materials such as wood, PVC and metals. There are various types of panels: simple, wall-mounted, hung from the ceiling or fixed to the floor using non-invasive elements. Depending on the type, the panel will be made of more or less heavy material. Furthermore, the setup can include a single element, central to the environment or different pieces placed side by side and overlapping.

PROTECTED SETUP
Necessary for works that must be preserved from external agents and possible theft. The most widespread type is characterized by the display case, capable of creating an environment separate from the museum and with an internal microclimate designed on the characteristics of the object contained. There are different models of display case: separate, adjacent and recessed. This type of setup can have a horizontal or vertical distribution; in the first case there are flat or inclined models (lectern-style), while in the second it is made up of a base, a glass case and a hat containing the light devices.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Designed specifically for the work to be exhibited, it does not require standardized equipment but rather tailor-made, different each time. It is frequently used in temporary exhibitions, when the artist wants to convey a unique message, combining special effects of a lighting, material and sensitive nature. It is an unconventional typology.

In addition to the distinction between the various types, it is important to specify how the setup can be artisanal or serial. For each of the two variants there are some pros and cons: if in fact the conception of an exhibition with artisanal components presupposes uniqueness and total customization, it is important to be aware that these variants imply a higher cost. In fact, the serial is cheaper and reusable, but at the expense of originality and specific company needs. The serial method is widely used in the trade fair sector because it is considered optimal thanks to its lightness, simple assembly and disassembly, easy transport, reusability and durability of its elements. What must always be kept in mind is the importance of accessibility of the type of setup that must provide the possibility of observation for everyone, adults, children, the elderly and the disabled. The search for the optimal point of view is fundamental for an educational and informative design aimed at everyone, without any distinction.

The lighting project

The choices regarding the lighting aspect are of fundamental importance for the success of the museum project. First of all, it is necessary to study the type of work exhibited and the message that it must convey, in order to accentuate its characteristics and make them noticed by the observer also through the correct lighting. Furthermore, there are many elements that are good to keep in mind because, unlike environments with different uses, the museum must conserve and preserve goods of significant value. This is why there are various elements that must be analyzed: the constraints to which the works are subject, the organizational aspects of the space and the objectives of the installation that must respect creativity but above all the pre-established budget. To correctly calculate the lighting parameters, it is good to consider the individual functions covered by the environment and the relative sub-zones. In fact, there will be different needs in areas intended for reception, exhibition, sales and rest.

In the museum, each light source must be chosen and positioned according to a specific purpose, leaving nothing to chance. For this reason, it is best to opt for devices with diffused, punctual, overhead, directional light and with warm or cold tones depending on the specific need. It is good to specify how the Superintendency establishes general rules to follow depending on the type and material of the work that needs to be exhibited and illuminated. In fact, lighting can cause harmful effects due to infrared and ultraviolet radiation; they range from finds that are insensitive to light, of an inorganic nature such as metals, where even 300 lux are permitted, to those that are very sensitive to light such as paintings containing pigments, inks and lacquers, for which one should not go beyond 50 lux. Incorrect lighting can cause the premature degradation of all paper materials, such as papyrus and parchment, which are subject to yellowing and fading and can also lead to the embrittlement of photographic materials. To solve this type of problem, it is possible to use LED lights that do not carry harmful rays. Used in the preparation of works but also in emergency lighting and signage, they have the advantage of having small dimensions and guaranteeing a long life. In any case, this type of bulb must also be sized and used without unnecessary excesses.

In this context, it is therefore important to pay attention to the type of work that needs to be illuminated, since a painting will require a different light than a sculpture or a historical relic, just as a photograph will be enhanced differently than an ancient papyrus. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind the message that you want to send to the public and the paths, if any, that you want them to follow. Depending on the type of lighting desired, it is possible to choose between diffused light directed downwards, concentrated light, delimited light and reflected light. Once the type of light has been established, it is best to opt for the lighting fixtures that are most suitable for providing it, since there are various models on the market:

• Ceiling > track spotlights, ceiling lights
• In the false ceiling > recessed spotlights, ceiling lights
• Floor lamps > floor lamps
• Wall > applique

Over the years, the idea of ​​a museum has changed a lot and its functions have been reevaluated: the need to provide an experience that excites the visitor and leaves a positive memory has spread. Light also contributes to this purpose through the use of new technologies and thanks to the integration of acoustic and optical effects capable of exciting the public. The museum thus becomes a sensory path where the light fixtures are placed according to pre-established designs, with a strong scenic impact. An example of this type of approach is represented by the “Desert Rose National Museum of Qatar” by Jean Nouvel, inaugurated on March 28, 2019 in Doha. The numerous light displays and rooms equipped with sensory lights narrate the natural and anthropological development of Qatar, covering an educational role but also exciting and astonishing the visitor.

The recent development of the territory museum and the scientific museum

Over the last few decades, the need to transmit to future generations the customs and traditions of a specific territorial reality has become increasingly widespread. This is how local museums have found their raison d'être, designed as containers of local culture and intended for a wider catchment area. One of the characteristics that distinguishes them is the authenticity and simplicity of the layout, designed to effectively inform and pass on elements belonging to the local culture to posterity. The museographic design of the interior spaces is studied according to the intent and peculiarities of the objects on display. A recurring idea is to conceive the layout as an integral part of the environment, usable by the visitor directly without closed elements and dividers. The intent is to guarantee the user direct involvement and stimulate him to discover in a more effective way, making him an active part of the cognitive process.

However, if there are objects of small size and high value, they will be preserved and displayed inside display cases and showcases. Furthermore, another important aspect of the ethnographic museum concerns the ability to combine the past and the present: it is testimony and local memory of a time but must develop cognitive methods by spreading them in a modern key. Thanks to innovative techniques and contemporary means, the past must be communicated by adapting to today's needs, only in this way does culture become stimulating and engaging. Optical effects, colors, lights and sounds must convey a message and leave a memory. Since the museum today no longer has an informative function but also and above all an educational one, the integration of educational activities and experiences related to the exhibition is increasingly widespread. To this end, the typical setup includes interactive panels, video documentaries, emotional paths and specific laboratories that also include practical activities. These educational services are of fundamental importance for the ethnographic museum and allow the public to actively enjoy the exhibition spaces, promoting learning and involvement with respect to the topics covered.

Very similar to the territorial museum, the scientific museum aims to promote the culture belonging to the field of science and technology. Introduced to restore a valuable value to discoveries in the scientific field, as was usual for artistic goods, over the course of history they have undergone many changes. In fact, at the beginning they were presented as austere-looking places where objects were kept inside display cases and showcases that could not be touched in any way. It is from the 60s that scientific museums have undergone a crisis caused by the introduction of science centers. The latter are positioned as witnesses of the past but also as interactive centers of attraction that use a playful-educational approach towards the visitor. In fact, the didactic and formative aspect assumes a fundamental importance here: observation, interaction and experience become prerogatives to be considered from the early design phases. The public becomes the protagonist of the visit thanks to the installation that includes interactive islands and paths where it is possible to touch the exhibited work with your own hands.

This is an approach that places discovery at the center of everything: no sequence is imposed, access is free and the visitor must participate sensitively in the event. With the science museum, the classic model of this category is questioned with the aim of encouraging the visitor to participate in a manner that is no longer passive as in the past. The scientific exhibition involves different types of events and museums: the cities of science where the installation involves the urban scale, the centers of educational services established to teach, the scientific amusement parks introduced for entertainment and the scientific agoras designed to hold conferences and meetings.

Finally, a type of museum that has spread widely, especially in America, is represented by university museums. The goal of these institutions is twofold: to preserve and pass on scientific progress through the display of concrete examples and the transmission of studies and research carried out at the site itself. In fact, universities are material artifacts where continuous training and experimentation are the masters. As for the layout inside these types of museums, it often consists of display cases and shelves arranged according to the technological and formal characteristics of the buildings and leaves less room for creativity and user involvement. Full-height wooden cabinets and shelves, ancient display cases and display cases furnish large classrooms where lessons sometimes take place. This is a very different type of exhibition from the classic idea that we have of a museum but also from its direct evolution aimed at surprising and involving the visitor.