“The people who built and ran the museums of the past are not the same people who will create the museums of the future.”
- Siddharth Khajuria, Senior Producer, Barbican
“The people who built and ran the museums of the past are not the same people who will create the museums of the future.”
- Siddharth Khajuria, Senior Producer, Barbican
The 3 pillars of this thesis
The 3 pillars of this thesis
“A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.”
“A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.”
Museums today are not only institutions of historical preservation and interpretive display; they are designed ecosystems in which meaning is shaped through space, layout, image, sound, and interaction. As visitor expectations evolve in response to the rapidly changing world, museums are increasingly challenged to communicate in ways that are not only informative, but also engaging, responsive, and memorable. The 2022 ICOM definition reflects this shift by repositioning museums as participatory and socially relevant institutions. The pandemic accelerated the need for digital and hybrid forms of access and communication- audiences require a more immersive experience to be interested. In this changing landscape, the museum experience must be understood as something designed across physical and digital layers, rather than delivered through objects alone.
Museums today are not only institutions of historical preservation and interpretive display; they are designed ecosystems in which meaning is shaped through space, layout, image, sound, and interaction. As visitor expectations evolve in response to the rapidly changing world, museums are increasingly challenged to communicate in ways that are not only informative, but also engaging, responsive, and memorable. The 2022 ICOM definition reflects this shift by repositioning museums as participatory and socially relevant institutions. The pandemic accelerated the need for digital and hybrid forms of access and communication- audiences require a more immersive experience to be interested. In this changing landscape, the museum experience must be understood as something designed across physical and digital layers, rather than delivered through objects alone.
This dissertation infers that graphic design is not merely a secondary visual support, but a structural force that actively choreographs visitor attention, navigation, and interpretation. In post-digital museum practice, digital technologies are no longer separate from the institution but embedded within its missions, systems, and visitor journeys (Parry, 2013; Mason, 2020). This creates new opportunities for designers to manage cognitive pacing through formal typographic hierarchies, sequencing, and spatial layouts. The museum visitor is no longer a passive observer, but an active participant whose understanding is shaped through interaction, context, and emotional engagement (Ciolfi et al., 2008; Barnes and McPherson, 2019). Design, in this sense, becomes a way of constructing conditions for attention towards a particular sort rather than merely presenting information.
The focus of this research is therefore on how graphic design can help museums create experiences that feel coherent, meaningful, and alive, and help the viewer partake in the experience instead of being a passive observer. In an environment shaped by fragmented attention and competing visual cultures, museums need communication strategies that guide visitors without overwhelming them. Empathic design is especially relevant here because it asks what matters to people before deciding how to design for them (Tellez-Bohorquez and Gonzalez-Tobon, 2019). This dissertation explores how three design themes - participation, contextualisation, and experience - can inform a more responsive museum language, and how these principles can be translated into design decisions that support attention and interpretation.
This dissertation infers that graphic design is not merely a secondary visual support, but a structural force that actively choreographs visitor attention, navigation, and interpretation. In post-digital museum practice, digital technologies are no longer separate from the institution but embedded within its missions, systems, and visitor journeys (Parry, 2013; Mason, 2020). This creates new opportunities for designers to manage cognitive pacing through formal typographic hierarchies, sequencing, and spatial layouts. The museum visitor is no longer a passive observer, but an active participant whose understanding is shaped through interaction, context, and emotional engagement (Ciolfi et al., 2008; Barnes and McPherson, 2019). Design, in this sense, becomes a way of constructing conditions for attention towards a particular sort rather than merely presenting information.
The focus of this research is therefore on how graphic design can help museums create experiences that feel coherent, meaningful, and alive, and help the viewer partake in the experience instead of being a passive observer. In an environment shaped by fragmented attention and competing visual cultures, museums need communication strategies that guide visitors without overwhelming them. Empathic design is especially relevant here because it asks what matters to people before deciding how to design for them (Tellez-Bohorquez and Gonzalez-Tobon, 2019). This dissertation explores how three design themes - participation, contextualisation, and experience - can inform a more responsive museum language, and how these principles can be translated into design decisions that support attention and interpretation.
The dissertation is structured around these themes with separate chapters devoted to each topic and how they can further the experience of a museum as an institution through graphic design. Finally, the author’s master’s final year project, Zarbān, serves as a practical, empirically evaluated response to these themes, demonstrating how adaptive graphic languages can hold the gaze when showcasing globally sensitive topics and position museums as the guardians of storytelling and creativity.
The dissertation is structured around these themes with separate chapters devoted to each topic and how they can further the experience of a museum as an institution through graphic design. Finally, the author’s master’s final year project, Zarbān, serves as a practical, empirically evaluated response to these themes, demonstrating how adaptive graphic languages can hold the gaze when showcasing globally sensitive topics and position museums as the guardians of storytelling and creativity.
CHAPTER 1 : Framing the Challenge
CHAPTER 1 : Framing the Challenge
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
