Earlier in the semester we went on a field trip to the American Museum of Natural History, tying into our lecture on museums and curation. Museums use very specific methodology for their displays, all information they present is curated to be shown the way it is purposely. Information has to be reformatted based on the audience it is addressing. The American Museum of Natural History does a particular outstanding job of disseminating information throughout it’s exhibits in a way that reaches several audiences at once.
One of the first examples I saw was in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals, the plaques of information next to each species now include an infographic comparing the animal’s original range to it’s current range (see below).
This visual is a simple representation that can show the effects of climate change and human infrastructure on other species.
Deeper in the museum in the reptile room, there is a similar example visualizing the distribution of reptiles throughout the world, with more clearly stated consequences caused by humans in the informative plaque.
Examples weaved into informative text addresses adult audiences, already invested enough to read the information. Information presented visually, is likely geared toward children. In the Hall of Biodiversity the most obvious examples of information regarding climate change are present. Simple red plaques placed throughout the hall describe plainly to an audiences of adults and children the causes and potential consequences..
