Planning and Managing an Exhibition Programme

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A temporary exhibition may consist of a new presentation of the museum's
permanent collection. In recent years the Tate Gallery (now in rwo London
locations, Tate Britain and Tate Modern) has shown the potential of an annual
'rehang' of its collection, complete with opening receptions and reviews.
A museum's potential for such a programme depends on the range and depth of
its permanent collection.
The museum may borrow works related to objects in its collections, and present
them together as a thematically related show. The National Gallery's Fighting
Temeraire exhibition in London, described in case study 10.1, provides an excellent
example of a series of National Gallery shows in which a major painting in the
collection is placed in a context supported by loans from other institutions and
individuals. The result enriches the museum's understanding of its own collection
as well as attracting renewed public interest in specific works of art or artefacts.
The museum may choose a subject or theme and borrow objects from many
sources, possibly including only a few items from its own collections. Exhibitions
that document an artist's entire oeuure, a whole civilisation, or all aspects of a
species such as dinosaurs or whales, are among the many examples of this type of
exhibition. Science centres may rely less on borrowing and more on fabrication of
new exhibit apparatus to explore such subjects as chemistrS physics or astronomy.
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o Although the preceding three levels of engagement are applicable to shows
originated by the exhibiting institution, museums can also participate in loan
exhibitions initiated by others. Participation may be limited to paying a fee, or may
involve collaboration in research, preparation of catalogues, negotiation of loans,
or other services.
o Finally, museums may simply receive and display 'package shows', exhibitions
circulated by specialised agencies such as the American Federation of Arts or the
Smithsonian Institution Temporary Exhibition Service (SITES). For such
exhibitions the receiving institution usually pays a fee and receives a completely
prepared exhibition, including a fixed number of catalogues, posters, publicity
photographs, and the text of a news release.
Most 'package shows' are relatively small, since they are designed for circulation to a
relatively large number of possible venues. The opposite extreme is the blockbuster,
usually a relatively large exhibition for which there is known to be a broad public
interest, and for which there is a very limited distribution. Major exhibitions of the
French Impressionist artists, Van Gogh, or ancient Egypt are almost always
PLANNINGANDMANAGINGANEXHIBITIONPROGRAMME 277