The logistics of moving an exhibit is like moving out of your home. Small exhibits are like an apartment, large exhibits are like moving two-4 bedroom homes. Since my time at the MDC (Minnesota Discovery Center), we received three traveling exhibits. How People Make Things, the largest traveling exhibit I worked with, took up two semi-trucks and a whole week to put together.
Like some spy movie, some museum registrars may be chained to a black briefcase for very special objects while they are traveling long distances. Some might even purchase an airplane seat for it so that it would never leave their sight. That is an extreme case and becoming rare. For larger exhibits, like How People Make Things, a special carrier would be used. Some arts moving trucks would be temperature controlled. Moving exhibits and objects, although not difficult, takes practice and careful attention.
Imagine a Van Gogh being thrown around like a UPS package. That would not happen with these special shipping companies. And of course, some traveling exhibits are developed with traveling in mind.
To my relief, Minnesota on the Map, the next traveling exhibit, will be a lot smaller and picked up by an MDC staff from Winona History Center in a 12 foot truck/van. Click to see the logistics of Minnesota on the Map, the next traveling exhibit coming to MDC.
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| Map from the Minnesota Historical Society collection for Minnesota on the Map exhibit. |
Minnesota on the Map Coming August 6!
The Minnesota Historical Society Traveling Exhibits Program has been made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008. Administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.
