Videos Archive - Page 7 of 7

“Project Red Flags” with Paul Orselli

Paul Orselli chief instigator at POW (Paul Orselli Workshop) talks about museum exhibit projects and some common “red flags” to watch out for!

Paul Orselli on “ELVIS and Exhibit Prototyping”

Paul Orselli describes how the five letters in the word ELVIS remind us of the five most important tips for making museum exhibit prototypes.

Designing Instagram Moments That Actually Mean Something July 1, 2025
People are going to share photographs of your exhibits, whether you design with that purpose in mind or not. The question isn't whether to embrace social media like Instagram, it's how to do it without turning your museum into a themed backdrop factory.The Balancing Act: 5 Questions to Ask YourselfBefore you add that neon sign […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
What Fixing Broken Exhibits Has Taught Me About Smart Design June 23, 2025
Let me paint you a picture. It's Tuesday morning, and the school groups are due to arrive in an hour. Your star interactive exhibit—the one that took six months to design and three months to build—is making that clicking sound again. You know, the one that means "expensive repair visit" in exhibit language.Meanwhile, that simple […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
Can AI Be Your Museum Brainstorming Buddy? June 17, 2025
Let's be honest: we've all been there. It's 3 PM on a Tuesday, and you're staring at a blank concept document, with your brain feeling like it's been replaced with cotton candy. The client wants "something interactive about local history that appeals to all ages and doesn't cost more than a decent used car."Your internal […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
"Stealing" Ideas from Everyone. What Apple Stores, Airports, and Playgrounds Can Teach Museums About Visitor Experience. June 9, 2025
Here's a confession: some of my best exhibit ideas have come from places that have nothing to do with museums. That breakthrough wayfinding solution? Inspired by IKEA's store layout. The interactive that finally got teenagers engaged? I borrowed the concept from a skateboard shop in Portland.Museum professionals sometimes act like we're the only industry that […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
Where's Your Workshop? June 2, 2025
It used to be that every museum had an "exhibits workshop." An unsettling trend (to me at least) is the continuing wave of museums that have deliberately left exhibit workshops (staff access, not visitor access spaces) out of the mix.Can any museum that features interactive exhibits, or really any type of exhibits, ever really become […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
The Hands-On Toolbox: Physical Tools Every Museum Exhibit Developer Should Own May 25, 2025
In our increasingly digital world, it's easy to forget that the best museum exhibits still live in physical space. Visitors touch, manipulate, step on, lean against, and occasionally spill coffee on our carefully crafted experiences. While I spend plenty of time staring at screens, there's still no substitute for getting your hands dirty with real […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)
How Every Museum Can Be More Like a Children's Museum May 13, 2025
As I head off to the InterActivity Conference this week, I’ve been thinking about how traditionally hands-off museums can learn valuable lessons from their Children's Museum counterparts. While most cultural institutions strive to educate and inspire, Children's Museums have mastered the art of making learning an immersive, hands-on adventure that visitors actually *want* to experience. Here's […]
POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)

What Fixing Broken Exhibits Has Taught Me About Smart Design

Let me paint you a picture. It's Tuesday morning, and the school groups are due to arrive in an hour...

Can AI Be Your Museum Brainstorming Buddy?

Let's be honest: we've all been there. It's 3 PM on a Tuesday, and you're staring at a blank concept...

"Stealing" Ideas from Everyone. What Apple Stores, Airports, and Playgrounds Can Teach Museums About Visitor Experience.

Here's a confession: some of my best exhibit ideas have come from places that have nothing to do wit...

Where's Your Workshop?

It used to be that every museum had an "exhibits workshop." An unsettling trend (to me at least) is ...

The Hands-On Toolbox: Physical Tools Every Museum Exhibit Developer Should Own

In our increasingly digital world, it's easy to forget that the best museum exhibits still live in p...