This course focuses on the process of exhibitions design within the context of museums, cultural collecting institutions and heritage agencies. It examines contemporary innovative exhibitions and their designs, technologies, audience development, project management and stakeholder consultation. Practical skills such as writing for exhibitions (from proposals, education kits, labels to catalogues), object handling, hanging and public program development will be developed. Importantly, the exhibition developed as part of this course will actually be shown at an appropriate venue (such as a museum or heritage site).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. design and deliver a small exhibition including exhibition planning, community liaison, research techniques, installation, and texts related to exhibitions;
2. apply interdisciplinary problem-solving skills as they relate to exhibition development;
3. implement appropriate consultation methods and develop working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders; and
4. contribute to the design of exhibitions for a diverse range of venues (which may include traveling and online exhibitions) and audiences.

Field Trips

Some classes may involve site visits. Please see indicative course schedule. Specifics of these trips will be advised in advance and those who are unable to attend will be given alternative arrangements from the course convenor.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments on assignments

• In-class discussions

Feedback in exhibition venue

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

References in both the text and in any endnotes should follow Chicago style. References are cited in the text thus: (author, date: page). A bibliography should follow the text (and endnotes if any), using the Chicago system.

The main thing is to be consistent in style. For examples of Chicago (author, date) style see https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html

The use of generative AI technologies is accepted by ANU; however, the unacknowledged use of AI tools constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

Students are advised to consider the learning outcomes of the course, and how the use of generative AI contributes to the acquisition of those skills. For information on correct citation, see https://libguides.anu.edu.au/generative-ai.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Course
2	Interpretive design
3	Exhibition Planning
4	Digital Interpretations	In-class Oral Presentations
5	Objects on Display
6	Exhibition client workshop
7	Exhibition preparation (group work)
8	Exhibition preparation (group work)	Theme Panel & Object Label due
9	Exhibition preparation (group work)
10	Public Holiday
11	Exhibition preparation (group work)
12	Exhibition install and debrief	Exhibition Proposal

Tutorial Registration

No tutorials for this class - it runs as a Seminar model in a 3 hour block.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Exhibition group work and workshop participation	20 %	27/10/2025	1,2,3
Oral Presentation	15 %	11/09/2025	1,4
Thematic essay & exhibition text	25 %	22/09/2025	1,2,4
Exhibition Proposal	40 %	25/10/2025	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Exhibition group work and workshop participation

Due Date: 27 October 2025 (Week 13) Word limit: 250 words

Details of task: Students will work with Dr Maya Haviland and associated stakeholders to produce, as a group, a small exhibition showcasing the REMIX project in Vanuatu.

Focus will be on showcasing research and project outcomes in a succinct and visually engaging way. Additionally, there is an opportunity for the exhibition to travel for display in Port Vila, and this will be a consideration of the design.

Developing strong collaboration and group work skills will be essential to your professional practice in the museum sector, hence the weighting here. At the close of semester, students will need to submit a brief 250-word self-assessment and reflection on the group process.

Additionally, all students are expected to do the required reading for each week before class and to participate and contribute to lectures, workshops, group work and class discussions.

Assessment criteria:

• In-class participation

• Self-assessment

Assessment

Assessment Task 2

Oral Presentation

Due Date: 11 August (PowerPoints to be submitted by midnight on the day of presentation)

Time limit: 7 minutes

Details of task: Drawing inspiration from the Remix project, which brings together local knowledge systems, creative practice, and climate storytelling, students will develop a concept for an interactive (mechanical or digital) that explores the intersection of local heritage and environmental change.

Your interactive should be grounded in a site or object relevant to the Canberra region or your own place-based knowledge, and should engage with one of the following themes:

• Climate change and environmental resilience

• Cultural continuity and adaptation

• Intergenerational knowledge and learning

• Creative remixing of heritage and contemporary practice

The interactive should invite public engagement and be non-temporal (ie not a public program or facilitated event). You are encouraged to experiment with format and medium, but the design must be conceptually sound, feasible, and ethically considered.

Things to consider:

What, where, how, who!

• What is the interactive?

o What does it do, and how does it work?

• Where (or what) heritage have you chosen to highlight?

o Where will the interactive go?

• How does it relate to, and increase knowledge of, the key idea?

o What are the key take home messages of the interactive?

• Who is your target audience?

Use example images and/or sketches to illustrate your proposed interactive, and ensure you cite your sources.

Assessment criteria:

• Length (within 7 minutes)

• Appropriateness of idea for site/object and stated goal

• Suitability of interactive for identified audiences

• General style – ease of flow; good expression; use of precedent images

Assessment Task 3

Thematic essay & exhibition text

Word limit: 1250 words total (Essay 1000 words, theme panel 175 words + object label OR image caption 75 words)

Details of task: Based on the Remix exhibition, students are to write a 1,000-word essay outlining the broad significance of their exhibition theme in relation to the core goals of the Trust, and associated object/s.

You will then need to distil this content down to a 175-word theme panel, and a 75-word object label OR text caption.

Things to consider: Synthesising information and distilling text is critical to creating engaging information. Your essay is the place to share the big-picture content and key ideas you are looking to highlight. But visitors won’t read everything, so think about what you will include for them. Consider how you structure the content in your theme panel, and what key message/s your object/image highlights.

Think about how this task will contribute to the final exhibition – you may wish to allocate objects and images strategically within your groups (however this is an individual assessment, not a group task).

Assessment criteria:

• Adhering to word lengths

• Structure and development of argument in the essay

• Successful translation of key message/s to theme panel and object label/image caption

• General style – ease of flow; good expression; clarity of argument

• Insight and originality

• Evidence of independent research skills, using libraries, archives and other sources.

• Spelling, grammar, punctuation

• Bibliographic information/citation style

Assessment Task 4

Exhibition Proposal

Due Date: 20 October (Week 12) Word limit: 2000 words

Details of task: using ideas from readings, lectures and workshops in class, along with your own research visiting museums and collecting institutions, develop an exhibition proposal on a topic (and collection) of your choice.

The proposal should draw on relevant assigned readings, your own exploration of relevant literature, as well as public information disseminated by the institutions (online collections).

Things to consider: Your task is to ‘sell’ the exhibition to the executive board of a nominated museum or heritage organisations. Your proposal should align with the key mission and strategic plans of your proposed institution and be a realistic reflection of what is possible within the constraints (budget, objects, staff, and display spaces) of that institution.

Your submission should include all the following:

• Title & exhibition outline (What is the vision for this exhibition? What is it going to achieve?)

• Rationale (What are the exhibition’s goals? Why here, ie corporate vision? Why now, ie does it link to significant anniversaries/events?)

• Target audiences (Who does this appeal to? Does it target non-traditional museum audiences? Children & families? Interstate visitors?)

• Key themes

• Exhibition plan showing layout of thematic areas, showcases, and interactives (how do the themes and/or objects relate to each other? Is there a desired pathway through the exhibition, or can visitors choose? Don’t forget about accessibility!)

• Sample object list (use real objects from your chosen institution’s collection)

• Interactivity

• Sample/precedent images Assessment criteria:

• Choice of institution –does the proposal fit the nominated institution

• Quality of introduction/rationale

• Alignment of exhibition with target audience

• Assertion of central story/theme

• Structure and development of key themes(s)

• Insight and originality

• Evidence of critical analysis and research

• Exhibition design & layout

• Object list

• Spelling, grammar, punctuation

• Bibliographic information/citation style

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students