T. REX LABEL
RAILS REVISION
MAKING LABELS MORE VISITOR-FRIENDLY
I reimagined these label rails for the T. rex in the Dinosaur Hall at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Updates were made using the toolkit I developed as part of my thesis research on visitor-friendly design of evolution and ecology exhibitions. I conducted a formative evaluation to develop the labels and a comparative evaluation which showed that the updates successfully increased use of the labels and the variety of discoveries visitors made through them.
catch the eye
For visitors on the move, this is an ideal level of interpretation, while for others it can be a hook to draw them into the more detailed labels that follow
narratives
The narrative draws visitors into information through the power of story, while the image illustrates the story for younger visitors
"I like them because they have more images and more of a story instead of straight facts."
connecting to place
Tying the fossil to visitors' local surroundings helps visitors make meaning out of the location of the fossil find
“I like this one,” a participant said, pointing to the map. “I showed this to my kid because this is his world. It makes a connection.”
COMMON QUESTIONs
"Is it real?" is one of the most common questions visitors have about fossils in museums — this label provides visitors with a clear answer to it
"You came in thinking you're looking at the real fossil, good to know its a cast"
hands-on
The touchable model label rail was among the most popular of the set, particularly among younger visitors
“The tooth is what brought me over.”
"Just three facts I can glance at and engage with my kid at the same time."
comparative
evaluation
Participants made more, and more diverse, discoveries with the revised labels
Existing Labels
Revised Labels