ABSTRACT

Carefully selected collections fill the space and the modular display with its unpredictable shapes, which provides structure for the collections, makes for a dynamic and felt environment. Most significantly, perhaps, listening to the desires of local people for a museum where collections and stories would change over time, resulted in a modular approach the designing in of low cost change in what could otherwise have been considered 'permanent' exhibitions. The research made clear the need for a broad range of display themes and interpretive approaches in order to be relevant to the Glasgow public's passions and interests. The research showed that visitors and non-visitors were interested in collections and in the object's significance, context and human story. Significantly, the project team sought to challenge the dominance of large-scale capital projects in museums which take so much resource and often remain unchanged for decades as a result.