ABSTRACT
This chapter contends that an increasing exploration and privileging of place may well define one future direction in the making of museums and galleries, and it aims to explore current practice of such enhanced situatedness through a range of contemporary British architectural-exhibition designs. Narratives deployed by the design teams will be critiqued, particularly in respect to the notion of multivalency – having or being susceptible of many applications, interpretations, meanings or values. In particular, the chapter will differentiate between a heterogeneous mode of place multivalency, compared with an integrated approach, exploring the potential of these different applications in the experiences of diverse visitors.
