ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the creation of natural history exhibitions and explains the development of natural history museums in historical context and espouses the importance of presenting science as process. An exhibition developed by one institution will turn out much differently than one on the same topic developed by another institution, despite similar content and institutional mission statements. The formalized idea of a team of contributing members designing and developing museum exhibitions has been in practice since the late 1970s. Defining an institutional ethics policy on corporate sponsorship will help establish boundaries on content control and pressure by external stakeholders within an exhibition team. Exhibition teams can include a diversity of players, internal staff, outside consultants, invested community members, and volunteers. Exhibition teams can be composed entirely of staff members within a particular institution. McLean insists that developing an exhibition is an act of collaboration, and that is the view with an emphasis on collaboration.
