Bare Bones
University Museum of Bergen, Bergen (NO), 2024
Bones hold stories of life and death: from an animal’s diet to its cause of death. In the permanent ‘Bare Bones’ exhibition, visitors become part of the discovery and explore how researchers unravel these hidden stories.
Structures of Life and Death
At the heart of the exhibition lies the concept Structures of Life and Death. We developed it with the museum team during an interactive ‘pressure cooker session’. The concept guided the entire project, from the initial storyline until the final design stage. Our goal was to create an exhibition that captivates a broad audience while providing insight into scientific research at Bergen University.
Dual narrative
We researched the content provided by the museum and crafted a storyline that consists of two acts, matching the spatial layout of the exhibition. The first act ‘Life and evolution’ explores the origin, adaptation and diversity of skeletons. In the second act ‘Death and Research’ we zoom in on the characteristics of bone tissue and the numerous methods that scientists use to obtain information from it after an animal dies. The dual narrative forms the backbone
Accessible science
To actively engage visitors with science, we designed simple yet effective installations. With interactive lighting, they can highlight specific skeletal parts discussed in the exhibition texts. There are also hands-on activities based on scientific research methods. In addition, we developed a clear text plan that translates complex information into accessible and engaging content. This way, visitors not only experience the beauty of the bone collection but also gain insight into how new knowledge is generated at the university.
Photo’s: University Museum of Bergen
Credits
Client
University Museum of BergenContent Design
Studio LouterSpatial Design & Graphic Design
OPERA AmsterdamConstruction
Hypsos