A Museum Project
The Gardiner Museum, Toronto, ON
Test Kitchen is a dynamic special exhibition that blends museology, workshopping, and idea generation. As part of the major transformation to the Gardiner’s ground floor and permanent collection galleries, this project draws on the metaphor of a “test kitchen” as a space for experimentation, collaboration, and participation. The goal of the exhibition is to make behind-the-scenes museum work more transparent for visitors and incorporate community perspectives into the exhibition-development process. Hands-on activities, discussions, and feedback encourage visitors’ close observation and active participation in reimagining how ceramics can be interpreted in new ways.
Origin Studios worked to develop Test Kitchen’s unique interpretive approach, graphic design, spatial design, and visitor experience strategies. The exhibition and graphic design process created an inviting and flexible space that encourages hands-on participation across a wide range of ages and learning styles. This includes a variety of interactive elements, participatory displays, and feedback stations that highlight different aspects of the iterative and experimental nature of museum work. Through visitor experience development, Origin Studios helped shape a dynamic environment where visitors are encouraged to contribute their own perspectives, explore new interpretations, ask questions, and engage in an evolving conversation about the future of museum storytelling.
Details:
The Gardiner Museum
Special Exhibition open 2024
Exhibit Space: 2,100 sq. ft.
Services:
Exhibition Design, Graphic Design, Interpretive Planning, Visitor Experience Development