Legion, Life in the Roman Army

The main purpose of our visit to the exhibition, which was put on in the British Museum, was to use it as a basis to explain and advise on how to present your research through exhibitions. Below are tips and tricks on how to engage your audience as well as a review of the exhibition itself, where we highlight how they managed to capture the attention of both specialists and the general public.

From the 1st February to the 23rd June the British Museum showcased a selection of artefacts from the Roman army including items such as the only surviving Roman long shield that is fully intact. As you walk into the exhibition you are first met with the familiar figure of the Emperor Augustus: establishing a beginning like this, where the viewer has a connection point, is vital in ensuring the audience have a base of knowledge to work through the rest of the exhibit with (a beginning to the end, so to speak). We are guided through the exhibition by a soldier called Terentianu: having a key character to follow through the exhibition played well, maintaining a consistent story and creating a sense of empathy with the audience as we followed Terentianus through his career, battles, and camps. There were many items with missing parts that the museum curator chose to complete with replicas to provide the audience with more context. Throughout the exhibition there was an eerie atmosphere with battle sounds like marching; indulging the audience with surround sound helps them to better engage with the storyline and create an immersive experience. Within the exhibit there were points where you could test your strength and check your height to see if you would have been eligible to be a soldier. Another interesting feature was the ability to smell different items throughout camps such as the smell of 'sweaty soldiers'. It meant a fun and immerse experience for children as well as adults with a range of diverse activities. 

Despite the exhibition being particularly dark, they made sure the appropriate areas such as information boards were well lit without disrupting the ambience created. Moreover, to increase the accessibility for children each board had on one side an explanation for the younger viewers to make it easier to comprehend. An important measure to take with exhibitions is to ensure it isn't too overwhelming and doesn't bombard with information.

Overall, the British Museum presented an engaging and atmospheric exhibition suitable for all ages and audiences with all types of knowledge on the subject that they were able to expand throughout. The artefacts featured in the exhibition were from a range of sources which helped put together the whole story.

Organising an exhibition

Below are some key things to consider when presenting your research via exhibition.

Storytelling

A good exhibition has a clear topic and key messages: it is storytelling! You might focus on one concept (illustrating it in different ways), or you might follow a particular individual experience or semi-historical character to communicate with your audience.

Know your audience

Who is your audience? Fellow students, the general public, school children, or all three? You need to know this before creating the content and themes of your exhibition.

Different groups of people have different types of knowledge, so make sure the information you provide is accessible to everyone. Dates and timelines in particular are extremely useful information to provide, especially when the artefacts being showcased are from different periods.

So what?

Make sure you interest your audience by thinking about the 'so what'? What it the one interesting thing about this research?

If there is anything topical (e.g. the display of human remains in museums) you might address this for your audience.

If there is anything well known in your research (e.g. a well-known problem or famous person) this might provide a point of connection, and a point of entry for them.

Interactivity

Interactivity is key! Capture your audience by engaging them in activities and storylines if possible.

Design

Make sure fonts and colours are accessible (think about font choice, size, contrasting colours). Where there is backdrop imagery or the possibility of music, these can be used to create additional moods and communicate additional information.

Hierarchy

Exhibitions can be different sizes. But they generally have an introduction panel, followed by section panels (the different rooms or themes of an exhibition), followed by object labels.

Writing labels

Use plain English that could be understood by someone around 12 years of age. Remember your audience and to connect to your key message(s). You might include things like What is the object, what date is it, who made it, where does it come from, and why is it important?

Edit, edit, edit!

Cut any words that are not absolutely necessary - panels and labels should be brief (150 words). Object labels should be around 50 words in total.

Object Placement

Take time to think about what objects best capture your story (you can also use replicas or reproductions), and how you will arrange them in your space. Will you use stands or other support objects to create differences in height or movement? What lighting exists? Will there be electricity if needed?

If you want further inspiration, some exhibition panels created by students in the department of Classics and Ancient History are available here: Seize the Clay exhibition and the Coinage of Conquest exhibition.

This website is possible with thanks to IATL.