ResourceSpace has changed the way the DEC uses content, making it much easier for us to quickly make assets available both internally and externally during our emergency appeals.
Exhibitions are one of the most effective ways for museums, galleries and heritage institutions to promote their collections and drive visitor footfall, but there’s a lot of work that goes into building them.
However, there’s a lot of work that goes into making them a success too, starting with an exhibition pack, bringing together every element surrounding the exhibition and making it easier to share with all the relevant stakeholders.
In this article we’re going to explore what goes into an exhibition pack, and how a Digital Asset Management system like ResourceSpace makes it so much easier for senior curators to build them effectively.
What goes into an exhibition pack
The purpose of an exhibition pack is to bring everything together. For example, it might include high-resolution object images for exhibition designers and for use in publications, artefact documentation containing catalogue information and technical details, and provenance records that establish an object's history and ownership.
They should also contain the material required to interpret the objects within an exhibition, as well as content that can be used to promote it. This includes interpretation text, object descriptions and contextual information, alongside press and marketing assets such as approved photography, campaign graphics and promotional copy.
One of the biggest challenges for curators is that these materials often live in different places, with images held in a DAM, provenance info in collection records and interpretation copy in physical or digital documents. This makes building a reliable and comprehensive exhibition pack difficult and time-consuming, and this is before the work developing the exhibition has even started.
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Keeping every image tied to its object record
One of the most important first steps in streamlining this process is to integrate your DAM with your collections management system. This allows relevant information stored on the object record to be pulled through automatically into corresponding fields in the DAM.
For curators, this means an image of an artefact can retain a link to its catalogue record alongside the object title, accession number, creator, creation date, collection name, etc. This also ensures that as soon as an object record is updated in the CMS, the change is reflected in the DAM automatically, or vice versa.
As one of the leading DAM systems for the arts and heritage sector, ResourceSpace offers native integrations with TMS (The Museum System), EMu and MuseumPlus.
Getting file formats and resolution right the first time
A common issue for exhibition teams is trying to create a new asset from an original file that was in the wrong format or wasn’t of a high enough resolution. For example, they might try to produce a large banner from an old image file and find that it becomes pixelated when enlarged.
The solution is to hold high-resolution master files in the DAM instead of relying on whatever copy happens to be available or most easily accessible. Curators or exhibition managers can then use the master asset to generate the right size and format copy for each use when required, leaving the original untouched.
Deep-zoom inspection with IIIF
ResourceSpace offers support for the IIIF API which allows curators and researchers to inspect high-resolution images in much greater detail. A great practical example would be art galleries that want to inspect artwork without having to interrogate the actual piece. This is particularly valuable when checking asset condition, examining details before a loan or discussing an object with colleagues.
IIIF also makes it easier to share and view images across institutions using a common framework, supporting research and collaboration without repeatedly transferring large image files.
Sharing the pack with press, partners and researchers
An exhibition pack often needs to be shared outside of the institution, but that doesn’t mean you want external users to be able to access the entire archive. Role-based DAM permissions are crucial here, as it lets curators control access for different audiences, giving each individual or organisation only what they need.
For example, a press contact might be able to view and download approved publicity images, while a partner venue receives access to the exhibition assets relevant to its own displays.
Access permissions can also be applied to individual assets and collections, allowing you to control who can see, download and share certain material, and collaborate with external organisations while retaining control over the archive.
Staying on top of provenance and compliance
Provenance records are an essential element of an exhibition pack because they provide a documented history for each object, including information about ownership and acquisition. By ensuring this provenance info is stored with the relevant digital asset, curators don’t have to search separate records every time an object is selected for an upcoming exhibition.
ResourceSpace can associate this documentation and key provenance information with the object and its images, retaining important context as the asset moves through the exhibition workflow. This also supports compliance by providing a clear record of the information that’s been checked before an object is displayed or shared.
GDPR also needs to be considered by UK and European organisations when exhibition materials contain identifiable living individuals. Linking appropriate privacy, consent or usage information to those assets helps teams understand whether an image can be shared publicly, provided to researchers or used in promotional material.
Building your exhibition pack workflow
A practical exhibition pack doesn't have to be complicated. The aim is to bring all of the relevant material together, review it and make it available to the people that need it.
Let’s take a look at a step-by-step workflow for building an exhibition pack.
1. Identify the objects
Start with the objects included in the exhibition, using the collections management system to identify their object records, accession numbers and key documentation.
2. Gather the assets
Bring together object photography, video, artefact documentation, provenance records, interpretation copy and approved press and marketing material. Where possible, link each digital asset directly to its object record.
3. Check the information
Curators and archivists can check descriptions, provenance and historical context. Rights or collections staff should verify copyright, licensing and any relevant restrictions, while the marketing or communications team checks promotional assets.
4. Create the exhibition collection
Assemble the approved material into a dedicated DAM collection, using metadata to make assets searchable by object, exhibition, asset type and intended use, rather than relying on folders alone.
5. Set access
Give exhibition designers, partner venues, researchers or press contacts access only to the assets they need, and decide whether each group can view, download or share content and apply restrictions where necessary.
6. Keep the pack reusable
When the exhibition changes or new assets are approved, update the central collection rather than creating another disconnected copy. The same controlled assets can then support exhibition planning, research, publications and future marketing.
Ready to find out how ResourceSpace can help? Book a call with one of our DAM experts below and find out why the likes of The Walters Art Museum, Historic New England and The Ashmolean Museum trust us to help create effective and efficient DAM processes.
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