Methods of Exhibition Analysis - (Edition Museum) by Luise Reitstätter & Carla-Marinka Schorr (Paperback)

About the Book

A tool kit for exhibition analysis packed with a diversity of methods to critically examine exhibitions from various angles.

Book Synopsis

Exhibitions, as constructed cultural dispositions, media of showing, and processes of social interaction, hold great interest for cultural analysis. Being able to analyze exhibitions is a skill that allows us to critically examine exhibitions as public places regarding their effects and uses, and to change them as a result. The contributors to this volume present nineteen methods of exhibition analysis from the perspective of cultural analysis, perception studies and practice-oriented work. They locate these methods in the context of their respective discourses and present them in step-by-step guidelines for hands-on application, thus providing the first compilation on exhibition analysis for research, teaching and museum practice.

Review Quotes

"In its methodical approach, this volume truly does justice to the complexity of the 'exhibition' format. The consistently clear structure is a unique feature, and the inclusion of practical methodological examples is innovative. Both together, they constitute the particular strength of this compendium." (Prof. Dr. Tobias Nettke)--Prof. Dr. Tobias Nettke

"Particularly noteworthy is the compelling way in which the publication came about as a book-in-progress by testing the different analytical approaches with target audiences and dynamically developing them. An approach recommended for any method book, as it produces - like in this case - a really user-oriented manual." (Prof. Dr. Sophie Elpers)--Prof. Dr. Sophie Elpers

About the Author

Luise Reitstätter (Edited by)
Luise Reitstätter (Dr. phil.) is a cultural scientist. Her fields of work include practices of modern and contemporary art, museum and exhibition analyses, as well as methods of empirical social research. From 2017 until 2025, she headed the Laboratory for Cognitive Research in Art History (CReA) at the Department of Art History at Universität Wien. She is working as Co-PI of the FWF/DFG research project The Museum Gaze.

Carla-Marinka Schorr (Edited by)
Carla-Marinka Schorr is a museum researcher. As part of her PhD thesis, she developed a qualitative exhibition analysis method. She works at Universität Würzburg as a researcher and project manager in the AHRC DFG research project Cultural Dynamics: Museums and Democracy in Motion.