Thank you Mark for your outstanding contribution. Let me answer you in few points:
1. "Walk-around-cases" are OK if arranged in proper places, just like it is now. There is a lot of space for people. Not everything you can show that way, many objects still are and will be attached to the back of the case, some of them placed in cases build to the wall, so the idea is fine but, as everything, with restrain and logically thinking. This rule has to be apply to everything - few panoplies of carefully chosen items, but not to much to avoid monotony. Each case should be arranged very carefully too, to show what is most important and point out the most spectacular details, etc.
2. Scenes with mannequins - for me necessary in modern exhibition - especially on permament one. This is the way to create the vision and illustration for history. In my plans there will be two or three such places - hussars on the horses - similiar to those mounted knights from MET - on the middle of the room, three or four mannequins with one led horse for hetman's caparison. Second with 19th century uniforms - probably Polish uprising 1830, but I was thinking about Napoleonic period too - that remains to be seen. Third is very uncertain, but maybe we will be able to do something for Oriental rooms. So these scenes will be only strong points but not superior. Rest of the objects on the walls, in the cases some of them on the loose like on the present exhibition (see picture)
3. UV filters - we've got it already, in other way all the uniforms couldn't be exposed. But sometimes it isn't enough. Most of the uniforms are made in 19th century (1st half) and natural pigments/dyes are very strong - we didn't found any signs of discolour except one trousers, which are later (we didn't knew it was later, discolour reveal that
). But modern fabric used for coat the case is copletly discoloured - so UV filters are not enough!!!
4. There are two trends in museums nowadays. First, from the last few decades, is focused on showing very systematize exhibitions - sabres with sabres, arranged in very proper way from the oldest, showing all aspects of development, etc. Uniforms with uniforms, etc etc, just like you mentioned about your work on "History of steel" exhibition ( I saw some of the pictures already). Second trend is returning to 19th century-like arrangement - in short - great gathering of objects, just to show the splendour, to attract visitors with one exception - not to mix objects from different periods and countries (until it is based on some other idea). The problem is to find compromise between those two ways.
There are many many problems, we (I'm not working alone fortunately) have to find a way to show many aspects of history, war, art, etc
What do you suggest for educational planches - My proposal is: basic ones showing construction of weapons, plus some more about way of making and decorating arms, with some explanation of terms like niello, etching etc. What else - your suggestions?....
What do you find necessary to entertain people on exhibition like this (according to the popular rule "to entartain and learn"). Multimedia like TV, computers with battles reconstructions?, to give a possibilty to shoot from crossbow (it's prohibited weapon
), or to hold rapier/sabre/pallash thanks to "don't-know-what-and-how-yet" technical solution (there is always a danger someone would like to test a weapon on mother-in-law, wife or surrounding
- so the question would be, how to protect it). I'm courius what are your ideas.
Thanks