Most often you see museum exhibits that have an online component to complement the already-existing physical exhibit. What if you were to turn the table and start with a virtual exhibit in order to learn what resonates best with your audiences beyond those who can easily visit your institution, and use those lessons to inform your in-person experience? 

In this session, we will share how the Gates Foundation’s Discovery Center embarked on a virtual exhibit journey to change the narrative about COVID-19 from one of trauma to one of resilience and how lessons from the virtual exhibit process and its outcomes informed their eventual launch of the in-person exhibit experience in Seattle, Washington. The exhibit shares first-person stories of communities coming together to heal, fight the disease, and spread joy while navigating the pandemic. Hear how the team collaborated to bring community, curatorial, marketing, and digital expertise to create an accessible and engaging online platform.

Speakers

• Cara Egan, Senior Communications Officer, Gates Foundation
• Charlotte Beall, Deputy Director, Discovery Center, Gates Foundation
• Corey Jones, Creative Director, Forum One
• Jenn Johnson, Managing Director of Client Services, Forum One