±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 393
Total: 393
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Community Forums
03: Downloads
04: Community Forums
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: News Archive
08: Photo Gallery
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: Home
12: Downloads
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Home
17: Community Forums
18: Home
19: Community Forums
20: Community Forums
21: Home
22: Photo Gallery
23: Home
24: Photo Gallery
25: Home
26: Photo Gallery
27: Community Forums
28: Photo Gallery
29: Community Forums
30: Photo Gallery
31: Downloads
32: Member Screenshots
33: Community Forums
34: Home
35: CPGlang
36: Home
37: Community Forums
38: Community Forums
39: Home
40: Community Forums
41: Photo Gallery
42: Community Forums
43: Photo Gallery
44: Community Forums
45: Photo Gallery
46: CPGlang
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Photo Gallery
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Home
53: Community Forums
54: Photo Gallery
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Photo Gallery
58: Home
59: Home
60: Community Forums
61: Home
62: Home
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Downloads
66: Home
67: Community Forums
68: Member Screenshots
69: Community Forums
70: Home
71: Community Forums
72: Member Screenshots
73: Home
74: Community Forums
75: Community Forums
76: Home
77: Photo Gallery
78: Community Forums
79: Community Forums
80: Home
81: Community Forums
82: Downloads
83: Home
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Photo Gallery
88: Community Forums
89: Photo Gallery
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Community Forums
94: Photo Gallery
95: Community Forums
96: Community Forums
97: CPGlang
98: Photo Gallery
99: News
100: Community Forums
101: Community Forums
102: Downloads
103: Community Forums
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: CPGlang
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Community Forums
110: Home
111: Community Forums
112: Home
113: Community Forums
114: Community Forums
115: Community Forums
116: Home
117: Community Forums
118: Photo Gallery
119: Member Screenshots
120: Community Forums
121: CPGlang
122: Community Forums
123: Community Forums
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Home
127: Home
128: Community Forums
129: Home
130: Community Forums
131: Home
132: Home
133: CPGlang
134: Community Forums
135: Downloads
136: Home
137: Community Forums
138: Photo Gallery
139: Community Forums
140: Photo Gallery
141: Home
142: Downloads
143: Photo Gallery
144: Community Forums
145: Member Screenshots
146: Home
147: Community Forums
148: Community Forums
149: Community Forums
150: Community Forums
151: Community Forums
152: Community Forums
153: Community Forums
154: Home
155: Community Forums
156: Community Forums
157: News Archive
158: Community Forums
159: Photo Gallery
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Community Forums
163: Downloads
164: Home
165: Community Forums
166: Downloads
167: Member Screenshots
168: Community Forums
169: Home
170: Community Forums
171: Photo Gallery
172: Home
173: Community Forums
174: Community Forums
175: Community Forums
176: Community Forums
177: Community Forums
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: Home
181: Community Forums
182: Community Forums
183: Downloads
184: Home
185: Home
186: Home
187: Community Forums
188: Community Forums
189: Community Forums
190: Home
191: Community Forums
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Photo Gallery
195: Community Forums
196: Your Account
197: Home
198: Community Forums
199: CPGlang
200: Community Forums
201: Home
202: Community Forums
203: Home
204: Community Forums
205: Photo Gallery
206: Community Forums
207: Community Forums
208: Community Forums
209: Community Forums
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Community Forums
213: Home
214: Photo Gallery
215: Photo Gallery
216: Community Forums
217: Community Forums
218: Community Forums
219: Photo Gallery
220: Community Forums
221: Home
222: Home
223: Community Forums
224: Downloads
225: Photo Gallery
226: Home
227: Home
228: News Archive
229: Downloads
230: Community Forums
231: Downloads
232: Photo Gallery
233: Home
234: Photo Gallery
235: Home
236: Home
237: Community Forums
238: Member Screenshots
239: Home
240: Community Forums
241: Community Forums
242: Community Forums
243: Home
244: CPGlang
245: Member Screenshots
246: Home
247: Downloads
248: Community Forums
249: CPGlang
250: Home
251: Community Forums
252: Community Forums
253: Home
254: Community Forums
255: Community Forums
256: Home
257: Community Forums
258: Community Forums
259: Community Forums
260: Home
261: Community Forums
262: Home
263: Community Forums
264: Photo Gallery
265: Home
266: Community Forums
267: Community Forums
268: Community Forums
269: Community Forums
270: Community Forums
271: Photo Gallery
272: Community Forums
273: Community Forums
274: Home
275: Home
276: Home
277: Home
278: Community Forums
279: Photo Gallery
280: Home
281: Community Forums
282: Community Forums
283: Home
284: Community Forums
285: News
286: Community Forums
287: Downloads
288: Community Forums
289: Community Forums
290: Community Forums
291: Community Forums
292: Home
293: Home
294: Member Screenshots
295: Downloads
296: Community Forums
297: Home
298: Community Forums
299: Home
300: Community Forums
301: Community Forums
302: Home
303: Community Forums
304: Community Forums
305: Community Forums
306: Downloads
307: Community Forums
308: Community Forums
309: Home
310: Your Account
311: Community Forums
312: Community Forums
313: Member Screenshots
314: Community Forums
315: Community Forums
316: Community Forums
317: Member Screenshots
318: Community Forums
319: Community Forums
320: Community Forums
321: Member Screenshots
322: News
323: Home
324: Photo Gallery
325: Home
326: Home
327: Home
328: Photo Gallery
329: Community Forums
330: Community Forums
331: Community Forums
332: Member Screenshots
333: Community Forums
334: Community Forums
335: CPGlang
336: Downloads
337: Photo Gallery
338: Community Forums
339: Photo Gallery
340: Member Screenshots
341: Home
342: Community Forums
343: Community Forums
344: Community Forums
345: Community Forums
346: Community Forums
347: Home
348: Photo Gallery
349: Home
350: Community Forums
351: Community Forums
352: Home
353: Community Forums
354: Home
355: Home
356: Community Forums
357: Home
358: Photo Gallery
359: Community Forums
360: Community Forums
361: Member Screenshots
362: Community Forums
363: Community Forums
364: Community Forums
365: Community Forums
366: Home
367: Community Forums
368: Home
369: Community Forums
370: News Archive
371: Community Forums
372: Photo Gallery
373: Community Forums
374: Community Forums
375: CPGlang
376: CPGlang
377: Home
378: Community Forums
379: Community Forums
380: Community Forums
381: Community Forums
382: Community Forums
383: Community Forums
384: Home
385: Community Forums
386: Photo Gallery
387: Community Forums
388: Community Forums
389: Community Forums
390: News
391: Community Forums
392: Community Forums
393: CPGlang

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Museum signage ideas...
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
blackdog
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 11, 2010
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:27 pm
Post subject: Museum signage ideas...

I figured this might be a good place to ask:

What do you guys like to see in museum vehicle display signage? What do you think the public likes to see in museum vehicle display signage? In your travels, has any particular signage stuck out as being exceptional (above and beyond most others)? And if so, can you post photos?

I'm trying to figure out how to do some relatively uniform looking signage for most of the vehicles on this page: www.themech.org/roster.html . We've been holding off on the signage for many years because I have found that a lot of the information published about these vehicles on the internet is incorrect, and I don't want to make signage that has any incorrect information since we're kind of an authoritative source being a USMC museum.

Thanks,

Brian
Back to top
View user's profile
Michel_Krauss
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Oct 30, 2009
Posts: 953
Location: Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:45 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Brian,

some equipment signage used at the Overloon museum, the Netherlands

Of the the museum's visited so far, I still like these best
Perhaps not all spelling is correct, however it's understandable for most visitors

old style sign, which only gives technical data


new style sign, which also give's some additonal info


Other signage I have seen is just 1 line of text saying what it is, for example "Windsor carrier"

Or signage of 1 or 2 book pages full of info with description, history, etc in 1 language only
Most of the time something you don't understand, except the first line saying that it is an "Windsor carrier" Wink

Michel

_________________
I'm Not Crazy, I'm Just Not You
Back to top
View user's profile
Joe_D
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: 2067
Location: Razorback Country
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:32 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Can be quite frustrating,

If the TM is available, by all means use the official info to avoid embarrassment. Basic info is a must, like type, weight, weapons, crew, etc. You can always write on the bottom "Further Detailed Information Available ...." , so you can refer to either a staff member, a book/guide, website, etc. This could cut down on a sign that appears too cluttered. Staff member could have a dossier handy to answer detailed questions, ie, particular vehicle history, SN, manufacturer, former units it served with, etc, whatever info is available, much like Trevor does with his site.

_________________
Joe_D
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
TrevorLarkum
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Sep 16, 2007
Posts: 1596
Location: Northampton, England
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:20 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Certainly I prefer those signs where they tell you about the particular tank itself rather than just its type. I guess you do need to say "This is a Sherman. It fought in the war. They made lots." but I'm much more interested in "This M4A3 (serial number 5678) was manufactured by Fisher at Grand Blanc, Michigan, in 1943. It served during the war with 1st Armored Division in Germany. After the war it was used for training, and was acquired by this museum in 1980. It was restored over the next 5 years and is now displayed in the markings used by 1st Armored Division in the Ardennes" or something like that. I appreciate the information available may be limited, but as a rule the collection owners know more than they ever put on their signs.

I think it's also worth bearing in mind that many people visiting a military museum (and I imagine this is even more true in the US than in Europe) will have seen the same type of tank before, in other collections they've visited, so it's worth going beyond stating the obvious.

Nice collection, BTW. I visited and photographed the Pendleton collection in the 1990s and it's on my list to write up for PreservedTanks.com. You are lucky in having a good number of unusual or unique exhibits.

_________________
Trevor

Dr Trevor Larkum
Preserved Tanks: PreservedTanks.com
Armour Archive: ArmourArchive.co.uk
EVs
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website
the_shadock
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: May 27, 2006
Posts: 2865
Location: Normandy, France
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

well, I have to admit that I don't read signs.. and I tend to move them when I want to do some pictures, because they don't fit with the result I want to obtain.

Anyway, what I would like to find on signs is the history of the vehicle. As Trevor said, it is very interesting to know when and where the tank was produced, the wartime history and the fate of the tank after the war. This is the sort of information you will not find identical in each museum ,because the history of tanks is, of course, different from a museum to another.

Maybe I have the same opinion than Trevor because we both try to find the history of the vehicles in order to publish them in our books/websites..

Pierre-Olivier

_________________
soldat_ryan @ hotmail.com

Looking for photos of Sherman manufacturer's plates


Last edited by the_shadock on Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
L.Delsing
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Feb 10, 2006
Posts: 960

PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:22 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

I agree with Trevor and Pierre Olivier.

Put the type on it with the basic info and then the history of that particular vehicle.

But also what Joe says, that the museum has detailed info about the vehicles. Some museums don't even know the history of their own vehicles!

Regards,
Lesley
Back to top
View user's profile
piney
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 2330
Location: Republic of Southern New Jersey
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:16 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

I think a small image is useful. not all of your visitors will be as knowledgable as our forum members so you want to be sure the complete layman won't get confused about which vehicle is which, unless you are in the happy position of having so much room for displays that there is no possibility of confusion

_________________
The only good skwerril is a dead un
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:45 pm
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

On our display 'cheese board', we tend to use vehicle line art instead of a photo.

However in the museum most of the display signs have a photo of the vehicle 'in action'. (not the actual display vehicle).

Additionally the use of flags of the primary user/production country.

But I do like Trevors 'historic blurb' idea. It helps to put a period usage on the displayed vehicle. As much specific history as possible , if known.

Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:37 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Of course, our members will probably concur that the best solution is a bookrack with take-home pamphlets full of obscure data concerning what series of trackpads and air cleaner types the vehicle was equipped with.

Those Overloon signs look classy...and expensive!
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
recceboy
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Feb 22, 2006
Posts: 172
Location: Edmonton,Alberta
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:16 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

I liked Saumur's signage that featured a stand with a Panzer 4 track link as the base.

Anthony
Back to top
View user's profile
C_Sherman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 590

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:17 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Over the years, one thing that has frustrated me (although there are many others!), is displaying a later version of a vehicle with info about the earlier version. For example, an M4A3E8 with text discussing the original M4 in North Africa, without mentioning that the tank you are looking at actually appeared later in the war. It's a nit, but one that drives me nuts.

I do like the idea of telling the tale of the specific vehicle. A lot of people (like my wife) don't care that much about the technical details of virtually anything. Most folks will be interested in a story, though. A story turns the vehicle from a machine into a personality, especially if there is some adversity or interesting event. Cobra King is a good example of just that.

_________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it
will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
-Herm Albright

Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc!
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
the_shadock
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: May 27, 2006
Posts: 2865
Location: Normandy, France
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:04 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

well, I think that anyway, people are more sensitive when you tell them a story (for example the story of the vehicle) rather than when you line up technical and sometimes boring data.

Another thing that may be added on such signs would be a technology that was developed on a vehicle (for example 45° armour plates on T-34) that allowed to have better protection, better armament etc.. and why it is better than what was produced before.

The last thing that seems very important to me is to have EXACT information on the signs. I remember having seen at Saumur an M3A3 Stuart, with a plate explaining it is an M5A1. Or a plate explaining that the vehicle is a T-54/55, and the tank was indeed a Type 59.

P-O

_________________
soldat_ryan @ hotmail.com

Looking for photos of Sherman manufacturer's plates
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
Pzkpfw-e
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jul 21, 2010
Posts: 1202

PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:39 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

I'd suggest that it's highly likely that we AFV enthusiasts' signage desires, differ quite a bit from Joe Publics'.
Having said that, Trevor's idea covers both bases pretty well.
I'd certainly expect more vehicle specific info about the likes of "Cobra King" and Bovingdon's Tiger, than a run of the mill M3 half track.
Having more information available, even if it's just a simple & inexpensive text only pamphlet or on a website, is desirable for us "anoraks".
Back to top
View user's profile
Massimo_Foti
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2008
Posts: 5397
Location: Lugano, Switzerland
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:39 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

Having a story is, of course, great, but most individual vehicles don't have a well-know story behind them. In that case you can build a story about the model/variant, not the specific vehicle.

Massimo
Back to top
View user's profile
JimWeb
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1439
Location: The back of beyond
PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:34 am
Post subject: Re: Museum signage ideas...

I had a thought about all this a while back and started to put a 'Commentary' button on the equipment pages on JED. The idea being that a sound file would be available for each equipment and more specifically for each vehicle in a museum/monument etc with a lot of audio information. It was mainly meant for iPhones & iPods through the iJED app but I suppose it could be readily adapted so the files could be downloaded to any smart-phone or player.

If anyone wants to produce a sound file about any vehicle in a museum their contribution would be gratefully received!

_________________
TTFN
Jim

If your not a member of JED then your
not serious about anything military..

***********************
www.jedsite.info
JED Military Equipment
***********************
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website ICQ Number
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 2
All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Go to page 1, 2  Next



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum