Course 110 · Create course 10

Curate a Mini Museum Exhibition

A six-object exhibition storyboard with an interpretive question, evidence notes, original labels, an accessible reading order, and a revision log.

Before you start

Read short object records and write concise descriptions; no art supplies or museum visit are required.

See everything you’ll need

Practice materials and a worked example · Free download. Download the starter pack

What you’ll leave with

A six-object exhibition storyboard with an interpretive question, evidence notes, original labels, an accessible reading order, and a revision log.

Start course Start without an account. Sign in to save lesson progress across devices.

Your project

Start with the practice files. Build your project one lesson at a time.

Practice files are free without an account. Sign in to save your project record in My Proof: a description, checklist, and optional work link. Keep the original files in your own app or notebook; saving a project record does not upload them.

Get your materialsDownload practice filesStart with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.
Make your projectView the project checklist Work in your own notebook, document, or software. Use the supplied practice examples when you prefer.
Keep a private recordSave a project record Sign in to save a description and checklist, then return to update them.

Optional course overview

Watch an introduction.

This overview from The Art Assignment introduces ideas you’ll practice in the lessons.

Watch directly on YouTube

The Art AssignmentWhat's a Curator? | The Art Assignment | PBS Digital StudiosYouTube

Course handbook

Know the route before you begin.

Here’s what you’ll need and what you’ll make. You can return to this guide during any lesson.

Who this is for

Learners age 14 and up; no employment or prior professional experience is required.

Prepare before lesson one

Read short object records and write concise descriptions; no art supplies or museum visit are required.
Use paper, a text editor, or any free document editor; a calculator is optional.
Download the fictional starter and annotated example, or use the same records within each lesson.
No employer, customer, interview participant, purchase, or outside cooperation is required.
Lesson time includes practice and checks; optional video viewing and initial setup are extra.

Your final project

Finish with proof you can use.

A six-object exhibition storyboard with an interpretive question, evidence notes, original labels, an accessible reading order, and a revision log.

Save a project record in My Proof

See project checklist and review criteria

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

A visitor brief with title, question, scope and intended experience.
An evidence ledger for the collection with special notes on uncertain provenance.
A six-object selection matrix with section, role, evidence and exclusion notes.
Six original object labels with identifiers, concise interpretation and evidence limits.
A six-object storyboard with headings, descriptions and a complete text reading version.
A complete exhibition packet with corrected labels, rights note and revision evidence.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

Every required section is present and traceable to the supplied case facts.
Decisions separate known facts, assumptions, and unresolved questions.
Records, calculations, and instructions agree with each other and the stated rules.
The final revision addresses a changed case and explains what someone should do next.

Three ideas to help you along the way

Three useful ideas

The rules behind the steps.

Let evidence limit the story

An appealing interpretation should not outrun the object record.

Select for a purpose

Each object should contribute a distinct part of the visitor’s question.

Design for understanding

Clear labels, navigation and alternatives help more people engage.

What do these words mean?

Key words

Key terms worth knowing.

Curatorial question: The question that guides an exhibition’s selection and interpretation.
Provenance: The documented history of an object’s origin, ownership or custody.
Interpretation: An evidence-supported explanation of why an object may matter.
Object label: Concise text identifying and interpreting one display item.
Storyboard: A plan showing content, sequence and the intended visitor experience.

Your route

6 lessons.
One useful project.

Work in order the first time. Each lesson makes something the next lesson can use.

Use the tools

Tools to help you practice.

See all tools

ZIP · practice files

Curate a Mini Museum Exhibition practice files

Start with the supplied materials, follow the lessons, and compare your work with the annotated example.

Text worksheet

Your course project worksheet

A downloadable text worksheet with each lesson’s working output, space for your answers, and the shared final-project checklist. Save your own copy.

Source transparency

Sources and further study.

Explore the references behind the lessons and take your learning further. Source notes explain access and reuse.

National Park Service exhibit planning