Interpreting Interpretation: Reimagining Exhibition Design through Collaboration, Constraint and Cultural Dialogue

Exhibition design plays a vital role in how museums communicate, connect, and inspire. As both a designer and academic, the paper explores how collaborations between designers and cultural institutions shape visitor experience, interpretation, and engagement. Interpreting Interpretation investigates the evolving role of the designer in an increasingly complex global museum landscape. Drawing on over 30 years of international design experience and recent case studies—including work with the National Archives, National Science and Industry Museum’s, The Windermere Jetty Museum, and various civic art installations within the UK—this paper reflects on the practical and creative challenges of designing exhibitions under tight timelines, rising material costs, and the many competing priorities. From multidisciplinary collaboration to “happy accidents,” the paper expands on how design can reframe interpretation and foster deeper audience connection. As museums around the world increasingly prioritise sustainability, visitor participation, and the inclusive representation of histories and identities, the role of design becomes a critical mediator between institutional vision and public expectation. Rather than prescriptive answers, this session offers a reflective, practice-based inquiry into how designers and institutions can co-create compelling, inclusive, and relevant exhibitions, where interpretation becomes not only a storytelling device but also a space for dialogue and social resonance.