by J. Nathan Matias

The Anatomy of a Display Pane

Most of the Holocaust Memorial Museum's permanent exhibit is segmented into a series of display panes. The display pane is the basic measurable unit of the museum. Some sections display information differently, but uncommon variations are usually used to create emphasis. Using measurable units to build the story opens up many opportunities to be creative with the narrative flow of the museum. Considerably complex, hypertextual structures can be created with these basic units.

Although the organization and narrative flow of these panes may vary, and they may in some cases look like something altogether different than this figure, all variations share a similar anatomy:

The display panes are like a group of essays organized for a storytelling flow. Each pane is different in nature, since each mini-topic is slightly different in nature. Each pane contains a title delineating the topic of the display. Each of them also contains a large vertical board with explanation text.

The main explanation, which outlines the central thesis of the display, usually consists of one-to-three paragraphs. Depicted in an easy-to-read, white, sans-serif font, this part of the display describes the main theme or idea supported by the included artifacts.

These initial paragraphs, if gathered from all over the museum and pasted together in order, would result in a sizable, well-written, flowing article that describes the issues, people, and events of the Holocaust. These are the main points of the display pane.

Underneath the main explanation, further paragraphs explore the central idea or topic more thoroughly. If the main explanations are thought of as the main points, than these are the sub-points. These paragraphs usually relate directly to the objects in the pane. Sometimes these detail paragraphs list surprising facts. Other times, they include examples from life.

By using a smaller font for these detail-oriented paragraphs and giving them bold, descriptive headings, the exhibit creators indicate the optional nature of these paragraphs. Skipping these won't interrupt the narrative flow, but they are the first step toward the deep experience planned for museum visitors.

Ultimately, the always-present explanation text boards are the main presentation. They are there to provide the top-level information. The artifacts provide evidence, spark the imagination -- who rescued that book from the fires? -- and weave an emotional atmosphere. One could ignore these creative portrayals of artifact and still get the natural flow of the Holocaust story. But these items bring the visitors deeper into the story, verifying the truth of that terrible time.

Viewscreens are used when footage or photographs are available. In most cases, viewscreen information does not include audio. Helpful labels are included overlaid on the film or printed on the screen itself. But video information is treated similarly to the rest of the artifacts included in each display pane.

Photographs and artifacts are placed artistically within the main area behind the glass pane. The labels and accompanying explanations form the third and deepest level of written detail. These items are the parts of the museum that truly begin to connect the story with reality.

Here, we see the census-taking equipment that was used to determine race. Here, we see the photos of the dead, the weapons of the freedom fighters, and the letters from the Ghettos. They're right there. I wonder who operated that cencus computer. Did he know what it would be used for?

The portrayal of sources in each display pane varies widely based on the nature of the objects or sources to be displayed. Whenever possible, the display panes artistically portray the sources. Even the outer glass is used as a display surface. In one particularly striking display area about the burning of Jewish Books, the face of the glass is covered with the names of all the Jewish authors whose books were burned. Through the names, one can see a pile of banned books on the ground, sitting stacked against an enlarged photograph of a pile of books on fire. A viewscreen plays film footage of the book burnings. Another display pane shows a photo of a doctor using special calipers to measure race. Where the calipers are shown, a set of actual calipers have been affixed to the enlarged photograph.