Every visitor experience communicates five types of content, in this order. Inspiration > Persuasion > Orientation > Information > Education. Every experience has all five, even if some are minor…

A poem: Inspiration first. / If you inspire them first, / You can educate. / It will never work / In the other direction. / Not in exhibits. / We can’t say, “Now learn!” / We must woo the audience. / Immerse them first. Quick.

Exhibitions, like movies, are primarily visual. You can watch good movies with the sound off. Some films have no words at all. But you can’t have one with only words. Exhibits are the same.

Let’s test that real quick. Which would you rather visit?