Media Duration in Exhibitions

How long should our exhibition media be?

Getting media duration right improves throughput, satisfaction and impact. Getting it wrong wastes production budgets and disengages visitors.

Here are the basics for four common types.

1. Main “Intro” Film:

> Room with seats, required, narrative beginning and end
> Minimum: 2 minutes (shorter, and it’s a trailer)
> Ideal: 4-7 mins
> Maximum: 10 mins (they’ll get restless, and you’ll have throughput issues)

2. Mini “Pocket” Theater:

> Semi-separate space with seats, optional, narrative beginning and end
> Minimum: 1.5 - 2 mins (must justify sitting down)
> Ideal: 3-6 mins (focus on one thing)
> Maximum: 8 mins (longer programs get skipped)

3. Standing Exhibition Media:

> One or more screens, standing, narrative beginning and end
> Minimum: 20-30 seconds
> Ideal: 45-90 seconds
> Maximum: 2 minutes (longer and videos need to loop; more on looping later)

4. Immersive Audio-Visual Environment

> Large separate room, visitors stand or wander, looping ambient
> Minimum: 2–3 mins (shorter feels underdeveloped)
> Ideal: 8–20 mins (continuous loop; visitors self-select duration)
> Maximum: 30–45 mins (practical upper bound before diminishing returns)

Here’s the thing:

The rewards for getting it “just right” are high, but so are the risks for getting it wrong. You’ll be in a good spot if you start with the numbers above and adjust as needed.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Pocket theater. A small, semi-enclosed viewing space within an exhibition that provides seating for a limited audience to watch a short, focused media program. Allows optional, deeper interpretation without the formality of a fully separate room.