Explorit Science Center
Guidelines for Interior Signs and Labels
The guidelines include guidance on accessibility in terms of label placement,
readability and legibility. They do not address institutional signage or labels such as exit
or directional signs or donor recognition.
General Discussion of Issues
Exhibit design creates a story in space to engage and inform an audience.
Identity design is the creation of the key graphic element that identifies the exhibition.
The identity needs to be clear and memorable. It should be adaptable to extreme changes
in scale, from a matchbox to a large illuminated sign. And it must embody the character
and quality of what it identifies. This capturing of an intangible is an important feature of
identity design, but it is also a subtle talent.
Chances that any visitor will read all labels is slim but some visitors will
read all of some labels so all labels must be designed so that they can be read from top to
bottom with comfort.
Some statistics about label reading:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Most adults read at the rate of 250 words a minute Readers prefer short sentences of on average 18 to 20 words Visitor fatigue at a sign or label sets in at about 45 seconds Labels that give immediate (large) then secondary (smaller) and finally detailed information extend the length of time a visitor will stop to read 5. Explorit has always maintained that the use of questions in explorit™ labels is a good strategy. This is supported by the studies described in the following abstracts. 1. Litwak, J. M. (1996). Using questions as titles on museum exhibit labels to direct visitor
attention and increase learning. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
2. Use of Questions in Exhibit Labels to Generate Explanatory Conversation among Science
Museum Visitors (EJ775727)
Author(s): Hohenstein, Jill ; Tran, Lynn Uyen Source: International Journal of Science
Education, v29 n12 p1557-1580 Oct 2007 Pub Date: 2007-10-00
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Guidelines for Exhibition Interior Signage and Labels
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Types of Signs/Labels
Type I - Top Level Overhead-Signs - text with little or no decoration
These provide orientation to exhibition layout and/or to mental framework; may be
overhead or freestanding panels.
Type II - Large Wall-Signs - friezes or panels or 'tiles' to provide context that's both
emotional and cognitive. Their function is to create a thematic ambience and
communicate background information visually with few words.
Type III - Medium Labels - at each exhibit, probably mounted on the wall, and larger
than 8.5" x 11"
These provide interaction guidance, very
little information and are placed in close
proximity to each exhibit.
Type IV - Details - provide
background context, exhibit usage
details and science information at each
exhibit. Can be presented in many
different formats:
a) laminated card attached to wall as
well as one or more hanging on wall to be taken down for easier reading
b) Flip books with progressively more advanced thinking as visitor turns the pages serious detail at the end. (Spanish on reverse of each page?)
c) and/or maybe as handout or in addition to a) and b) an in-house Exhibition
booklet for sale at 50¢.
Type V - Poster-sized panels/signs to bring real science ideas to the forefront.
These present big ideas that have not been stressed in large type elsewhere. They may be
expressed as single words, short phrases, or even formulae.
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Guidelines for Exhibition Interior Signage and Labels
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Label Design and Text Guidelines
Label Text
1. Essential information in exhibition label text must be accessible to people who have
difficulty reading English.
a) Avoid the use of colloquial and complex English, jargon, and technical language
in text panels unless such language is explained within the text or in supplementary handouts.
b) Use the active voice in text panels; limit sentence length.
Sentence length should be no more than 25 words (15 is preferable). Label length should
be a maximum of 75 to 100 words.
c) Use a line length for text that facilitates reading.
Exhibit text should have a maximum of 55 characters (average) per line. Narrower
columns, with 45-50 characters per line, are preferable.
d) Provide a short overview paragraph at the beginning of introductory and
thematic label panels.
An overview sentence or two--set in clear, large print--allows visitors to gather key
information without having to read all of the text (see Fig. 10).
e) Carefully link sentences and paragraphs.
Avoid pronouns that are more than a few words away from their antecedents. Try to
limit a sentence or paragraph to one idea.
f) Provide line drawings, silhouettes, and photographs that complement label text to aid
comprehension for those with reading difficulties.
2. Label design must present main exhibition copy legibly for all visitors. Such
exhibition label information must be available in both English and Spanish as appropriate.
a) Use typefaces that are readily legible.
The typefaces that are easiest for people who have low vision, language problems, or
cognitive disabilities are sans serif or simple serif. Accessible faces have the following
characteristics:
• • proportions that contribute to legibility
• • a clear extension for lowercase b, d, g, h, j, k, l, p, q, t, and y
• • easily legible numbers (e.g. distinguishable 5, 6, and 8)
b) Font Proportions
• The proportions of a font refer to its width times height, and weight, and contribute
to legibility.
• Width (percentage of width to height of the upper case X) should be 65% - 95% for
accessibility. This includes most condensed, roman, or regular fonts (Helvetica
Regular is 89%). Serifs bias this figure somewhat; allowable widths in this case
would be 75% - 105%.
Explorit Science Center 2005
Guidelines for Exhibition Interior Signage and Labels
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•
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Weight (percentage of width of the vertical stroke of the lower-case ‘h’ to the
height of the upper-case X) should be 10% to 15% for text. This corresponds
roughly to the roman or regular proportion (Helvetica Regular is 12%.)
The Smithsonian guidelines definitely favor Helvetica Regular as a text font for
labels.
Accessible for text:
Times Roman
New Century Schoolbook
Helvetica
Univers 55
Futura
Not accessible for text
Times Bold
New Century School Book Bold
Helvetica Light
Univers 45
Futura Light
c) Do not set text in all caps.
Type set in all caps is more difficult to read and should be limited to items such as
titles and decorative heads.
d) Avoid use of script and italic type for essential information.
These styles are inaccessible to people with low vision. Oblique type is, however,
generally legible. If an exhibition title is presented in an ornate or decorative type (and, thus,
serves more as a graphic than as legible type), it should be repeated in a clearer type.
e) Provide alternative forms of labels (e.g. Spanish, Braille, audio, large print)
f) Select type size appropriate to the viewing distance.
When calculating distance, consider also the effects of crowds on actual viewing
distance. Type on signs mounted 2030 mm (80 in.) above the floor should have upper case letters
at least 75 mm (3 in.) high. Minimum type size, at even the shortest distance, is an x-height of 4.5
mm (3/16 in.)
g) Provide sufficient leading.
Leading, the space between lines (measured from baseline to baseline) should be at
least 20 percent greater than the font size used. Wide column widths and typefaces with a high xheight usually require a higher ratio of type size to leading.
h) Provide consistent letter spacing and word spacing.
Consistent spaces between letters and words facilitate reading of text passages. If
kerning between letters is adjusted do not allow letters to touch each other.
i) Justify the left margin and keep a ragged right margin.
Do not center more than three lines of label text. A predictable beginning point, line
after line, and evenly spaced words are much easier to read for people with low vision and for
people with cognitive disabilities.
j) Provide high contrast between text and background.
Contrast is an essential element for people with low vision. Research shows that dark
on light works marginally better than light on dark for headlines. A 70% light reflectance value
contrast is most effective.
k) Print only on a solid background.
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Overprinting (type on an imaged or textured background) is unreadable for people
with low vision and perceptual difficulties.
l) Diminish glare on all label surfaces.
Glare makes text unreadable for many people with low vision. Labels should be
printed on eggshell, matte, or other non-glare surfaces.
m) Mount labels so that visitors can get very close to read them.
People with low vision often must be within 75 mm (3 in.) of a label to read it. Label
and location should be situated so that the reader does not block his own light.
n) Keep in mind the natural line of sight when placing labels.
Labels mounted at 45 degree angles are more accessible to people who have low
vision than those that are mounted flat.
o) Mount wall labels at a height that is comfortable for both those seated and standing.
Wall labels mounted between 1220 mm (48 in.) and 1675 mm (67 in.) are in a
comfortable viewing location for both those seated and standing. Wall labels mounted with a
centerline at 1370 mm (54 in.) above the floor are at optimum height for everyone (see Fig. 3).
p) Locate labels in consistent locations throughout an exhibition.
Labels that appear in a different location at each exhibit are difficult to find for people
with low vision and people with cognitive disabilities.
q) Provide sufficient light to read labels.
For text to be readable by people with low vision, lighting on the label must be
between 100 lux and 300 lux (10 footcandles to 30 footcandles).
_____________________________
Explorit's Inquiry Style is reinforced by the predominant use
of questions on labels/signage
Reference 1. Litwak, J. M. (1996). Using questions as titles on museum exhibit labels to direct visitor attention and increase learning. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. This dissertation applied concepts from cognitive psychology to the design of museum exhibit labels in an effort to direct visitor attention and increase learning in museum settings. A series of three studies focused on factors affecting whether or not using a question (instead of a word or statement) as a title on a museum exhibit label would increase the visitor's memory of the information presented in the label text. In all three experiments, the labels accompanying the bird dioramas at the Bell Museum of Natural History at the University of Minnesota were rewritten. Subjects (college students) visited the museum at their leisure. At the end of their visit they were surprised with a multiple choice test on the content of the experimental labels. Study One compared the teaching effectiveness of three different types of questions as titles on exhibit labels: textually explicit, textually implicit, and scriptally implicit questions. All three types of questions led to better memory of the label text than did traditional, Explorit Science Center 2005
Guidelines for Exhibition Interior Signage and Labels
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statement titles, but there was no difference in the effectiveness of the three types of questions. A follow-­‐up quiz administered three weeks later showed the same results. In Study Two subjects were exposed to a gallery in which half of the labels began with questions and half began with traditional, statement titles. Subjects were tested on both the factual content of the labels and the visual content of the displays. In this study some subjects were told they would be tested (cued) and others were not (uncued). Subjects remembered more from labels that had questions in place of regular titles, but remembered more about the visual displays that had labels with regular titles. There were no differences in the scores of the cued and uncued subjects. In Study Three subjects were exposed to a gallery that contained either long labels (100 words) or short labels (50 words). For each length condition, half of the labels had questions in place of titles and half had traditional, statement titles. Subjects remembered more from labels that had question titles regardless of the length of the label. This abstract was written by the author, and was obtained from ProQuest Digital Dissertations, a service provided by UMI Company. Reference 2. Use of Questions in Exhibit Labels to Generate Explanatory Conversation among Science Museum Visitors Author(s): Hohenstein, Jill ; Tran, Lynn Uyen Source: International Journal of Science Education, v29 n12 p1557‐1580 Oct 2007 Research suggests that conversations at museums contribute to, as well as serve as evidence for, learning. Many museums use labels to provide visitors with information as well as stimulate conversation about exhibit topics. However, most studies on exhibit labels do not centre on conversations. This investigation uses a Vygotskian framework to examine the ways questions in exhibit labels can stimulate conversations in a science museum. At three exhibits in a science museum we examined the questions and explanations that appeared in conversation occurring under three label conditions: a) Current Label, b) Added Question and c) Simplified Text plus Question. Each exhibit (a model of a Victorian workshop; a sectioned 1959 Austin Mini Cooper; and a bowl that survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan) was videotaped for approximately 6 hrs in each condition. Findings based on 464 conversations at these exhibits indicated that our guiding question affected visitors' conversations; however, adding the question had different effects at different exhibits. For example, at the Mini‐Cooper exhibit, people asked more open‐ended questions with the question added (b and c) than in the current label condition. At this exhibit there were also more open-­‐ended questions used in conjunction with explanatory responses when the question was present. In contrast, the guiding question at the Hiroshima bowl exhibit had no effect. These results imply that it is important to consider the nature of the exhibit when designing labels that will optimally facilitate learning conversations. Explorit Science Center 2005