Association for Heritage Interpretation Price Index Questionnaire Survey

The Association for Heritage Interpretation (AHI) is producing an Interpretive Price Index, which will be published on the best practice guidelines section of the AHI’s website. The ambition is to become the go-to global index for exhibition costs for capital projects. Currently, there is no existing centralised database or index for heritage institutions, consultancies or designers to consult when producing exhibitions or other interpretation displays. Having a more standardised index categorised by different cost drivers and split in development phases of an exhibition will be a useful tool for experienced and new organisations seeking to produce exhibitions while spending in a more organised and consistent way.

The index will be updatable and ideally also used as a reference tool by other bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, RIBA, and RICs etc. The answers to the questions below on type of exhibition, size, theme, and other pertinent factors that contribute to the overall cost of an exhibition will help classify and structure the index.

This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The information you will share with us will be kept completely confidential. All responses will be compiled together and analysed as a group. The results of this survey will only be used internally to develop the Interpretation Price Index.

Please note: the survey should be filled per exhibition/gallery in the UK, so please fill out a survey for each interpretive exhibit opened in 2019 and 2020, including planning and design fees, and build costs.

1.Name of institution:

2.Location of institution:

City

Country

3.Please state reporting currency:

6.What type of exhibition was it?

Permanent (Multi-year duration)

Temporary (Planned to only last a limited time)

Touring (The exhibition is presented at more than one venue)

7.Please indicate which type of display the exhibition mainly included:

Standard object-led display (Objects were showcased on open display, in standard or designer-built cases with basic interpretive graphics and limited interaction)

Enhanced object-led display (Objects were showcased in conservation grade cases with basic interpretive graphics and limited interaction)

Standard graphic-led display (Minimal or no objects were showcased in a
neutral environment with basic interpretive graphics and limited interaction)

Enhanced graphic-led display (Minimal or no objects were showcased in a
neutral environment with expansive interpretive graphics and extensive
interaction, physical and/or digital)

Activity-led (Extensive physical interaction through exhibits and/or programmes, typical of science centres and children's museums)

Immersive environment (Setworks, visuals and interactive experiences, with or without objects that create 360-degree experiences)

Highly interactive digital environment (Immersive or extensive digital interactive experiences, with or without objects, that are highly stimulating)

8.Please indicate the environmental control system for any display cases:

Passive

Active

9.What year did the exhibition open?

10.How many months did the realisation of the exhibition take (from planning to opening)?

11.What was the size of the exhibition in sqm?

12.Where was the exhibition presented?

Outdoor

New Building

Existing Building

If existing, please specify whether the building is:
Historic
Listed

13.What was the total cost of the exhibition?

Please include:
costs of planning, design & content development, production & installation and opening & post-opening.

Please exclude:
functional base-building costs, maintenance, programmes cost, publications, marketing materials and collections-related costs such as acquisition or loan cost and transport.

14.Please specify the cost per phase (this should equal the total cost):

Planning phase:
Includes workshops and any other elements that contribute to the “idea generation” stage of an exhibition. This phase includes setting the parameters for concept, design, size, and costs.

Design & Content Development phase:
Includes the exhibition design (concept, developed, technical design) and possibly prototyping or other forms of testing. Content development includes identifying the collection elements and developing the storyline.

Production & Installation phase:
Includes all activities conducted that lead to the actual production, construction and installation of the exhibition and its related content.

Opening & Post-Opening phase:
Any costs related to adjustments made in response to faults identified after installation. This excludes all costs associated with producing exhibition materials, events, and any other additional costs associated with post-opening activities such as visitor studies, and documentation.

15.What type of contract was this exhibition?

Traditional (Full set of drawings, specifications, and then a tender)

Design and Build

Other (please specify)

16.Was the exhibition design & content mainly developed “in house” using staff or outsourced resources such as freelance designers and third-party companies?

In-house

Outsourced/freelancer

Mix of both

17.If mainly developed by “in-house” staff please specify the staff cost, if any, that you included in the reported cost:

18.Was the exhibition fabricated “in house” using staff or contracted fabricators?

In-House

Outsourced /Contractors

Mix of both

19.If mainly fabricated by “in-house” staff please specify the staff cost, if any, that you included in the reported cost:

20.From the total cost of the "Production & Installation Phase" [Question 12], how much was spent on each of the elements below? Please allocate the relative size of the costs of each of the elements below in percentages:

Note that the percentages should sum up to 100% - being the total costs of the "Production & Installation Phase".

General Works (Fit out, finishes)

Set Works (Scenography)

AV (Hardware)

AV (Software)

Showcases (For presentation of collections)

Graphics (Texts and visuals)

Lighting & Electrics (Specifically purchased or rented)

Hands-on Interactivity (Both analogue and digital)

Models (Specifically made)

Iconic Features (Bespoke elements)

Prototyping & Samples (To determine the design of the exhibition)

Object Handling & Installation (Object/art handlers)

Artwork Illustrations (Visuals)

21.In order to improve this survey for future respondents, please let us know what additional questions you would suggest to be included:

22.What elements are essential to include to make the Interpretation Price Index useful for you?