Key Concepts of Museology - ICOM

something, as well as the whole of
that which is displayed, and the place
where it is displayed. “Let us consider
a defi nition of the exhibition
borrowed from outside and not drafted
by ourselves. This term – along
with its abbreviated term ‘exhibit’ –
means the act of displaying things to
the public, the objects displayed (the
exhibits), and the area where this display
takes place” (Davallon, 1986).
Borrowed from the Latin expositio,
the French term exposition (in old
French exposicïun, at the beginning
of the 12 th century) fi rst had at the
same time the fi gurative meaning of
an explanation, an exposé, the literal
meaning of an exposition (of an
abandoned child, still used in Spanish
in the term expósito), and the
general meaning of display. From
there (in the 16 th century) the French
word exposition had the meaning
of presenting (merchandise), then
(in the 17 th century) it could mean
abandonment, initial presentation
(to explain a work) or situation (of
a building). In 18 th century France
the word exhibition, as a display of
art works, had the same meaning in
French as in English, but the French
use of the word exhibition to refer to
the presentation of art later gave way
to exposition. On the other hand, the
word exposition in English means
(1) the setting forth of a meaning or
intent, or (2) a trade show, thus preserving
the earlier meanings of the
French. Today both the French exposition
and the English exhibition have
the same meaning, which applies to
the setting out of exhibits of all kinds
in a space for public viewing; also the
exhibits themselves, and the space in
which the show takes place. From
this viewpoint, each of these meanings
defi nes somewhat different
elements.
1. The exhibition, understood as
the container or the place where the
contents are on display (just as the
museum appears both as a function
and as a building) is characterised
not by the architecture of this space
but by the place itself. Even though
the exhibition appears to be one of
the characteristics of museums, exhibition
thus has a far broader reach
because it can also be set up by a
profi t-making organisation (market,
store, art gallery). It can be organised
in an enclosed space, but also in the
open air (in a park or a street) or in
situ, that is to say without moving the
objects from their original sites natural,
historical or archaeological sites.
Seen from this perspective exhibition
areas are defi ned not only by the
container and the contents but also
by the users – visitors and museum
professionals – that is to say the people
who enter this specifi c area and
share in the general experience of the
other visitors at the exhibition. The
place of the exhibition is thus a specifi
c place of social interaction, the
effects of which can be assessed. Evidence
of this is provided by the development
of visitor studies, and the
growth of a specifi c fi eld of research
connected with the communication
aspect of the place and with all the
35