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We use a custom made filemaker database. It gets revised continually
and over the years cleaned up, improved, and edit to work with
different projects. I don't know of a solution that is straight out of
the box though.

I highly recommend filemaker. It's easy to pick up and start creating
right away and it's in your own control so you can really customize it
to how your organization develops exhibits. I've never used it, but
there is a way of sharing the database online and allowing it to be
edited if you want that capability.


-Wing Fong
Exhibit Designer
The Portico Group


On Friday, February 18, 2011, Esther Hamstra <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> Does anyone has experience with managing or making exhibition databases? My job at NorthernLight (exhibition design), Amsterdam used to involve mainly 'content development', but I'm starting to be more and more involved into 'content management'.
>
> I have once made a proposal to do this with Filemaker Pro, but I have no idea if this could work and how (we are currently only using it to keep track of our hours, planning, expenses, and personnel). Are there any other (easier) ways of doing it as well?
>
> When developing exhibitions we normally list all exhibition items (such as text panels, exhibits, objects, multimedia) in one or more (depending on the size of the project) Excel sheet(s). In these sheets we then keep track of all data, such as: status, remarks, texts, materials, production methods, dimensions, etcetera.
>
> Unfortunately this method has some disadvantages:
> - Excel is 'too clever' and auto-correct or auto-fill can result in mistakes.
> - Several people at several institutions or companies are working in the excel-documents by downloading them from an FTP-server and uploading it again. Without notification of all participants, there is always the risk to overwrite newer versions.
> - With projects becoming bigger and increasingly more complex Excel is just not good enough anymore. There must be better, easier ways to manage data.
>
> So, I'm looking for ways to developing databases that can be used by every participant of the project:
> - Because they are and stay online (such as with Google-docs)
> - Because they are easy to use and to set up.
> I want to be able to make lists, but also to use it for data-mining and to call up for all information of one (type of) exhibit, or one subject, etcetera.
>
> I'm eager to finding out what your experiences are.
>
> Thanks a lot,
> Esther Hamstra
>
> Content Developer
> NorthernLight
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