Entertaining, Informing, Persuading: Figures of Speech to Prepare for Health and Safety

Authors

David H. Lee, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow
Frederick Steier, University of South Florida
Wit Ostrenko, Tampa Museum of Science and Industry

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Abstract

The public mandates science center exhibits that are entertaining as well as informative. In addition, exhibits can also be performative, in that they act back upon the visitors with an injunction to change their ways. We give examples from two exhibits that not only inform, but also open up space for changes in behavior and perception, particularly in arenas of public health. We look at two recent and ongoing exhibits at MOSI – “Disasterville” and “The Amazing You” - and examine the affordances suggested by figures of speech such as eponymy, hyponymy, hypernymy and retronymy. Tropological research into museum exhibits appears to open up new lines of scholarship for understanding persuasion.

Comments

This work was originally published in The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum.