Aesthetic.
The key to successful presentation.
Display case interior.
Priceless cultural world heritage is presented and safeguarded in HAHN display cases.
The inside of the display case is the presentation space for the exhibit. It consists of a base, called the deck, four sides and a closed top. The three fixed sides can be made of transparent glass, opaque material or a mixture of the two. The door is usually transparent. The opaque sides serve as a background for the object(s), as a structure to hold shelves or other systems, creating an intimate space. The ceiling of the exhibition space can be transparent, opaque or fitted with a light hood in various designs.
The range of interior materials and finishes is limited due to off-gassing issues. We can advise on, for example, compatible fabrics and their substrates, acceptable finishes and powder coating, including coating roughness, gloss levels and colour (RAL colours as standard reference).
The interior furnishings of the exhibition space and the lighting system are the presentation tools, traditionally accompanied by text labels and/or other communication tools such as graphics or other multimedia tools.
The internal furniture of a display case can be divided into two specific parts, the object holder and the object support.
Object mounts
Object mounts are traditionally prepared by the museum or its conservation consultant. The object supports, on the other hand, are designed by the exhibition designer or suggested by Glasbau Hahn. Too often this process is carried out sequentially, rather than managing the interface between the object mount and the object support.
For this reason, Glasbau Hahn offers a design workshop for the exhibition designer, the client and their object mounting team, in which we define the interface between the object presentation and communication tools and the display case. We develop solutions based on the variety of object mounts, their safe installation and work on controlling the visual impact on the object presentation side. The workshop is led by Glasbau Hahn’s conservation and technical design specialists.
Object support
The presentation height of objects is important for a good view of the exhibits, which is typically based on an average visitor eye height of approximately 1.50 metres. Therefore, based on a defined viewing distance, the shelf height is typically chosen so that the largest and smallest collection items in a display case can be presented in a person’s field of vision without them having to change their upright position.
Smaller objects in particular can be brought into view by placing them on small platforms. They can also be used to bring together small groups of objects or to highlight one object from a larger group of objects in a display case. Objects can be placed directly on the inside of the display case, on shelves or on platforms of various types and shapes.
To present items to wheelchair users, the eye height needs to be lowered and becomes similar to that of children. The choice of floor level is therefore an important design decision. Glasbau Hahn advises architects, exhibition designers and museums on the different types of display cases, options and tools for presenting objects at different heights.
If the height differences of the objects become too important, display case types such as freestanding display cases with low plinths and internal raisers should be chosen to manage the height differences.
Height of object presentation
The presentation height of objects is important, depending on the type of objects and the average visitor eye height of approximately 1.50 m. This average height may vary in different countries. To present objects for wheelchair users, the eye height needs to be lowered and becomes similar to that of children. The choice of floor level is therefore an important design decision. Glasbau Hahn advises architects, exhibition designers and museums on the different types of display cases, options and tools for presenting objects at different deck heights.
If the height differences of the objects become too important, display case types such as freestanding display cases with low plinths and internal raisers should be chosen to manage the different heights. Please contact us for more information.