An upcoming episode of “Museum Life,” hosted by Carol Bossert, will feature Design Professor Tim McNeil, discussing “The Reality of Exhibition Designers.” You can listen online on October 3, 2014 and after that date.

It is increasingly common for museums to rely on contractors for special projects from evaluation to media development and design. This slow but steady trend has had a significant impact on exhibitions, both in terms of process and product. Does the current commercial exhibition design system stifle our most visionary and creative minds? Are we homogenizing exhibit experiences? Can we move beyond a process that separates museum staff from “designers” often leaving everyone dissatisfied at the end of the project? Join this week’s discussion with Tim McNeil, Director of the UC Davis Design Museum and Professor of Design at University of California Davis for an insightful conversation.