CO-CREATING AN EXHIBITION
Discover how we are co-creating an exhibition with our target audience
On this page, you can follow the progress of the exhibition The Overlooked Body. If you have taken part in our workshops, you can also get an insight into how your reflections and input are carried forward in the process.
Young people contribute new perspectives to the upcoming exhibition. What matters to young people when it comes to themes such as the breast and anxiety – and how can complex subjects like mental health be communicated most effectively to their age group?
These questions were at the heart of the spring workshops in 2025, where pupils and students contributed ideas, reflections and concrete suggestions for the exhibition’s content and form.
Key takeaways from the spring workshops 2025
Participants showed a strong interest in immersive installations, where visitors feel “absorbed by the exhibition space” and multiple senses are activated. Interactive screens were also popular – especially when they are integrated naturally into the exhibition rather than standing alone.
Together with a Year 8 class (ages 14-15) from Samsøgades Skole, we worked on screen‑based experiences, focusing on user interfaces, interactivity and how digital solutions can best support learning.
Several creative suggestions were also made for seating furniture in the breast section, such as a “breast sofa” where visitors can both rest and reflect.
When it comes to effective communication, the pupils particularly highlighted the importance of:
- Authenticity
- Audience involvement
- Opportunities for social experiences
- Engaging multiple senses
- Surprise
- Interaction with exhibition elements
- Knowledge
One topic that sparked particular curiosity was research involving animal testing, which many participants wanted to understand and discuss in more depth.
Cross‑disciplinary collaboration
In addition to pupils from upper secondary schools and youth education programmes, we received valuable input from students from a range of disciplines, including:
- Museology, Aarhus University
- Event Culture (elective), Aarhus University
- Midwifery, the University of Southern Denmark (UC Syd)
- Multimedia Design, Business Academy Aarhus
What we are taking forward
Insights from the spring workshops form the basis for the ongoing development work, which focuses on:
- A combined seating and educational element
- A new screen concept
- Materiality, models and physical elements
- Authenticity in both form and content
Workshops in autumn 2025
In the autumn workshops, we focused on exhibition objects, interactive solutions and how best to communicate topics that involve taboo or sensitivity.
Background
Before planning the workshops, we received input from the Academy for Talented Young People Midt regarding communication aimed at young audiences.
Based on this, we set the following guiding principles for the workshops:
- Facts and figures should be included.
- Both sexes should be represented.
- The content should be relatable and relevant to young people’s lives and futures.
- Appropriate language is essential – for example, focusing on the body rather than gender.
What we learned from the autumn workshops 2024
During the autumn, the Science Museums developed a workshop format together with participants, which formed the foundation for the work in spring 2025:
- Participants clearly articulated what worked and what did not
- Various graphic materials were tested and are now included in phase 1 of the exhibition.
- A Year 9 class (ages 15-16) provided valuable feedback on exhibition texts.
- Researchers continuously supported the communication of complex topics.
We also took on board a recommendation to include a creative activity in the final exhibition in 2026 and to further develop a game about research participants.
Focus of the spring workshops 2025
Many themes are relevant to The Overlooked Body, but not all can be included in the final exhibition.
As workshop participants, pupils were invited to share which themes they most wanted to see included in the upcoming exhibition. Their input helps guide our final selection.