As part of their studies, AUB National Diploma students were asked to write a review of the Museum and its Eat in or Take out exhibition. Here are just a few of their comments:
I feel the museum is a brilliant idea in referencing a collection of products that can be useful to not only design students, but to other students.
I think that the window wall [looking out onto the library] is really great, but from the outside the museum display gives away too much and I was not intrigued enough to go up and have a good look around.
Although it is only small, the layout / presentation of the objects is very well done, ensuring that each object can be seen with ease with the help of well situated lighting. There is also relevant information about each set of objects which is easy to read and understand.
If I was not part of the University I do not think I would know where the museum is based, as I do not remember seeing any signs advertising the museum at all so I would not know where to go.
I feel the room is too small for any comfort.
I think the museum could improve the exhibitions by adding more items and not trying to hand the experience to the viewer on a plate by letting the viewer discover some elements for themselves.
Of all the displays my favourite was 'Kids Menu', In this case were many food containers from over the years made from plastic for children. It was very interesting to see how a designer can make food more appealing to a child by the packaging it is in.
I feel that the surrounding colours [of the museum] are very dull in comparison to the items on display and this contrasted greatly, this would have been OK if the display had been old and boring but the plastics I feel were supposed to be new, exciting and fresh.
I thought the plastics museum was very informative, it just shows how much plastics are used in everyday life.
The writing on the top of each display is very informative but the only problem is that with the bright light it can be hard to read after 10 minutes.
As the room is quite small I can imagine it must be quite a challenge to get everything in, but it is all spaced out quite well and you can see everything clearly.
I think the objects on display are great for inspiration because of all the different designs and selling points of the items.
I would definitely recommend others to visit the exhibition, and I will definitely be going back to see exhibitions in the future.
The museum could have explored the plastics industry in far greater detail than just placing a collection of plastic objects in a room.
I thought the museum was commercialized; all the things you can see in the museum are just from your local supermarket.
The exhibition is suitable for all ages, young ones would enjoy the colourful vibrant toy-like features […] and the elderly bunch […] the domestic appliances […] from years ago.
I saw objects I use in my day-to-day life that I never thought I would see in a museum, for me is the best thing about it.
My conclusion of the plastic museum is that it needs more viewing space. Expansion would mean that more of the collection could be viewed at once; also more people would be able to visit the museum. This would mean more students would benefit from the exhibition.
The displays were well explained, bright and clear. This made them easy to view and very interesting to look at.
MoDiP is a colourful and enjoyable museum for anyone and I would recommend others to visit it.
The tour of the museum really taught me a lot as I had never realised how much we use plastic and how important it is.
I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition; I found it quirky, informative and inspiring. The clear labelling and brief descriptions on each cabinet make all the information easy to take in and I left feeling like I had learnt a lot.
In most museums you are given a route to follow, leading you through the different areas of the exhibition in a specific order. At MoDiP you create your own narrative and can leave out anything you are not interested in, or go back and look at something again.
I spent about fifteen minutes reading all of the labels and looking at all of the objects. While I was there a non-studious couple came in…and spent about five minutes looking round. So I think the time spent in the museum is very personal.
The museum is small [...] this is disappointing as I think this museum has lots to offer and with a bigger venue it would attract more people.
I feel the plastic museum is something worth visiting as not only is it fun to reminisce on memories of your childhood but you also get to look into how marketing, designs of products and general product ease-of-use has changed.
As all of the items are behind glass you might have thought that you would not be able to get a good look at them. However, the inside of the cases are lined with mirrors so you can examine the exhibits from 360°.
The part of the museum I disliked the most was Take Off. This is because there wasn't much to look at and it didn't grab or interest me in the way other parts of the museum did.
All sections of this display are very interesting and they show a very good range of ways in which plastic is used, it opened my eyes to the good properties of it.
I hadn't thought about design in plastic before, as it is something that is included in my everyday life, so I see it every day and it is taken for granted. This exhibition made me think about the effort and work that goes into designing everyday items that aren't appreciated.
MoDiP is a brilliant resource that charts consumerism throughout the years, and even offers us a chance to see where design and production will go in the future.
The only problem is the entrance, which is situated next to a fire escape and hidden behind an elevator and was difficult to locate.