Hi! I’m Suzanne Fischer, the Exhibit Coach.
I help you move from an idea to an engaging, amazing exhibit.
Who I Help
I specialize in working with organizations that have never made exhibits before and smaller institutions that want to level up their exhibit practice. Is that you? Write me today and let’s talk!
Do YOU Need an Exhibit Coach?
Ready to start developing a new exhibit?
Never made an exhibit and don’t know where to start?
Can’t figure out what to do with collections?
What is your exhibit even about?
Exhibit Coach brings 15 years of exhibit leadership—with a strong dose of empathy and a sense of play—to jumpstart your process and get you moving towards amazing, meaningful, inclusive exhibit experiences.
My Services
Exhibit development and interpretation is how museums tell stories. I use my fresh vision and empathetic historian superpowers of strategy, synthesis, and communication to catalyze your storytelling. My practice centers historical truth and racial equity. I provide visitor-centered:
Exhibit Brainstorming, Scoping, Planning, and Content Development
Exhibit Prototyping and Evaluation
Interpretive Planning
Interpretive Writing and Editing
Exhibit and Wayfinding Assessments
Organizational Transitions and Transformations
Team and Individual Coaching and Workshops
Selected Exhibit Projects
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Ruth Tucker Ayers Harris Watershed Discovery Center
Worked with the team at the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to turn their ideas for an education space into an interpretive plan for an engaging center that helps visitors engage with complex water conservation issues. Edited labels and provided exhibit production advice.
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Massachusetts Women's History Center
Museum planner, coach, exhibit developer, and project manager for Suffrage100MA’s transformation into the Massachusetts Women’s History Center, including managing an RFP, brand design, and web design project, and hiring and managing two digital curators.
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In the Neighborhood
Facilitated interpretive planning and content development for the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan’s In the Neighborhood exhibit about Detroit’s Jewish neighborhoods. at the Detroit Historical Museum
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Marking Time
Professor for Curatorial Practices course at Michigan State University and exhibit director for a student-curated exhibit about the Spartan Marching Band at the MSU Museum.
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Resisting the Holocaust
In progress. Interpretive planning and content development for a suite of three linked traveling exhibits about Jewish resistance to the Holocaust, based on the new interpretive strategies in the Zekelman Holocaust Center’s award-winning new permanent exhibit.
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From Generosity to Justice
Interpretive planner and exhibit developer for an exhibit about Union Theological Seminary’s complicated history of philanthropy.
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Sparrow Hospital Archives and Museum
Reviewed, updated, and drafted collections policies and procedures for the Sparrow Women’s Hospital Association Archives Committee and developed content for the Sparrow Heritage Museum, both in Lansing.
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Meadow Brook Hall
Interpretive planning for a reinterpretation of this historic house focused on people as well as architecture and decorative art.
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States of Incarceration
Project director and editor for the Michigan History Center’s installation of this travelling exhibit. I led MHC’s team to develop an additional 1500 sq. ft. of stories on incarceration in Michigan.
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Pacific Worlds
Lead curator for this 8,000 sq. ft. exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California developed in collaboration with a community taskforce. Winner of the American Alliance of Museums Excellence in Exhibitions Award.
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Higgins Lake Nursery Trail
Project director and editor for waysides interpreting the history of the nursery that jumpstarted Michigan’s reforestation.
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Prototyping Parlor
Converted an closed-off space at the Michigan History Museum into an interactive room where staff and visitors can lounge and prototype exhibit elements together.
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Sent Away
Curator for 300 sq. ft. new permanent exhibit on Japanese American incarceration in the Oakland Museum of California’s History Gallery.
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Secret Lives of Michigan Objects
Project director and editor for this 3000 sq. ft. exhibit at the Michigan History Museum taking a fun look at museum collections.
I’ve developed exhibits of all sizes—from one case to 80,000 sq. ft.
I’ve spent 15 years as a director and curator roles at history museums, most recently as museum director of the Michigan History Center. I was also a curator at the Oakland Museum of California and The Henry Ford. I’ve developed exhibits of all sizes, many developed collaboratively with communities, winning multiple national exhibit awards along the way. I’ve also acquired and managed many types of collections.
My executive experience gives me a unique perspective on the role of exhibits in institutional strategy—and the resources needed to sustain them. I’ve raised over a million dollars in grants. And my history Ph.D. gives me a unique understanding of context, methodology and research.
I live in Detroit with my wife and bulldog and am available to travel to you and your team.
My dozens of successful exhibits have taught me that what I love most--just behind connecting with visitors--is the excitement and creative energy of exhibit teams. I love being the catalyst to get teams moving on developing amazing visitor experiences!