Selected Label Writing & Editing
We aim for exhibit labels that spark questions, start discussions, prompt someone to say, “Huh!” or take a second, longer look. We work closely with subject matter experts and designers to develop labels that convey an exhibition’s message with clarity, accuracy, and visual impact.
Skulls
California Academy of Sciences
This popular exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences explored the science of skulls—from teeth and jaws that allow animals to hunt and consume food, to eye sockets that support advanced vision to escape predators.
The label writing process stemmed from the exhibit’s main message and the objects themselves: “Every skull tells a story, revealing how vertebrate animals live, die, and evolve.” To avoid overwhelming visitors with the show’s 640-plus objects, we kept text to a minimum: Catchy headlines to draw visitors in. Brief introductions and object labels with intriguing descriptions to encourage close observation and prompt conversation and reflection on form and function.
Award: 2015 Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing Award, American Alliance of Museums
Writers: Cheryl Downes McCoy, Ryder Diaz
Editor: Tamara Schwarz
© Tamara Schwarz
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
© Tamara Schwarz
© Tamara Schwarz
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
BigPicture: Natural World Photography
California Academy of Sciences
Initiated in 2014, this temporary exhibition features the winning photographs from an annual international nature photography competition. Labels integrate science interpretation along with the photographers’ voices and experiences. Each year, the exhibition’s spectacular images spark wonder and curiosity, encouraging learning and inspiring a commitment to protect the natural world.
Writers: Ingfei Chen, Ryder Diaz, Tamara Schwarz
Editors: Ryder Diaz, Tamara Schwarz, Rhonda Rubinstein
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
© California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
© California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Color of Life
California Academy of Sciences
Color takes center stage in this exhibition, offering both surprising discoveries and unanswered mysteries about evolutionary and ecological processes that shape the colors we see. Featuring specimens from Academy collections, live animals, and immersive interactive experiences, Color of Life offers visitors an opportunity to explore the stories behind the spectacular array of colors adorning life on Earth. Through lively, conversational, and approachable writing, we sought to express the concept of color as language and help visitors see and appreciate the vibrant living world anew.
Award: 2016 Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing Award, American Alliance of Museums
Writers: Sara DeAngelis, Ryder Diaz, Sarah Goodin
Editor: Tamara Schwarz
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
Kathryn Whitney © California Academy of Sciences
© Tamara Schwarz