Empathy aimed at the visitor
Much talk about empathy in exhibits is about what the exhibit hopes visitors will feel toward its subject. This article takes the other direction. Visitor empathy here means the designer’s awareness of the people who will use the exhibit, including how they might feel, what they may bring with them, and how the design can treat them with care.
That matters most when the subject is difficult: war, loss, illness, violence, discrimination, disaster or the history of harm to a particular community. Some visitors will approach this material with curiosity, some with personal connection, and some with real pain. A single design cannot suit them all, but it can respect the range.
Expect different reactions
Visitors respond to the same content in different ways. Some common patterns, none of them universal:
- Some want detail and context, and read everything.
- Some find certain images or accounts hard to take and need to look away or leave.
- Some have lived through related events or belong to the community being described. Their reaction may be strong, and their knowledge may exceed that of the exhibit’s authors.
- Some bring children, or are with someone who is distressed, and need to make quick decisions about whether to continue.
- Some may react by laughing, joking or going silent, which are all ordinary ways of coping.
- Some feel little, which does not mean the design failed.
Planning for this range means avoiding the assumption that one emotional response is correct.
Give people information before they commit
A short, plain notice before difficult content lets visitors decide. This could be a line on the entrance screen or label stating that the content deals with a given subject and includes certain kinds of images or accounts. A few guidelines:
- Be specific enough to be useful, but do not describe in graphic detail.
- Place the notice before the content, not after.
- Use calm wording. Overly dramatic warnings can add anxiety or feel like a spoiler.
- Make sure the notice reaches visitors who cannot see the screen, for example through audio or a staff mention.
How sensitive content is handled in general, including when to use blur or click-to-reveal, is a topic of its own. Here the key idea is choice.
Build in easy ways to step away
A visitor who feels uncomfortable should be able to leave without fuss. In digital exhibits that means:
- A clear, always-visible way to skip, stop or exit. Do not hide it in a menu.
- No forced sequences where a person has to sit through distressing content to reach something else.
- Autoplay avoided for difficult video and audio. A visitor should start it on purpose.
- Volume control and a no-sound mode, so unexpected sound does not startle.
- Screens placed so that a visitor can leave without pushing past others, and so passersby, including children, do not see distressing imagery by accident.
Layered content can help. A short, restrained first layer that gives the essentials, with a deeper layer for those who want more, respects both those who want to stay and those who do not.
Create room for reflection
After difficult content, visitors often need a moment. Simple design choices can help:
- A calmer closing screen, without bright colors or sudden changes.
- A nearby seat or quiet area, ideally out of the main flow.
- A neutral prompt to reflect, not a demand to respond or a quiz right after distressing material.
- Information about where to find support, if the subject might relate to something personal. Staff should know what is available and how to direct people to it, and a venue should ensure any named resources are accurate and current.
Staff matter as much as screens. People on the gallery floor should know what the exhibit contains, how to respond kindly to a distressed visitor, and when to call for help. Staff training should cover this before the exhibit opens.
Language and image choices
Careful language is part of care. Some points to consider:
- Use respectful, accurate terms, preferably those that affected communities use for themselves. Where terms are contested, say so plainly.
- Avoid sensational phrasing and avoid treating real people as symbols.
- Choose images for what they add, not for shock. If an image is essential and upsetting, consider placing it behind a deliberate action.
- Include the voices of people affected, with their agreement, and consider the cultural safety of how they are shown.
- Be careful about humor, music and playful interaction in a serious context. A gamified quiz about a tragedy, for example, can feel flippant.
Involve those with a stake
The best way to understand how a topic will land is to ask people connected to it. Consulting source communities and affected groups early can reveal problems that designers did not anticipate, such as an image that carries a different meaning or a phrase that hurts. Consultation should be real, with a willingness to change plans, and not a formality after decisions are made.
Prototype testing with a small, varied group, run with care and clear consent to stop at any time, can also reveal reactions. Participants should be told what they will see before they agree, and given a way to opt out.
Neurodivergent and sensory considerations
Emotional load can combine with sensory load. A crowded room, flashing images and loud audio can compound distress for some visitors, including some neurodivergent visitors. Keeping sensory input predictable and adjustable helps, as does clear information about what to expect.
Accept what you cannot control
No design prevents every difficult moment, and it is not the designer’s job to shield visitors from all discomfort. Learning about hard subjects can be uncomfortable. The aim is to ensure that discomfort is chosen, supported and purposeful, not accidental or exploitative.
A brief checklist
- Does the visitor know what is ahead before they begin?
- Can they leave or skip at any point, easily?
- Is the content free of autoplay and sudden loud sound?
- Have affected communities been consulted?
- Are staff prepared, and is there somewhere quiet to go?
- Does the tone match the seriousness of the subject?