Claire Pillsbury visits Technorama

Claire Pillsbury from San Francisco is working with and advising the TECHNORAMA 2050 project team during a six-week residency. In our interview, she talks about her experience with large-scale museum projects and what she particularly likes about Switzerland and Technorama.

So, who are you and what do you normally do when you’re not here?

I’m Claire Pillsbury, and I collaborate with and support museums on exhibition development, exhibition design, coming up with new ideas, and reviewing existing exhibitions.

How come you are now visiting Technorama, and what do you do here?

I collaborated with Armin Duff [Head of Exhibition at Technorama] on developing a project proposal for the Fulbright Program. The project was focused on “TECHNORAMA 2050” planning.

The proposal was approved last year and the project started in March this year. What I’m doing is everything related to TECHNORAMA 2050—exhibit reviews, planning for the temporary exhibition, and planning for the future. I’m working closely with the exhibit staff and giving  ideas and input from my experiences at other science centers similar to Technorama.

What was your first impression of Technorama? And what are the differences or similarities compared to, for example, the Exploratorium in San Francisco?

I think Technorama is a fantastic science center and it continues to evolve and grow. It has so many wonderful exhibits for visitors to play with and explore.

Technorama also has an incredibly high level of engineering and design that very few science centers come close to. There’s also a respect for artists who explore scientific phenomena with the inclusion of many interactive artworks, which makes it a surprising and delightful place for visitors.

If I compare it with the Exploratorium or other big science centers, I would say Technorama has its own unique style—and at the same time is definitely among the top in the world. It has so many innovative exhibit experiences, and the new park environment is wonderful. Visitors really enjoy their time here—you can see it in their faces. They feel comfortable and confident exploring.

What is it like for you to work with the Technorama team? What is the spirit like in the house?

I’m amazed by how productive everybody is. I think in Switzerland people have a better work-life balance than in the United States—there’s more acceptance of the need for time off and holidays— and when people are here, they are focused and very productive.

The exhibit staff that I work with clearly work towards achieving the highest-quality visitor experience. There is a sincere commitment to this and I share those values.

Is there something you were looking forward to while visiting Switzerland? And have you already done it?

You know, it’s so easy to explore Switzerland—taking the train, the trams, getting around. Of course I love visiting museums, because I’m a museum person.

But I also really love that there are still so many traditional crafts and design practices. Things made out of wood, weaving, and more. I visited the Landesmuseum in Zurich, and even the museum shop had many interesting examples of Swiss design and craftsmanship.

Of course, everyone knows Freitag—they’re very popular in the United States—but there are also so many other designers working with recycled materials. There are so many creative ways of making things and design to re-use materials.

One highlight for me was the Botanical Garden. I expected it to be very good, but there were also many surprises—there was a display of different types of bee houses you could make and examples of how to build structures with natural materials. It was inspiring.

There’s sometimes this idea that Swiss culture is only very traditional and structured, but I almost find the opposite—that creativity and innovation is everywhere if you look for it.

Technorama is preparing for a big renovation project. You experienced something similar at the Exploratorium—what was that like, and what can we expect?

This is a unique opportunity for everyone who works here. Usually, you don’t have the chance to step back and think deeply about your institution.

In a time like this, you can ask: what are the core values of Technorama? What do you want to keep and carry into the future? What are the future needs and opportunities?

It’s also a great opportunity for staff to work together in different ways. Sometimes you might think, “Nobody understands my job,” but during a project like this, you gain a new sense of collaboration, understanding, and respect for each other.

You’re trying to do something new, and often there is no perfect solution. You really have to figure things out together.

Was it chaotic during that time?

When we moved in to the Exploratorium’s new building to get all the exhibitions ready the construction was not completely finished. You are trying to work while the electricians and plumbers are still finishing their work. That can definitely be chaotic—but it happens more often than you would think in new building projects.

There were also many things that happened that were unexpected. For example, in the new building, the fire alarm system was very sensitive.  Before we were open to the public if there was temporarily some dust or steam in the air it could trigger an alarm and entire staff had to evacuate.  We had to wait outside for the fire trucks to arrive and for the firemen to confirm that it was a false alarm before we could go back in.

You’re about halfway through your stay—anything you’re still planning to do?

I might go to Basel—I went a long time ago, and I’d like to go back. I remember trying to visit the Vitra Design Museum, but I didn’t realize it was on the German side and I didn’t have my passport!

But mostly, I’m just looking forward to enjoying being here with the nicer Spring weather and going on long walks in the city or hikes in the mountains.

About Claire Pillsbury

Claire Pillsbury is an experienced museum professional, curator, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in the international museum field. She specializes in exhibition development, informal learning, and interdisciplinary experiences that connect science, art, and design.

She has held senior roles at leading institutions such as the Exploratorium in San Francisco and the California Academy of Sciences. As a consultant, she has worked with museums and science centers around the world and has contributed to numerous international projects, including through the Fulbright Specialist Program.