Elastic bungee cord finds its way into museums

A fine line rather than a barrier

In an exhibition room, everything that is not the artwork is a potential distraction. A solid barrier imposes its bulk and cuts the room up. A cord 6 mm in diameter, stretched at waist height, does the opposite: it draws a boundary the visitor understands at once, without stopping the eye.

This fine line only works if it is carried by discreet supports. A black guide post for elastic cord with a slim tube and a round weighted base suits tall galleries and visitor routes. To mark a distance in front of a plinth or display case, a lower guidance post for keeping visitors back leaves the piece fully visible. Here we are talking about what links those supports: the cord.

Why elasticity matters

A visitor who steps back to see a painting better, a child who leans without thinking: in a public place, the cord will be touched. An elastic cord stretches under pressure, then returns to its place. It stays supple to the touch, and the line recovers its course without any intervention.

What is inside a bungee cord

At the centre, a 6 mm natural rubber monofilament: this is what gives the elasticity. Around it, a sheath protects the core and sets the visible look. The choice of sheath decides the character of the line.

The polypropylene sheath

The elastic cord (PP) by the metre has a fibrous look, close to textile. It catches the light softly, without glare, and comes in grey, red, green, blue, yellow, khaki and black. It is the most nuanced visually, the one to choose when the line should have character.

The smooth white polyethylene sheath

The white elastic cord (PE) by the linear metre has a smooth, plasticised look. Its surface stands up well to abrasion. Against a light partition wall, it becomes almost as discreet as a pencil line.

Choosing the colour to suit the venue

The rule is simple: decide whether the line should disappear or be seen.

• In a gallery with white walls, a white cord, paired with a white guide post or a white low guide post, carries on the clean effect.
• In a museum with dark rooms or wood panelling, black or grey blend into the atmosphere and stay legible.
• For a visitor route that has to be spotted from afar, or in a showroom with a strong visual identity, red, blue or green become a deliberate graphic feature.

Think about the lighting in the venue too: a trial on a short length, on site, is worth more than a choice made on screen.

Length, cutting and tension

The cord is sold separately from the posts, by the metre or on a reel, which avoids ordering ill-suited standard lengths. Measure the gap between two posts, then cut slightly shorter: it is that small difference that puts the cord under tension and gives it a crisp line. A cord that is too long sags and shows; one that is too tight puts strain on the supports.

Allow a gap of 2 to 2.50 m between two posts. On a very smooth or polished floor, bring them closer to 1.50 m: the weighted bases, placed without drilling, gain stability. Line the posts up with the geometry of the walls, because in a pared-back room the slightest curve in the line is noticeable.

Fixing with an Allen key

The cord is fixed at the top of the post using an Allen key. It is not a hook system: the cord is tightened and held, which suits an installation in an exhibition room. Keep the key in your fitting kit, as it is also needed when you change the cord.

Replacing a worn cord without touching the posts

The posts last longer than the cord: it takes the light, the dust and the contact. When it slackens, gets dirty or frays, you simply loosen the fixing, remove the old length and cut a new one to the same measurement. You can take the opportunity to change colour for a new exhibition, without buying a single support. If you replace only part of the line, a difference in shade may show between two cords of different ages: in that case, change the whole row.

Ending the line at a wall

A row of posts that stops in the middle of the room leaves a gap at the side that some visitors, children in particular, will use. It is better to run the cord to the wall with a black wall mount bracket for Ø 6 mm cord, fitted with a screw and a wall plug. The line is then closed, with no extra post on the floor. For a light wall there is also a white wall mount bracket, which avoids a dark spot at the end of a white line.

For the full layout of a visitor route (number of supports, flow of people), see our article on the guidance post for museums and galleries.