Good Design

From the late 1930s through the 1950s, MoMA held a series of design exhibitions and initiatives that highlighted the democratizing potential of design objects. In these so-called Good Design shows, curators and designers invited audiences to explore that potential by featuring well-designed, relatively affordable, contemporary consumer products, from domestic furnishings and appliances to ceramics, glass, electronics, transport design, sporting goods, toys, and graphics.As a result, the concept of Good Design took hold well beyond the Museum. Scholars, designers, and consumers have come to understand “Good Design” as referring to practical, aesthetically pleasing objects that reflect values from the mid-20th century and beyond, and are largely intended to solve common problems and respond to changing human needs and concerns.