Your exhibit should have a thesis just like an essay, that is–a general argument or explanation (such as why the IR happened, or whom it affected, or what was most important in it). The Industrial Revolution is a big topic, and you have a limited amount of space, so you must make choices to limit the scope of your exhibit. Remember there were people in the IR and since their lives were directly affected, they mattered (it’s not just a collection of machinery). The objects should work together to make a point (your thesis). Do not rely solely on text to explain what the objects mean and how you are using them. You can assume that you have an unlimited budget and any museum will lend an object to you. That means you can look in online museum catalogs to help you find potential objects.