The Future of Museums Maintaining a Community Connection in the Digital Age The monolithic building is always full of curious people, excited to experience history and science. Items that were once exclusive to certain locations are now shared across the world via 3D holograms and 3D printed replicas. Animated models of stars, dinosaurs, and historical machines can be manipulated, taken apart and closely examined with the integration of touch technology. The detailed history of each object, work of art and extinct creature can be downloaded to the phones and tablets of every attendee of the museum. Networks of museums are connected all across the globe, meaning everyone, no matter their location, has access to the wealth of knowledge from all over the world. The tools available to us now have all the potential to expand the reach and abilities of our museums. With technologies like holographic projections, 3D printing, downloadable mobile apps and touch screens there are endless opportunities for people to connect more intimately with their history, nature, and science. I...
In Stephen Weil’s essay, he argues “the museum’s role has transformed from one of mastery to one of service” (Weil, 196). According to him, museums have changed their mission from one that cultures the public to one that serves
Albeit not hands on, the exhibit is very interactive. There are some videos included, with one being the beginning synopsis of what is to come.
The Getty was named after J. Paul Getty, who first started the museum in his house in 1954 which is now known as Getty Villa. The second location is the Getty Center that is located in Los Angeles was opened to the public on December 16, 1997. The Getty Villa was then closed for extensive renovations and then reopened to the public on January 28, 2006. The Getty Museum website says “The [permanent] collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty center includes pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts; 19th- and 20th-century American, European and Asian photographs; contemporary and modern sculpture; and Robert Irwin’s Central Garden, designed specifically for the Getty Center.
In every museum, each exhibition represents a series of decisions that some individual or group undertook to compile a series of artifacts together in a display. Often times people fail to recognize the amount of time and several steps one took in order to assemble each arrangement. Source A, source B, and source C each mention different, crucial considerations one mast take into account when facing the responsibility of securing a new artifact for a museum.
...ition was instrumental in the creation of an experience that is valuable to the tens of thousands of visitors CHM receives each year. The Sensing Chicago gallery encourages children to make new connections between themselves and the past by personalizing history through the five senses using hands-on exhibits. After experiencing the gallery, children realize they possess the sensory tools to understand and appreciate Chicago history. The renovation of CHM and the subsequent success of Sensing Chicago has offered insight into the evolving pedagogical role of museum education in conjunction with classroom learning.
The museum focused more on the experience of the African slaves in the Americas than anything else, but there was some key information on how they travelled to the New World and the conditions they faced. The use of videos and displays was much more prevalent in this area. This is likely due to the fact that this was the main area of the museum. The museum used videos (see Figure 2) to inspire emotive feelings amongst visitors – one video was of a woman describing the punishment and attempted escape of a friend, whilst the other was a detailed, wordless video of slaves being transported aboard a slave ship to the Americas. The second video was on two curved screens spanning three hundred and sixty degrees and with surround sound, fully engaging the visitor in the experience. This was a clever use of video and sound in order to arouse a moving response from the visitor as they began to feel the reality of a slave’s journey to the Americas. The museum also used comprehensive models of plantations (see Figure 3) and slave ships (Figure 4) to allow the visitor to interact with the slave’s experience travelling to and working in the Americas. Interactive displays were again used in exhibitions discussing where the African slaves come from and were taken to work in and what colonies European states held in Africa (see Figure
Items displayed in museums hold historical significance and are representative of society’s culture. Preserving valuable collections for education and enjoyment is a primary role of museums. While fulfilling this role, the architecture of the museum is also an important factor. Historical buildings are converted into museums and architects must consider the use of the space and the museum’s purpose during their initial design. Other museums are built with a clear purpose in mind. As museums are designed, many characteristics are determined. Display and storage spaces as well as visitor services impacts museum’s functionality. Based on the function of a museum, architectural requirements are different.
Many in the modern world seem to take great pride in the rapid pace which life holds for most of us. It is as if we might squeeze a few more precious moments of life's experience for ourselves if we move a bit faster. In reality, we rob ourselves of the enjoyment of the slow consideration of the phenomena we experience everyday. Art is something static which we might use to slow us in our perception of our world. It is not required that art be something static in motion but in thought. It is not something to be considered with only fleeting attention. A single painting could mean millions of different things to different people. It is the value of possibility and of perception that is so important. The Weatherspoon Art Museum at UNCG is a perfect example of the importance of this concept.
Sillito, D. (2011). Free museums: Visits more than double. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15979878. Last accessed 4th Nov 2013.
What is Museum Education? Museum Education is about educating the public about History, Science, Math, or English etc., but in an informal setting (not in a classroom or school). Museum Education is about immersing the students in the topic at hand. For example, a walking tour guide in downtown Frederick, MD places their tour group literally in front of the history they are teaching them. Similarly, a museum education intern reads the students a book like the Ox Cart Man then places them in a market that will teach them too how to trade and barter. Although, a museum educator does not get to be in the classroom with the students, like a general education teacher, they teach students meaningful lessons that they often remember. Lauren Allen
...ad. They change opinions and perspectives and cause people to think in ways they normally would not just because of the sheer power of the exhibits around them. They are a necessity in society because it betters and cultures the population, making the world greater as a whole. I am thankful that museums are taking the initiative to becoming more modernized, adding twenty first century touches to the exhibits as well as creating virtual tours. Even though they do not compare to being there in person, it is a step in the right direction. We need museums more than most know, anything they can do to ensure they do not become a thing of the past, they should. I am glad I got to experience this class this semester, it changed my warped views on museums and caused me to appreciate them more. I am thankful to have learned more about myself through these remarkable museums.
have never been to a city that did not offer the usual museum fare, usually in the form of the “Anytown Art Museum”, or the “Anytown Museum of Natural History”. While these types of museums house some incredible artifacts, and I do visit them often, I also like to seek out museums of a more unusual sort.
New museology is the modernisation of museums. New museums are made to be more interactive and more interesting for the visitors. Displays in the museums are no longer covered in glass and people are encouraged to look more closely and interact with displays. The museums are brighter are the displays...
In recent years, different types of exhibitions have been increasing and are more widely accessible by the public. The purpose of exhibitions is to present objects to the public, showcasing as much information of the objects as possible. For exhi...
Art can be seen in every culture and country around the world in many different forms and styles. The only way to be able to see and experience different types and styles of art is to travel around the world and see it at museums. Unless a local museum features different artwork from around the world; there is a rare chance that a person may be able to appreciate different types of artwork from around the world. However, today’s technology has given more people a chance to appreciate art from around the world through virtual museums online.