I have reached the end of my project. However, I do not know if I will completely remove myself from this topic. There is still so much more that I would like to discuss. If I had a larger readership or at least 3, then I’d like the input and insights of them. What they got from my project. Or what museums were their favorite or which ones moved them and how.
In my first podcast, I interviewed Emily. We both visited the same museum, the Anne Frank House, and were both incredibly moved by it, but for different reasons. Multimedia is truly different experience for everyone. For me, the different sounds and visuals are what moved me. For Emily it was the space and atmosphere. Everybody has a different style of learning and experiencing things. An article from the Education journal titled “The Brain: Utilizing Multi-Sensory Approaches for Individual Learning Styles” recognizes people’s different way of processing information.
Whether or not a museum chooses to use an iPod for an audio tour or if it decides the surrounding environment is a better medium for enhancing the museum’s experience, the museum is still a great place for a multimedia experience.
I hope my viewers enjoyed this endeavor of mine. It was a process of learning and discovering new ideas.
Until next time- whenever that may be,
Son
"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely." By Auguste Rodin
Monday, March 12, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Podcast 2 at the Jordan
As I mentioned before, I am doing my own unauthorized podcast of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum here in Eugene, Oregon. Well, as my second podcast I’d thought there would be much improvement. However, I’m afraid that my voice alone might you. I don’t think I’ve got that “Museum Voice.” I know preached about the importance of “Voice” in my earlier entries. And that is how I can safely say, I am not IT. The only thing I’ve got going for me is my age and even that is deceitful in my podcast.
But, to listen to it click here.
Anyways, instead of telling you what is in my podcast, I thought I’d tell you about the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. The “Jordan” as I am affectionately calling it, is technically the local museum.
In his book, Priceless Heritage, author Ian Finlay states, “the words ‘local museum’ have an almost apologetic ring about them. They conjure up memories of neglected little buildings, of venture born perhaps of the nineteenth-century passion for improvement, the initial momentum and the contents of which have been deteriorating ever since.”
However, the Jordan (doesn’t it have such a hip, but yet sophisticated sound to it?) is nothing like that of Finlay’s “local museum.” According to a Register Guard article, “The museum reopened two years ago after a $14 million renovation.” Need I say more? After a $14 million dollar face job anything is more than just a “local museum.”
The Jordan is one of only 81 university art museums nationwide accredited by the American Association of Museums. And it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. So, don't overlook a place just because it's from your hometown or because you don't read about it everyday in the New York Times.
Give 'um a chance.
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” By Robert Frost
But, to listen to it click here.
Anyways, instead of telling you what is in my podcast, I thought I’d tell you about the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. The “Jordan” as I am affectionately calling it, is technically the local museum.
In his book, Priceless Heritage, author Ian Finlay states, “the words ‘local museum’ have an almost apologetic ring about them. They conjure up memories of neglected little buildings, of venture born perhaps of the nineteenth-century passion for improvement, the initial momentum and the contents of which have been deteriorating ever since.”
However, the Jordan (doesn’t it have such a hip, but yet sophisticated sound to it?) is nothing like that of Finlay’s “local museum.” According to a Register Guard article, “The museum reopened two years ago after a $14 million renovation.” Need I say more? After a $14 million dollar face job anything is more than just a “local museum.”
The Jordan is one of only 81 university art museums nationwide accredited by the American Association of Museums. And it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. So, don't overlook a place just because it's from your hometown or because you don't read about it everyday in the New York Times.
Give 'um a chance.
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” By Robert Frost
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The Matter of Museums
In my last entry, I tried to touch on the importance of museums and art. I wanted to discuss “Do museums really matter? Can and do museums make a difference?” However, I feel that I didn’t do museums justice. I somehow, neglected them, and concentrated more on art that museums house and not on the museums themselves.
So, to make up for my shortcomings last time, I did more research. And it turns out that I am not the only one concerned with the importance and role of museums.
I searched high and low for the correct answers to these questions. However, like most questions of discussion like this one, there is not a clear answer. Everything seems debatable.
I’m sure if I searched for evidence to support the claim that “Humans need air to breathe”, I’d find articles that rebutted it.
Anyways, in his book, Making Museums Matter, author, Stephen Weil, doesn’t address this issue head-on either. Rather he makes the assumption that museums matter. But he then asks his own questions, “If museums do matter, if they can make a difference, to whom do they matter, and what are the differences that they might make? Who determines, and when, and how, whether they are, in fact, making those differences?”
Well, here is what I’ve got to say about his questions.
1. Museums matter to those who care.
2. Museums make a difference in experience, knowledge, and environment.
3. Everybody that is part of a culture determines a museum’s worth.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I’m sure one of you readers has something to say about my assertions- it’s just the way we are. REBUT and REFUTE!
“Museums are just a lot of lies, and the people who make art their business are mostly imposters. We have infected the pictures in museums with all our stupidities, all our mistakes, all our poverty of spirit. We have turned them into petty and ridiculous things.” By Pablo Picasso
So, to make up for my shortcomings last time, I did more research. And it turns out that I am not the only one concerned with the importance and role of museums.
I searched high and low for the correct answers to these questions. However, like most questions of discussion like this one, there is not a clear answer. Everything seems debatable.
I’m sure if I searched for evidence to support the claim that “Humans need air to breathe”, I’d find articles that rebutted it.
Anyways, in his book, Making Museums Matter, author, Stephen Weil, doesn’t address this issue head-on either. Rather he makes the assumption that museums matter. But he then asks his own questions, “If museums do matter, if they can make a difference, to whom do they matter, and what are the differences that they might make? Who determines, and when, and how, whether they are, in fact, making those differences?”
Well, here is what I’ve got to say about his questions.
1. Museums matter to those who care.
2. Museums make a difference in experience, knowledge, and environment.
3. Everybody that is part of a culture determines a museum’s worth.
Anyways, that’s all for now. I’m sure one of you readers has something to say about my assertions- it’s just the way we are. REBUT and REFUTE!
“Museums are just a lot of lies, and the people who make art their business are mostly imposters. We have infected the pictures in museums with all our stupidities, all our mistakes, all our poverty of spirit. We have turned them into petty and ridiculous things.” By Pablo Picasso
Friday, March 9, 2007
Art and Museums- Why Care?
Dear Readers,
Yes, it’s still just my little cousin and my boyfriend. But as this project is nearing its end, I’ve realized that I may have not addressed why the topic of museums even matters to us.
Why bother with art and the museums?
In her essay, “The Museums’ Future”, Juliet Styen states, “art has been ceded variously to culture, commerce, politics, values and to experience.” It is representative of us; our culture and our past and present. However, she also states, “museums are inevitably contradictory—as are the concerns of art exhibitions that are always ambiguous. On the one hand, they connote our need for conservation, inventories, and for history: on the other, our desire for novelty and the affirmation of our new experience of art.” Museums provide us with an education, an experience and hopefully a chance to react.
As Styen expresses, museums are products of conglomeration and dichotomies. No matter to what extent or how vastly, as culture changes, so does art. Take Pop Art for example. It stemmed from the aspects of popular culture that had a powerful impact on contemporary life. And according to the Encyclopedia Britannica “It was also iconoclastic, rejecting both the supremacy of the ‘high art’ of the past and the pretensions of other contemporary avant-garde art. Pop art became a cultural event because of its close reflection of a particular social situation and because its easily comprehensible images were immediately exploited by the mass media.” This exemplifies how art and the museums that store this art become important to us. It includes, culture, social commentary, and the media.
‘Til next time,
Son
“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” By Andy Warhol
Yes, it’s still just my little cousin and my boyfriend. But as this project is nearing its end, I’ve realized that I may have not addressed why the topic of museums even matters to us.
Why bother with art and the museums?
In her essay, “The Museums’ Future”, Juliet Styen states, “art has been ceded variously to culture, commerce, politics, values and to experience.” It is representative of us; our culture and our past and present. However, she also states, “museums are inevitably contradictory—as are the concerns of art exhibitions that are always ambiguous. On the one hand, they connote our need for conservation, inventories, and for history: on the other, our desire for novelty and the affirmation of our new experience of art.” Museums provide us with an education, an experience and hopefully a chance to react.
As Styen expresses, museums are products of conglomeration and dichotomies. No matter to what extent or how vastly, as culture changes, so does art. Take Pop Art for example. It stemmed from the aspects of popular culture that had a powerful impact on contemporary life. And according to the Encyclopedia Britannica “It was also iconoclastic, rejecting both the supremacy of the ‘high art’ of the past and the pretensions of other contemporary avant-garde art. Pop art became a cultural event because of its close reflection of a particular social situation and because its easily comprehensible images were immediately exploited by the mass media.” This exemplifies how art and the museums that store this art become important to us. It includes, culture, social commentary, and the media.
‘Til next time,
Son
“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” By Andy Warhol
Thursday, March 8, 2007
A Podcast 2- The Interpretation
In my last entry, I introduced to you my first podcast.
If you missed it, click here.
In it, I interviewed my own friends that are frequent museum visitors. They have been to many museums all over the world and appreciate them in different ways and for many different reasons.
Douglas Miriello grew up less than an hour away from New York City and his grandmother, Marilyn Bodek, is an artist. He was able to frequent the museums that I still hope to visit and that I have mentioned before; the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
My other interviewee, Emily, is a different story. She grew up in a smaller town and not nearly as close to the large city and its museums as Douglas did. However, she soaked up the museum scene on a trip to Europe.
Through the interview session we came to a realization: Not all museum experiences are enhanced with the use of technology. Or rather, the experience (with or without the use of technology) is determined by the viewer. Interpretation is what it’s about.
In the podcast Emily describes her trips to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the Rodin Museum in France. At these intimate locations she felt that the space and its surroundings were what made the visit unforgettable. While he found them informative, Douglas felt that the tours somehow restricted his own interpretation of the work.
So, folks, I’m sorry. I don’t have a clear answer for you. Whether technology and multimedia actually enhance a tour or detract from it, is only in the eye of the beholder (I couldn't help myself).
"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art." By Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you missed it, click here.
In it, I interviewed my own friends that are frequent museum visitors. They have been to many museums all over the world and appreciate them in different ways and for many different reasons.
Douglas Miriello grew up less than an hour away from New York City and his grandmother, Marilyn Bodek, is an artist. He was able to frequent the museums that I still hope to visit and that I have mentioned before; the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
My other interviewee, Emily, is a different story. She grew up in a smaller town and not nearly as close to the large city and its museums as Douglas did. However, she soaked up the museum scene on a trip to Europe.
Through the interview session we came to a realization: Not all museum experiences are enhanced with the use of technology. Or rather, the experience (with or without the use of technology) is determined by the viewer. Interpretation is what it’s about.
In the podcast Emily describes her trips to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the Rodin Museum in France. At these intimate locations she felt that the space and its surroundings were what made the visit unforgettable. While he found them informative, Douglas felt that the tours somehow restricted his own interpretation of the work.
So, folks, I’m sorry. I don’t have a clear answer for you. Whether technology and multimedia actually enhance a tour or detract from it, is only in the eye of the beholder (I couldn't help myself).
"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art." By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A Podcast- The Technicals
Dear Readers,
First, listen to my podcast here!
In this entry, I am going to delight you with a podcast. It is my very first one, so I apologize for any mistakes I make or any rough spots you may stumble upon. This was done without a fancy microphone or much editing. However, I wanted to demonstrate the wide spectrum of podcasts, especially those concerning museums that are out there. Podcasts like my own and that of the Pez Museum are done without professional help. On the flip side there are institutions, such as, the Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian, China or even the Vatican that hire audio-tour professionals, such as, Antenna Audio.
According to Forbes writer, Missy Sullivan, in 1987 Antenna Audio, “the unknown Sausalito, Calif. Company, was trying to crack the audio-tour market for museums, historic sites and cultural attractions.” They were “up against Manhattan-based Acoustiguide, which had a virtual monopoly in the business since the late 1950s.”Acoustiguide is still in the running, according to its website, it’s client list still includes many world-wide attractions.
The point of this is, podcasts and audio tours will always differ. Professionals like Acoustiguide and Antenna Audio offer services that out-of-home podcasts couldn’t. One important advantage is the language capabilities. I can barely create a solid one in English, let alone one in French or Mandarin. These guys have people all over the world and from all over the world. Therefore, they can create an audio tour in twenty different languages. However, with such professionals something could be lost too. Through at-home ones like my own, I may be able to connect better with my listeners or convey an emotion better with my voice.
Well, this was part 1 of my podcast entry. In the next one, I will be discussing the actual content of the podcasts and not just the boring facts and figures.
“Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.” By Roger Ebert
First, listen to my podcast here!
In this entry, I am going to delight you with a podcast. It is my very first one, so I apologize for any mistakes I make or any rough spots you may stumble upon. This was done without a fancy microphone or much editing. However, I wanted to demonstrate the wide spectrum of podcasts, especially those concerning museums that are out there. Podcasts like my own and that of the Pez Museum are done without professional help. On the flip side there are institutions, such as, the Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian, China or even the Vatican that hire audio-tour professionals, such as, Antenna Audio.
According to Forbes writer, Missy Sullivan, in 1987 Antenna Audio, “the unknown Sausalito, Calif. Company, was trying to crack the audio-tour market for museums, historic sites and cultural attractions.” They were “up against Manhattan-based Acoustiguide, which had a virtual monopoly in the business since the late 1950s.”Acoustiguide is still in the running, according to its website, it’s client list still includes many world-wide attractions.
The point of this is, podcasts and audio tours will always differ. Professionals like Acoustiguide and Antenna Audio offer services that out-of-home podcasts couldn’t. One important advantage is the language capabilities. I can barely create a solid one in English, let alone one in French or Mandarin. These guys have people all over the world and from all over the world. Therefore, they can create an audio tour in twenty different languages. However, with such professionals something could be lost too. Through at-home ones like my own, I may be able to connect better with my listeners or convey an emotion better with my voice.
Well, this was part 1 of my podcast entry. In the next one, I will be discussing the actual content of the podcasts and not just the boring facts and figures.
“Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you.” By Roger Ebert
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Our Living History
In my last entry, I introduced you to living museums. They encourage the preservation of objects of the present and past- for the future. It’s encouraging to think that artists don’t have to die before they are recognized or that buildings don’t have to be destroyed before their worth is acknowledged.
When I was seven, I lived in an ugly little house that I was more than excited to move out of. A few years ago, I drove by it just to find out that it had been demolished (Yes, that is how awful it was) and some office building stood in its place. To my surprise, I was sad. Any memory that I had made there was now entirely part of the past. There would be no way to trace back and show the physical location of where I first climbed a tree or where I first grew a sunflower.
My point is that I recognize the importance of living museums and of preserving the marvels around us. Andrew Reeves states, “Museums are redefining their role with active input from the community at large. As such, they become reflections of diversity, and often, places of cultural reconciliation.” They are beginning “to deal with living communities rather than contained collections, to address issues of future partnerships as opposed to past orthodoxies.”
What would you choose as your living history?
“We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world- or to make it the last.” By JFK
When I was seven, I lived in an ugly little house that I was more than excited to move out of. A few years ago, I drove by it just to find out that it had been demolished (Yes, that is how awful it was) and some office building stood in its place. To my surprise, I was sad. Any memory that I had made there was now entirely part of the past. There would be no way to trace back and show the physical location of where I first climbed a tree or where I first grew a sunflower.
My point is that I recognize the importance of living museums and of preserving the marvels around us. Andrew Reeves states, “Museums are redefining their role with active input from the community at large. As such, they become reflections of diversity, and often, places of cultural reconciliation.” They are beginning “to deal with living communities rather than contained collections, to address issues of future partnerships as opposed to past orthodoxies.”
What would you choose as your living history?
“We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world- or to make it the last.” By JFK
Monday, March 5, 2007
"Museums"- a New Definition
As I have embarked on this mission of creating a more than entertaining blog for my readers, I have come to realize my narrow definition of a “museum.”
The Encyclopedia Britanica defines a “museum” as, an “institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the primary tangible evidence of humankind and the environment.” Therefore, a museum does not need to meet the traditional requirements that we set for them. They do not need to be set in fancy buildings, they don’t have to require people to pay an admissions fee, and they don’t need to house famous artwork from all over the world.
In my research I came a across a very interesting project in California. “Curating the City” is something of a live museum. According to its website, it “is a new educational program from the Los Angeles Conservancy that treats the city as a living museum, offering a fresh look at L.A.’s architectural and cultural heritage.” Through their project they communicate the importance of preservation- of architecture and diverse cultural heritage. Joseph Heathcott claims, “preservation is not merely an objective technique for fixing urban historical narratives and meanings in place; it is a major feature of urban history in its own right.”
What does this have to do with technology and multimedia?
It’s funny you ask. Besides “Curating the City”, being an incredible city development project, the website they created is amazing. They have a feature called, Explore the BLVD, and it is a virtual tour of the boulevard. You click on the map and information relating to the location and building opens up. From there, you can explore more and view more pictures of the building’s current condition and past condition.
Go visit their website. It is truly a great example of how multimedia enables viewers to experience something great without having to have ever been there.
“In Washington, the first thing people tell you is what their job is. In Los Angeles you learn their star sign. In Houston you're told how rich they are. And in New York they tell you what their rent is.” By Simon Hoggart
The Encyclopedia Britanica defines a “museum” as, an “institution dedicated to preserving and interpreting the primary tangible evidence of humankind and the environment.” Therefore, a museum does not need to meet the traditional requirements that we set for them. They do not need to be set in fancy buildings, they don’t have to require people to pay an admissions fee, and they don’t need to house famous artwork from all over the world.
In my research I came a across a very interesting project in California. “Curating the City” is something of a live museum. According to its website, it “is a new educational program from the Los Angeles Conservancy that treats the city as a living museum, offering a fresh look at L.A.’s architectural and cultural heritage.” Through their project they communicate the importance of preservation- of architecture and diverse cultural heritage. Joseph Heathcott claims, “preservation is not merely an objective technique for fixing urban historical narratives and meanings in place; it is a major feature of urban history in its own right.”
What does this have to do with technology and multimedia?
It’s funny you ask. Besides “Curating the City”, being an incredible city development project, the website they created is amazing. They have a feature called, Explore the BLVD, and it is a virtual tour of the boulevard. You click on the map and information relating to the location and building opens up. From there, you can explore more and view more pictures of the building’s current condition and past condition.
Go visit their website. It is truly a great example of how multimedia enables viewers to experience something great without having to have ever been there.
“In Washington, the first thing people tell you is what their job is. In Los Angeles you learn their star sign. In Houston you're told how rich they are. And in New York they tell you what their rent is.” By Simon Hoggart
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Get This To Work. Please.
I’m back in England. At the Harewood House in North Yorkshire. I’m no longer alone, but with my mom. That also means that I am no longer early, let alone on time for anything! And going to a museum takes, on average, three times as long.
The Harewood House, is home to the Queen of England’s cousin, the Earl of Harewood. It’s houses a collection of art and photography of the family’s and provides an intimate and little bit more inviting of an atmosphere for its visitors.
Anyway, in the beginning, I had high hopes for this audio tour. I expected it to cut down on the time my mom spent in front of each piece of art, reading every single bit of information that she could absorb. However, my hopes were crushed when not only did she decide to listen to the audio tour, she also invested in the tour book (not brochure), and bought additional little booklets for individual art works.
It does not end at that. Oh, no. My mom and all of our parents alike, come from a time when technology was much different than it is today. In her 1968 article, “Museums Today”, Sidney Galler addresses the roles that museums play in society, and how important science and technology is to museums. She quotes, “computers aid museums.” However, at this point, some believed they were “reaching a point in their development much like that which confronted certain dinosaurs about 200 million years ago. Their size and bulk are such that most the incoming energy (dollars) is consumer by the process of maintaining the bulk (computers).”
I mention this because, the technology used in museums today is newer technology. Our parents did not grow up with PCs or tiny devices that hold 5,000 songs. Therefore, when they venture out and opt to use the audio / visual tours it takes time to learn and become acquainted with the tool.
The Harewood House did not prove to be a quick tour for my mom and myself. There she was, three rooms behind me. She was juggling six books, and demanding that I help her with this “stupid audio thing.”
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” By Albert Einstein
The Harewood House, is home to the Queen of England’s cousin, the Earl of Harewood. It’s houses a collection of art and photography of the family’s and provides an intimate and little bit more inviting of an atmosphere for its visitors.
Anyway, in the beginning, I had high hopes for this audio tour. I expected it to cut down on the time my mom spent in front of each piece of art, reading every single bit of information that she could absorb. However, my hopes were crushed when not only did she decide to listen to the audio tour, she also invested in the tour book (not brochure), and bought additional little booklets for individual art works.
It does not end at that. Oh, no. My mom and all of our parents alike, come from a time when technology was much different than it is today. In her 1968 article, “Museums Today”, Sidney Galler addresses the roles that museums play in society, and how important science and technology is to museums. She quotes, “computers aid museums.” However, at this point, some believed they were “reaching a point in their development much like that which confronted certain dinosaurs about 200 million years ago. Their size and bulk are such that most the incoming energy (dollars) is consumer by the process of maintaining the bulk (computers).”
I mention this because, the technology used in museums today is newer technology. Our parents did not grow up with PCs or tiny devices that hold 5,000 songs. Therefore, when they venture out and opt to use the audio / visual tours it takes time to learn and become acquainted with the tool.
The Harewood House did not prove to be a quick tour for my mom and myself. There she was, three rooms behind me. She was juggling six books, and demanding that I help her with this “stupid audio thing.”
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” By Albert Einstein
Friday, March 2, 2007
Do You Speak English?
For this entry, we will remain in Amsterdam. But we will switch modes.
While I may have been in tears at the Anne Frank House, I was an ignorant one at Rijksmuseum. Maybe it’s my everyday life to blame, or maybe it’s a state of mind, but sometimes I forget that not everybody speaks English. And even fewer people speak Korean. So, when I was asked what language I needed for the audio tour, I had an embarrassing moment of hesitation while trying to answer.
But, here is my point. According to the Ethnologue: Languages of the World, there are over 7,000 languages spoken in the world. While it is impossible for a museum to translate everything in every language, technology enables them to communicate with an even greater number of people. So, somebody like myself can go to a museum (all alone) in Amsterdam and still be able to listen and learn. Lucky for us, English is one of the main languages that museums use.
At the Rijksmuseum the audio tours were available in Dutch, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin and Japanese. At the Anne Frank House, they had a listening and viewing room with about 30 phones that enabled the visitor to listen to audio commentary in several different languages through the receiver.
It’s a shame that I sometimes fail to realize how diverse the world can be. But it sure is refreshing when I am slapped in the face, and faced with the fact that luckily we do live in a world where not everybody speaks the same language.
“We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.” By Oscar Wilde
While I may have been in tears at the Anne Frank House, I was an ignorant one at Rijksmuseum. Maybe it’s my everyday life to blame, or maybe it’s a state of mind, but sometimes I forget that not everybody speaks English. And even fewer people speak Korean. So, when I was asked what language I needed for the audio tour, I had an embarrassing moment of hesitation while trying to answer.
But, here is my point. According to the Ethnologue: Languages of the World, there are over 7,000 languages spoken in the world. While it is impossible for a museum to translate everything in every language, technology enables them to communicate with an even greater number of people. So, somebody like myself can go to a museum (all alone) in Amsterdam and still be able to listen and learn. Lucky for us, English is one of the main languages that museums use.
At the Rijksmuseum the audio tours were available in Dutch, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin and Japanese. At the Anne Frank House, they had a listening and viewing room with about 30 phones that enabled the visitor to listen to audio commentary in several different languages through the receiver.
It’s a shame that I sometimes fail to realize how diverse the world can be. But it sure is refreshing when I am slapped in the face, and faced with the fact that luckily we do live in a world where not everybody speaks the same language.
“We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.” By Oscar Wilde
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Soul Searching in Amsterdam
I know you all are dying to learn more about museums and the technology they use, but I think I’ve dragged it on too long- at least for now. For the next couple of entries, I will be talking about my own experiences with museums and how the technologies they’ve used have kept me interested.
This past summer, I did some “soul searching” for four days. I was visiting my mom in northern England with not much to do except for cleaning out her refrigerator. I eventually grew restless. So, I found the cheapest ticket to a nearby tourist location. I “ended up” (trust me, that is not a complaint) going to Amsterdam- all alone.
Now let me tell you, traveling alone to a foreign country is everything you imagined and then some. I was the biggest loser. I was out of bed and on my way by about 8:oo am every morning. Needless to say, I was finished most days by 3:30 or 4:00. I was the first one in line at the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum. Well, that is a tiny bit of an exaggeration. I wasn’t the first, but I was there in line before they opened, waiting anxiously with my fellow museum dweebs.
Of the three museums; the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum, I was captivated the most by the Anne Frank House. Unlike the other two, it did not offer PDA tours; instead it used technology in a different way. Documentary style footage was on view in rooms, readings from her diary were being played throughout and at the very end, virtual tour stations were set up for the visitors to discover more about Anne and the Frank family.
Maybe it is the extremely emotional side of me, but I was nearly in tears by the end of the visit. There were too many audio and visual elements that evoked emotion. Without them, I doubt it would have been the same experience. It was then when I realized how much we all depend on our senses to appreciate or to react. And this is another example of how technology can be used in museums to enhance the experience.
Folks, this was a long one. I apologize.
“Oh, I am so glad I brought you along.” By Anne Frank
This past summer, I did some “soul searching” for four days. I was visiting my mom in northern England with not much to do except for cleaning out her refrigerator. I eventually grew restless. So, I found the cheapest ticket to a nearby tourist location. I “ended up” (trust me, that is not a complaint) going to Amsterdam- all alone.
Now let me tell you, traveling alone to a foreign country is everything you imagined and then some. I was the biggest loser. I was out of bed and on my way by about 8:oo am every morning. Needless to say, I was finished most days by 3:30 or 4:00. I was the first one in line at the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum. Well, that is a tiny bit of an exaggeration. I wasn’t the first, but I was there in line before they opened, waiting anxiously with my fellow museum dweebs.
Of the three museums; the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum, I was captivated the most by the Anne Frank House. Unlike the other two, it did not offer PDA tours; instead it used technology in a different way. Documentary style footage was on view in rooms, readings from her diary were being played throughout and at the very end, virtual tour stations were set up for the visitors to discover more about Anne and the Frank family.
Maybe it is the extremely emotional side of me, but I was nearly in tears by the end of the visit. There were too many audio and visual elements that evoked emotion. Without them, I doubt it would have been the same experience. It was then when I realized how much we all depend on our senses to appreciate or to react. And this is another example of how technology can be used in museums to enhance the experience.
Folks, this was a long one. I apologize.
“Oh, I am so glad I brought you along.” By Anne Frank
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Museum Technology- Right in Your Backyard
Dear Bloggers,
FYI: I’m starting something new today. In every entry, I am going to include a quote about art. Or a quote by an artist. Let’s just say, I’m looking for a little inspiration.
With the exception of the Pez Museum, all the previously mentioned museums are big name and well-known museums in big cities. However, readers beware that museums with this kind of technology are not far from reach.
For the University of Oregon students in Eugene, Oregon, it is right there on campus- at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. The university’s paper, the Oregon Daily Emerald, reports “dozens of art exhibits are now more than a visual experience. Thanks to a year-long project - and a lot of work by a University student - visitors at the museum can experience art through their ears. On Feb. 14, the museum began offering its visitors audio podcasts called ‘I-Tours’ that explain background information on many of the art pieces, the architecture of the building or exhibits as a whole.”
To listen to a podcast from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum, click here.
In an upcoming entry (I am not exactly sure when), I will delight you with my very own unauthorized tour of an exhibit at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. So, I hope you will listen to this one and the one that I will be posting.
Anyways, the point of my entry today is not to be afraid of museums. And not to view them just as places you visit as a tourist. Explore the museums that are near you. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Well, that’s it for now.
-Son
“I do not seek. I find.” By Pablo Picasso
FYI: I’m starting something new today. In every entry, I am going to include a quote about art. Or a quote by an artist. Let’s just say, I’m looking for a little inspiration.
With the exception of the Pez Museum, all the previously mentioned museums are big name and well-known museums in big cities. However, readers beware that museums with this kind of technology are not far from reach.
For the University of Oregon students in Eugene, Oregon, it is right there on campus- at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. The university’s paper, the Oregon Daily Emerald, reports “dozens of art exhibits are now more than a visual experience. Thanks to a year-long project - and a lot of work by a University student - visitors at the museum can experience art through their ears. On Feb. 14, the museum began offering its visitors audio podcasts called ‘I-Tours’ that explain background information on many of the art pieces, the architecture of the building or exhibits as a whole.”
To listen to a podcast from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum, click here.
In an upcoming entry (I am not exactly sure when), I will delight you with my very own unauthorized tour of an exhibit at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. So, I hope you will listen to this one and the one that I will be posting.
Anyways, the point of my entry today is not to be afraid of museums. And not to view them just as places you visit as a tourist. Explore the museums that are near you. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Well, that’s it for now.
-Son
“I do not seek. I find.” By Pablo Picasso
Monday, February 26, 2007
Who am I Speaking With?
Some of my readers, and by that I mean my boyfriend and my eleven-year-old cousin, have expressed some confusion over my use of the term “Voice.” Much like the creation of a television show, the creator of a podcast must choose a voice.
Now what do I mean by voice?
In this case, the actual voice used determines the seriousness of the exhibit as well as the audience that exhibit is attempting to attract. If a museum is looking for a younger, hipper crowd, then the voice in the podcast may include hints of sarcasm, humor, some more recent music, and often times, some visual effects.
This is clearly seen in Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe’s podcast of The Last Supper.
Click here to watch!
In his podcast, Mr. Witcombe is informative, interactive, and fun to watch. His voice targets the younger generation. This generation, accustomed to technology of all sorts, needs more than just narration. They need effects, quick wit, and humorous commentary. In many ways, in these podcasts, the information given about the piece being discussed is almost secondary.
On the other end of the podcast spectrum, we have something like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
This voice is clearly targeting the more mature and probably savvy museum audience. The narrator speaks with a professorial voice. He is not reliant on anything other than the information he can provide about the exhibit being discussed. Most likely this voice would not be as effective with Mr. Witcombe’s audience.
Interested? Click here to listen.
I hope that this has cleared up some of the confusion surrounding the role of the “voice” in podcasts.
Now what do I mean by voice?
In this case, the actual voice used determines the seriousness of the exhibit as well as the audience that exhibit is attempting to attract. If a museum is looking for a younger, hipper crowd, then the voice in the podcast may include hints of sarcasm, humor, some more recent music, and often times, some visual effects.
This is clearly seen in Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe’s podcast of The Last Supper.
Click here to watch!
In his podcast, Mr. Witcombe is informative, interactive, and fun to watch. His voice targets the younger generation. This generation, accustomed to technology of all sorts, needs more than just narration. They need effects, quick wit, and humorous commentary. In many ways, in these podcasts, the information given about the piece being discussed is almost secondary.
On the other end of the podcast spectrum, we have something like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
This voice is clearly targeting the more mature and probably savvy museum audience. The narrator speaks with a professorial voice. He is not reliant on anything other than the information he can provide about the exhibit being discussed. Most likely this voice would not be as effective with Mr. Witcombe’s audience.
Interested? Click here to listen.
I hope that this has cleared up some of the confusion surrounding the role of the “voice” in podcasts.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
A Challenge for the Museums
Museums understand or should understand the potential threat that the previously mentioned unauthorized podcasts carry. They can threaten the image of the museum or turn potential visitors away from the museum.
That is why museums like SFMOMA and other bigwig museums are paying much detail to what image they are creating through their podcasts. People of all ages are experiencing and taking advantage of these new technological opportunities. However, keeping image in mind, the above-mentioned museums are targeting a younger audience through their podcasts.
According to a Denver Post article written by Steven Rosen and published on July 4, 2006 “more than 20 million Americans 18 and older have Apple iPods or other digital music players. And because the iPod revolution has been youth-driven, the challenge for museums is to make podcasts less didactic and one-dimensional than traditional on-site audio tours.”
Understanding these statistics, the SFMOMA’s Peter Samis (associate curator of interpretation) chose to not use formal voice-over professional- it sounded “too professional.” Instead, another more informal voice was chosen. However, Samis says, “It’s still a little bit more than what we want. We’re not looking for Mr. Museum Voice. Not Charlton Heston.”
For those of you like me who don’t know who Charlton Heston is, click!
Anyways, back to “The Voice.”
Click here to listen to this month's SFMOMA artcast.
This goes to show that it’s always important to keep in mind who your audience is. In my next entry I will talk about another case of “The Voice.” This one however, puts statistics aside and sticks to tradition. Which one is better? Well, you can be the judge of that.
That is why museums like SFMOMA and other bigwig museums are paying much detail to what image they are creating through their podcasts. People of all ages are experiencing and taking advantage of these new technological opportunities. However, keeping image in mind, the above-mentioned museums are targeting a younger audience through their podcasts.
According to a Denver Post article written by Steven Rosen and published on July 4, 2006 “more than 20 million Americans 18 and older have Apple iPods or other digital music players. And because the iPod revolution has been youth-driven, the challenge for museums is to make podcasts less didactic and one-dimensional than traditional on-site audio tours.”
Understanding these statistics, the SFMOMA’s Peter Samis (associate curator of interpretation) chose to not use formal voice-over professional- it sounded “too professional.” Instead, another more informal voice was chosen. However, Samis says, “It’s still a little bit more than what we want. We’re not looking for Mr. Museum Voice. Not Charlton Heston.”
For those of you like me who don’t know who Charlton Heston is, click!
Anyways, back to “The Voice.”
Click here to listen to this month's SFMOMA artcast.
This goes to show that it’s always important to keep in mind who your audience is. In my next entry I will talk about another case of “The Voice.” This one however, puts statistics aside and sticks to tradition. Which one is better? Well, you can be the judge of that.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Unauthorized Podcasts- The Dirt
Dear Readers,
I know I left you high and dry after my last entry. So dry, that according to some of my readers, it made it hard to breathe. Moving on, the topic for today is unofficial or unauthorized podcasts for museums.
These unauthorized podcasts are very useful for the lay museum goer. They provide a basic, honest, and often humorous interpretation of the art being viewed. It is not unusual to hear a reviewer say something like, “I didn’t like the modernist art section because I felt that the whole dot-on-the-canvas thing was stupid.” For those just looking for a nice day at the museum, these podcats are quite helpful. This is not to say that the authors of such podcasts are uninformed. To say this would be an unfair statement.
The online magazine Slate has started its own unauthorized podcasts. “If you happen to be in New York (or plan to be soon), you can start right now with Slate art critic Lee Siegel's tour of what he considers the most overrated and underrated paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Modern Art Gallery.”
Click here to listen to one of Slate's unauthorized podcasts.
What makes podcats like Slate so useful, is that they have the ability to provide information that museums wouldn’t be caught dead sharing with you. Things like unflattering critiques on the “overratedness” of certain artists and their “incredible” works. Because these podcasts are not part of an official museum, they are able to act almost as a gossip column would. The readers are given the true, unadulterated info about each of the artists and/or their art.
I know I left you high and dry after my last entry. So dry, that according to some of my readers, it made it hard to breathe. Moving on, the topic for today is unofficial or unauthorized podcasts for museums.
These unauthorized podcasts are very useful for the lay museum goer. They provide a basic, honest, and often humorous interpretation of the art being viewed. It is not unusual to hear a reviewer say something like, “I didn’t like the modernist art section because I felt that the whole dot-on-the-canvas thing was stupid.” For those just looking for a nice day at the museum, these podcats are quite helpful. This is not to say that the authors of such podcasts are uninformed. To say this would be an unfair statement.
The online magazine Slate has started its own unauthorized podcasts. “If you happen to be in New York (or plan to be soon), you can start right now with Slate art critic Lee Siegel's tour of what he considers the most overrated and underrated paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Modern Art Gallery.”
Click here to listen to one of Slate's unauthorized podcasts.
What makes podcats like Slate so useful, is that they have the ability to provide information that museums wouldn’t be caught dead sharing with you. Things like unflattering critiques on the “overratedness” of certain artists and their “incredible” works. Because these podcasts are not part of an official museum, they are able to act almost as a gossip column would. The readers are given the true, unadulterated info about each of the artists and/or their art.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Podcasting- Part II
Today’s blog will pick up where I left off last night.
A perfect example of a small budget museum using podcasts to send out their information is the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia. I mentioned this museum in my first blog. Here at the
In case you are inclined to listen to the podcast from the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia here it is for your enjoyment.
In my previous entry I also mentioned San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s “Artcast.” Each month the museum highlights pieces of art and includes the voices of the curators, the artist and/or the visitors.
Here is an episode from this month.
There is one more interesting feature from SFMOMA’s Artcast section. They have something called the “Artcast Invitational.” This is a competition where anyone who is inclined and hopefully talented, enters their own unofficial podcast tour in hopes of being featured in a SFMOMA Artcast episode.
This leads me to my next topic of discussion- unofficial or unauthorized podcasts.
But you are going to have to wait until next time. I know, it’s a cliff hanger.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Podcasting and Artcasting
Today I will introduce to you “artcasting.”
Artcasting is a term coined by Peter Samis, an associate curator of interpretation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. As you might have guessed, artcasting is used for describing podcasts about art! I really don’t understand our obsession with combining words and names for everything these days (Bradgelina and Bennifer), but here it is: artcasting. This is on a side note, but if I were to combine my name with my boyfriend’s it would be, Sonthony or Santhony- take your pick. Anyways, back to museums. Artcasting. Yes, artcasting.
This form of podcasting has an interesting beginning. Previously mentioned Randy Kennedy from the New York Times reports that, “in the spring of 2005, (when) a professor and a group of students at Marymount Manhattan College made waves by creating their own, unauthorized MP3 audio tour for the Museum of Modern Art.” At this point few museums recognized the potential of podcasting, but the power was soon realized. Since then it has taken off.
Podcasting works for a couple of reasons. For now I won’t go in depth. I will save that for a later entry. But for now, podcasting allows people to enjoy and learn about museums and their exhibits without being present. If he/she didn’t make it to the museum or it was all the way in London then the podcast allows he/she to still able to hear about it in detail. Many podcasts not only include the curator, but the artist themselves speaking about their work.
Another great aspect of podcasting is that it can be done on a smaller budget. So, smaller museums that don’t have the same resources as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art can still create their own podcast and have it available to the public.
Well, I must go for now.
But this is to be continued.
Artcasting is a term coined by Peter Samis, an associate curator of interpretation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. As you might have guessed, artcasting is used for describing podcasts about art! I really don’t understand our obsession with combining words and names for everything these days (Bradgelina and Bennifer), but here it is: artcasting. This is on a side note, but if I were to combine my name with my boyfriend’s it would be, Sonthony or Santhony- take your pick. Anyways, back to museums. Artcasting. Yes, artcasting.
This form of podcasting has an interesting beginning. Previously mentioned Randy Kennedy from the New York Times reports that, “in the spring of 2005, (when) a professor and a group of students at Marymount Manhattan College made waves by creating their own, unauthorized MP3 audio tour for the Museum of Modern Art.” At this point few museums recognized the potential of podcasting, but the power was soon realized. Since then it has taken off.
Podcasting works for a couple of reasons. For now I won’t go in depth. I will save that for a later entry. But for now, podcasting allows people to enjoy and learn about museums and their exhibits without being present. If he/she didn’t make it to the museum or it was all the way in London then the podcast allows he/she to still able to hear about it in detail. Many podcasts not only include the curator, but the artist themselves speaking about their work.
Another great aspect of podcasting is that it can be done on a smaller budget. So, smaller museums that don’t have the same resources as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art can still create their own podcast and have it available to the public.
Well, I must go for now.
But this is to be continued.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Navigating Your Way
Dear Bloggers,
Today’s entry serves as a sort of tool to the reader. I will be discussing various websites that will assist you in best finding your ideal museum (location, genre, current collection, etc.). Seeing as the focus of this Blog is to analyze the role that technology plays in the modern day museum, online databases regarding museums seem quite poignant.
If you’re seriously trying to plan a day at the museum, I’d advise doing your research before hand. This can range from calling the museum itself (which requires you to actually speak to someone, not to mention to already know where you’re going) to looking it up online. The latter option allows you to see what exhibits are being shown and when, view the location and travel time that it may take to get there, and peruse anything else that the site may have to offer. A great place to begin your search is USA Museums Database. Here, you can choose the state of your residence, the area you’re interested in visiting, and find a link that sends you directly to a selected museums direct website. It’s a huge time saver and is very easy to navigate.
Why is this necessary? Why cant you just go? Well, you can. Odds are, you’re always going to find something you like. In fact, we’ve all walked into our favorite museums at the right time and seen an outstanding exhibit that we hadn’t anticipated to see. However, this type of “off the street” luck is rare. In fact, in my experience it usually seems to work in the opposite direction. Tell me if this sounds familiar. You plan a day at the museum. You wake up early, in hopes of viewing the great exhibit you’ve heard so much about. Then you get there, and find out that the exhibit you’ve been so anticipating is tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or maybe just plain canceled.
Anyway, I found this to be of great help in my adventures to various museums. Take it or leave it.
See you again tomorrow,
Sonja
Today’s entry serves as a sort of tool to the reader. I will be discussing various websites that will assist you in best finding your ideal museum (location, genre, current collection, etc.). Seeing as the focus of this Blog is to analyze the role that technology plays in the modern day museum, online databases regarding museums seem quite poignant.
If you’re seriously trying to plan a day at the museum, I’d advise doing your research before hand. This can range from calling the museum itself (which requires you to actually speak to someone, not to mention to already know where you’re going) to looking it up online. The latter option allows you to see what exhibits are being shown and when, view the location and travel time that it may take to get there, and peruse anything else that the site may have to offer. A great place to begin your search is USA Museums Database. Here, you can choose the state of your residence, the area you’re interested in visiting, and find a link that sends you directly to a selected museums direct website. It’s a huge time saver and is very easy to navigate.
Why is this necessary? Why cant you just go? Well, you can. Odds are, you’re always going to find something you like. In fact, we’ve all walked into our favorite museums at the right time and seen an outstanding exhibit that we hadn’t anticipated to see. However, this type of “off the street” luck is rare. In fact, in my experience it usually seems to work in the opposite direction. Tell me if this sounds familiar. You plan a day at the museum. You wake up early, in hopes of viewing the great exhibit you’ve heard so much about. Then you get there, and find out that the exhibit you’ve been so anticipating is tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or maybe just plain canceled.
Anyway, I found this to be of great help in my adventures to various museums. Take it or leave it.
See you again tomorrow,
Sonja
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Multimedia & Museums: Its Beginning
As I’ve discussed and you have surely noticed, museum goers are becoming more and more in touch with technology. The finesse in which the 74-year-old grandmother and the college student mentioned in my last blog operate their PDAs may differ. However, no matter the type of crowd these little tiny handheld devices, such as PDAs and MP3 players, are flooding the museum scene. Why wouldn’t they? They enable viewers to learn more and experience more on the spot. But these multimedia experiences in museums did not just begin with the invention of the PDA. Like all things, they have a more humble beginning.
Just as the computers we carry in our backpacks today were originally larger than the average bedroom, multimedia tools in museums also had a less than attractive beginning. In his May 19, 2006 article New York Times writer, Randy Kennedy, reports that “in 1958 the National Gallery of Art in Washington embedded transmitters under its floorboards and handed out radio receivers so the electronically inclined could listen to something called LecTour.” LecTour was a audio guide of the masterpieces in the museum. However, it suffered from poor sound quality. And unless he/she was lucky, the museum goer would have to wait for the lecture to start over to hear it from the beginning.
In 1963 the Metropolitan Museum of Art introduced its version of the technology. The sound quality was improved, but it was heavier. Kennedy states that it was so large and heavy that it was “carried around with a leather shoulder strap.”
Imagine our 74-year-old grandmother who was then 30.
Then, fast forward 40+ years. It’s the same museum and the same masterpiece she's standing in front of. Only, she isn’t carrying the leather strapped radio around her shoulder, but a PDA that fits right in the palm of her hand.
It makes me wonder, how different things will be for us 40+ years from now.
Just as the computers we carry in our backpacks today were originally larger than the average bedroom, multimedia tools in museums also had a less than attractive beginning. In his May 19, 2006 article New York Times writer, Randy Kennedy, reports that “in 1958 the National Gallery of Art in Washington embedded transmitters under its floorboards and handed out radio receivers so the electronically inclined could listen to something called LecTour.” LecTour was a audio guide of the masterpieces in the museum. However, it suffered from poor sound quality. And unless he/she was lucky, the museum goer would have to wait for the lecture to start over to hear it from the beginning.
In 1963 the Metropolitan Museum of Art introduced its version of the technology. The sound quality was improved, but it was heavier. Kennedy states that it was so large and heavy that it was “carried around with a leather shoulder strap.”
Imagine our 74-year-old grandmother who was then 30.
Then, fast forward 40+ years. It’s the same museum and the same masterpiece she's standing in front of. Only, she isn’t carrying the leather strapped radio around her shoulder, but a PDA that fits right in the palm of her hand.
It makes me wonder, how different things will be for us 40+ years from now.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Headsets in hand, the young come to learn
In today’s entry I will challenge the common notion that museums are both entertainment for the elderly as well as ancient relics themselves. When imagining a day at the museum, one might picture a grandmother of 74, taking a leisurely stroll through the MET with a pad of paper in one hand and a canvas-carrying bag in the other.
However true this notion may often be, museums today rarely reflect this image. Upon walking into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, one is amazed by the expansive stone ceilings, the gigantic marble columns, and the presence of a young and bustling college-aged audience. The reasoning behind this is simple. Museums today offer an interactive experience for the viewer. No longer is one required to read the small print to the left of the masterpiece. The viewer is able to stand back, view the picture in its entirety, the way it was meant to be viewed, and simultaneously receive an auditory history of that very masterpiece.
This auditory and often visual convenience allows for people of all ages and different educational backgrounds to receive and enjoy an in depth view of the history behind the art they are observing. In the article, “MoMo: enabling hybrid museums”, J. Jaen discusses the integral function of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in today’s museums. Jaen states that PDAs allow museums the ability to “satisfy both visitors’ desires and the museum’s goal of spreading culture.”
Could this new and easy accessibility to knowledge be responsible for the young and engaged crowd? I’ll let you be the judge.
However true this notion may often be, museums today rarely reflect this image. Upon walking into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, one is amazed by the expansive stone ceilings, the gigantic marble columns, and the presence of a young and bustling college-aged audience. The reasoning behind this is simple. Museums today offer an interactive experience for the viewer. No longer is one required to read the small print to the left of the masterpiece. The viewer is able to stand back, view the picture in its entirety, the way it was meant to be viewed, and simultaneously receive an auditory history of that very masterpiece.
This auditory and often visual convenience allows for people of all ages and different educational backgrounds to receive and enjoy an in depth view of the history behind the art they are observing. In the article, “MoMo: enabling hybrid museums”, J. Jaen discusses the integral function of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in today’s museums. Jaen states that PDAs allow museums the ability to “satisfy both visitors’ desires and the museum’s goal of spreading culture.”
Could this new and easy accessibility to knowledge be responsible for the young and engaged crowd? I’ll let you be the judge.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Getting Started: The Louvre and the Pez Museum
All across the world, there are museums of all sorts. The Louvre in Paris , France Paris Paris
While there’s the Louvre in
However different and far away the Louvre and the
The Louvre and the
This blog, “Today’s Museums” will introduce and focus on multiple museums that use multimedia tools to enhance and/or create the museum experience. These tools can be used by those that are going, hope to go or are just interested in the wide range of museums that the world has to offer.
I hope you enjoy.
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