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Transforming Museums in the Twenty-first Century
Abstract
In his book, Graham Black argues that museums must transform themselves if they are to remain relevant to 21st century audiences – and this root and branch change would be necessary whether or not museums faced a funding crisis. It is the result of the impact of new technologies and the rapid societal developments that we are all a part of, and applies not just to museums but to all arts bodies and to other agents of mass communication.
... Visitors compare these pre-set expectations with their actual experiences (Falk, 2008). Expectations for heritage sites may include information availability, educational value, a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff (Packer & Ballantyne, 2002;Yatim et al., 2022), as well as social interaction, active participation, comfort and engaging challenges (Black, 2012;Falk, 2009;Sheng & Chen, 2012). From an educational standpoint, visitors seek learning opportunities, enjoyable experiences, self-discovery, cultural entertainment, personal connections, historical insights and escapism (Black, 2012;Falk, 2009;Sheng & Chen, 2012). ...
... Expectations for heritage sites may include information availability, educational value, a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff (Packer & Ballantyne, 2002;Yatim et al., 2022), as well as social interaction, active participation, comfort and engaging challenges (Black, 2012;Falk, 2009;Sheng & Chen, 2012). From an educational standpoint, visitors seek learning opportunities, enjoyable experiences, self-discovery, cultural entertainment, personal connections, historical insights and escapism (Black, 2012;Falk, 2009;Sheng & Chen, 2012). These preconceived expectations often align with the motivations for their visit (Su et al., 2020). ...
Museums preserve and present valued historical artifacts, information, and displays to an information-hungry tourism market. As such, they play a crucial role in the tourism industry, serving as pertinent leisure attractions in many destinations. It is therefore important for management to identify the key determinants that lead to tourist satisfaction and to tourists’ intention to return in future. This knowledge could assist management in making the informed strategic decisions for sustaining such attractions. Very little research has been conducted on this aspect in terms of museums in South Africa, leaving numerous unanswered questions about tourists’ experiences, the perceived quality of sites and tourists’ satisfaction with sites, which ultimately impact their intention to return. A quantitative survey was conducted at the Stevenson-Hamilton Knowledge Resource Centre and Museum (Skukuza Museum) in the Kruger National Park, where a total of 164 responses were obtained. Eight hypotheses were formulated and tested by utilizing Spearman’s correlation, investigating visitor expectations, experience, perceived quality, satisfaction, pleasure, confirmation and visitor intent. The results confirm the hypothesis that when tourists’ expectations are met, they experience a positive service experience and perceive the high quality. When tourists derive pleasure and satisfaction from the visit, they usually commit to a follow-up visit. The results of this study provide a basis for museum management, public sector visitor attractions, employees and academia to further develop these museums as successful visitor attractions.
... In an attempt to democratise museums and make them more inclusive and relevant both for the individual and to the surrounding society, a growing interest in dialogue, engagement, and participation has been observed in recent decades (e.g., Simon, 2010Simon, , 2016Black, 2012;McSweeney and Kavanagh, 2016;Eriksson et al., 2019). Part of the 'participatory agenda' in museums has been an increasing focus on incorporating visitors' experiences, opinions, and reactions into exhibition design (Nashashibi, 2003;McLean, 2003;McLean and Pollock, 2007;Black, 2012;Hill et al., 2016). 1 Even though it is pos sible to identify a shift towards more visitor-oriented approaches in museums and their communication (Rasmussen, 2016), such approaches are typically formulated at the cultural, political, or strategic level (Kortbaek et al., 2016, p. 6) and often tend to be short-term (Lynch, 2011). ...
... In an attempt to democratise museums and make them more inclusive and relevant both for the individual and to the surrounding society, a growing interest in dialogue, engagement, and participation has been observed in recent decades (e.g., Simon, 2010Simon, , 2016Black, 2012;McSweeney and Kavanagh, 2016;Eriksson et al., 2019). Part of the 'participatory agenda' in museums has been an increasing focus on incorporating visitors' experiences, opinions, and reactions into exhibition design (Nashashibi, 2003;McLean, 2003;McLean and Pollock, 2007;Black, 2012;Hill et al., 2016). 1 Even though it is pos sible to identify a shift towards more visitor-oriented approaches in museums and their communication (Rasmussen, 2016), such approaches are typically formulated at the cultural, political, or strategic level (Kortbaek et al., 2016, p. 6) and often tend to be short-term (Lynch, 2011). This presents challenges when it comes to actual implementation and long-term impact, just as it means that not all voices find representation (Jancovich, 2015, p. 3). ...
The article takes its point of departure in an experiment conducted at Randers Art Museum, Denmark, in which museum visitors were asked to comment on their experiences with artworks from the museum’s collection. Their comments that were subsequently shared by the museum in the exhibition space.
By examining dialogue as a form of participation, the author analyses and discusses how this particular participatory experiment created a dialogical and polyphonic museum experience in which the institutional voice was complemented and even challenged.
The article contributes to the field of research on participation by connecting theoretical and practical levels through an experimental methodological approach. It presents concrete recommendations for enhancing visitor-oriented and dialogical strategies in museum communication. Moreover, it demonstrates that the experimental approach can be very useful for both researchers and museum professionals, as long as they reflect on both the limitations and the possibilities of specific experiments like this one.
... A series of transformations in the social and political roles as well as the economic contexts of cultural heritage organisations over the past decades have brought into focus the need for them to work on their relationship with audiences (Black 2012). In practice, audience development has emerged as a response to this need. ...
... The results demonstrate how numerous efforts are being made by museums and heritage organisations to adapt to the new context, and to face the existing social and economic challenges (Ayala, Cuenca-Amigo, and Cuenca 2019;Black 2012), while at the same time not becoming 'shrew temples' (Díaz 2008) and how these efforts are of interest to the academic world. Heritage organisations are putting in place audience development strategies to foster citizen participation and make culture accessible, as well as to establish new management processes in order to make these organisations sustainable in the cultural leisure market (Kawashima 2000). ...
... En los últimos años, los museos se están centrando más en el público, y esta tendencia exige tener en cuenta las necesidades de sus visitantes (tanto reales como potenciales) a la hora de planificar actividades y exposiciones (Hooper-Greenhill, 2006). Además, los museos deben adaptarse a los cambios socioculturales, y encontrar nuevas formas de satisfacer las demandas emergentes relacionadas con el aprendizaje y el disfrute (Black, 2005). ...
... Sin embargo, en los últimos veinte años se ha planteado un debate sobre las funciones sociales y políticas de los museos, fomentando nuevas formas de comunicar el patrimonio cultural en contraste con el enfoque centrado exclusivamente en la colección (McCall y Gray, 2014). En dicha perspectiva, el museo se concibe como facilitador y mediador del aprendizaje, ya que proporciona el entorno adecuado para fomentar la creación de significado de los visitantes, según sus antecedentes y necesidades específicas (Black, 2012 ...
En las últimas décadas la moda ha ido ganando terreno
en los circuitos museísticos. Por tanto, necesita ser exhibida dentro
de diseños arquitectónicos y ambientes específicos, para así poder
expresarse en toda su plenitud. Este artículo pretende poner en valor
que prestar atención a ciertos aspectos como la luz, el recorrido y la
puesta en escena, ayudará a que los diseños cobren protagonismo
y, proporcionará una sensación de bienestar entre el público, con lo
que conseguirá mejorar la experiencia de la visita. Para ello toma en
cuenta la psicología ambiental que establece la relación entre las
personas y su entorno, basándose en el principio de intercambio
dinámico entre el individuo y su contexto.
... Αυτό σημαίνει διαφορετικά επίπεδα ή βαθμό εμπλοκής, και αντίστοιχα διαφορετικές νοηματοδοτήσεις ή και πρακτικές εφαρμογές και δράσεις που αντανακλούν αυτή την ευρύτητα νοηματοδότησης. Σε όλα αυτά πρέπει να προσθέσουμε τα ψηφιακά μέσα που όπως ειπώθηκε και παραπάνω έχουν αλλάξει ριζικά τον τρόπο που συμμετέχουμε, όχι μόνο στον πολιτισμό αλλά και σε όλους τους τομείς της κοινωνικής ζωής (Black, 2012• Laaksonen, 2010. Η πρόσφατη πανδημική κρίση ανέδειξε στην ευρύτερη κοινωνία και με τον πιο επείγοντα τρόπο τον ρόλο της ψηφιακής τεχνολογίας και σε θέματα συμμετοχής όπως φάνηκε, μεταξύ άλλων και στο επίπεδο της τυπικής εκπαίδευσης σε όλες τις βαθμίδες της αλλά και στο επίπεδο του πολιτισμού Εισαγωγή (Σουλιώτου & Κανάρη, 2022). ...
... Στο πνεύμα αυτό, αναφέρουμε ενδεικτικά πρωτοβουλίες και θεσμικές αποφάσεις που επιβεβαιώνουν τη διασύνδεση των κεντρικών θεματικών που διαπραγματεύεται ο παρών συλλογικός τόμος, ως εξής: σε ελληνικό πλαίσιο, το πρόγραμμα σπουδών για την προσχολική εκπαίδευση που περιλαμβάνει άξονες και κατευθυντήριες γραμμές, μεταξύ άλλων, για την «πολιτισμικά ευαίσθητη διδασκαλία» που θα πρέπει να ανταποκρίνεται και να αξιοποιεί το πολιτισμικό κεφάλαιο όλων των παιδιών παράλληλα με τη διαφοροποιημένη διδασκαλία για την προώθηση της «ενταξιακής εκπαίδευσης στο νηπιαγωγείο» ως μια «έμπρακτη αντιμετώπιση της διαφορετικότητας» (Πεντέρη et al., 2021, σ. 17)· τα «Εργαστήρια Δεξιοτήτων» στο πρόγραμμα σπουδών της πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης (Τζώτζου et al., 2022)· 2 τη διεύρυνση των εκπαιδευτικών προγραμμάτων σε χώρους πολιτισμού για διαφορετικές ομάδες κοινού· και σε επίπεδο ευρωπαϊκής πολιτικής, την ενίσχυση της σύνδεσης της δημιουργικότητας, της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς και της εκπαίδευσης μέσα από πλήθος προγραμμάτων, διαδικτυακών εργαλείων και προώθησης συνεργειών· 3 την Ευρωπαϊκή Ψηφιακή Βιβλιοθήκη Europeana με ψηφιακά τεκμήρια έργων τέχνης, αρχείων, ταινιών, μουσικής από χιλιάδες πολιτιστικούς οργανισμούς και φορείς, εκπαιδευτικά σενάρια, πηγές κ.ά. για την πρόσβαση στη γνώση, στις τέχνες και στον πολιτισμό, και την αξιοποίηση από επαγγελματίες, εκπαιδευτικούς κ.ά. 4 Μέσα σε αυτό το δυναμικό περιβάλλον που αλλάζει ταχύτατα τα «όρια» μεταξύ τυπικής, μη τυπικής και άτυπης εκπαίδευσης και μάθησης, αξιολογούνται και ως προς το κατά πόσο είναι λιγότερο περιοριστικά και περισσότερο δημιουργικά στη δυναμική τους σύζευξη (Black, 2012). H πρόσβαση και η συμπερίληψη στις τέχνες και στον πολιτισμό αποτελούν κομβικής σημασίας ζήτημα στη διεθνή ατζέντα και κύριο πεδίο στρατηγικών σχεδίων ανάπτυξης, άρσης διακρίσεων και εμποδίωνσυμπεριλαμβανομένων και οικονομικών εμποδίων-και ουσιαστικής συμπερίληψης -κοινωνικής, εκπαιδευτικής και πολιτισμικής-, καθώς και ανάλογων πρακτικών, πρωτοβουλιών και δράσεων. ...
... Learning in a museum context Black (2012) argues that a paradigm shift has occurred when it comes to the role of museums in society. As part of this shift it has become important that learning experiences in museums are imbued with quality and variety. ...
The purpose of this paper is to achieve a better understanding of teachers' needs and challenges when participating in museums' digital, hybrid, or blended educational programmes and resources in a post-pandemic reality. The paper also investigates the conditions that exist at different schools to enable participation and the use of the museum’s offer. Results from ten interviews with teachers in Småland, Öland, and Jämtland in Sweden are presented, and the results are analysed through the theoretical lens of the postdigital. This study shows the importance of digital/analogue and blended/hybrid museum programmes being planned, designed, and implemented with interactive affordances. Furthermore, it is suggested that insights and methods derived from transmedia storytelling could be used by museum educators to a larger extent, in order to move towards a more interactive and co-creative pedagogy. Finally, the results demonstrate that museums and schools have much to gain from working closer together to move towards what can be called a postdigital pedagogy.
... Desde la perspectiva curatorial, esta práctica podría tener la misma lectura. Los museos cada vez más se enfocan en el bienestar y la educación implementando programas que promueven la salud mental y el bienestar, utilizando el arte y la historia para aliviar el estrés y fomentar la reflexión personal (Black, 2012;Desmarais et al., 2018), así como diseñando experiencias interactivas que involucran a los visitantes en el aprendizaje activo, adaptando sus exhibiciones para ser más inclusivas y accesibles (Hooper-Greenhill, 2007). No obstante, los autores de este escrito creemos firmemente que esta percepción se basa en estereotipos arraigados y en cómo se valora y se interpreta el trabajo del artista, en particular el de las mujeres, en comparación con el de sus colegas masculinos. ...
El artículo se centra en el proyecto de creación artística de una pintura de gran formato en la sala de Arqueología del Mundo del Museo de Arqueología y Antropología de la Universidad de Cambridge, iniciado en 2023. El objetivo del proyecto fue dinamizar la sala y enriquecer la experiencia museal, interrogando las colecciones como resultado de momentos de encuentro y desencuentro entre diferentes audiencias y el museo, a lo largo del tiempo y en diferentes espacios. Se buscó explorar la complejidad de las relaciones entre lo tangible y lo imaginario, el presente y el pasado, lo institucional y lo personal, así como lo individual y lo histórico. El método consistió en la participación activa de diversos grupos, incluyendo el equipo de servicios al público, personal del museo, estudiantes y grupos coordinados que participaron en talleres y actividades especiales. Los participantes fueron alentados a reflexionar sobre sus propias relaciones con objetos específicos presentes en la sala, en depósitos, en otros museos o en colecciones personales y familiares. Las fuentes del proyecto incluyeron los objetos arqueológicos de la sala, las experiencias y memorias de los participantes, y las colecciones asociadas tanto institucionales como personales. La conclusión más relevante del proyecto es que la intervención artística de esta pintura a gran escala permitió revisar críticamente la inclusión de prácticas alternativas y ejercicios multivocales en la creación de espacios museales. Estos enfoques resultaron propicios para ofrecer experiencias significativas y relevantes para los visitantes, logrando así una reinterpretación y resignificación de los objetos exhibidos. El artículo discute los logros, desafíos y dificultades del proceso, subrayando la importancia de estas prácticas en la transformación de la experiencia museal.
... Nonetheless, the visitor profile has tended not to change (Selwood, 2006;Bennett et al., 2010;Black, 2012;Smith, 2021). Arguments ranging from entry costs being too high and institutional and professional inertia constraining real change may partly account for this failure (Selwood, 2006;Kidd, 2011;Janes, 2016). ...
... Questions about what the museum is and what the specifics of museums are in comparison with other cultural institutions have long been under consideration. There are complex discussions on changing museum roles (Black, 2012;Janes, 2009), articulation of mission, and meanings (Anderson, 2019), values and ethics, including decolonisation (Coombes & Phillips, 2020;edson, 1997), communities' engagement, and communication (Falk & Dierking, 2000;Simon, 2010). The book Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift includes a collection of papers by museum innovators and scholars who examined changing roles of the museum in a historical perspective (Anderson, 2004). ...
... It prioritizes children's engagement with artworks as the central objective of the experience, providing content-rich messages that not only introduce factual information but also negotiate feelings and values (Munro 2014;Piscitelli and Penfold 2015;Vallance 1995). It is widely acknowledged that museums have a responsibility to customize their communicative strategies to reach diverse visitors and cater to their needs (Black 2012;Simon 2010) and provide them with more engaging experiences (Minkiewicz et al. 2014;Van Aalst and Boogaarts 2002). While digital technologies have enabled the applications of multimodal resources in experiencing modern museums, the language used in exhibition labels remains the main source of information, which serves as a pivotal point of interaction between museum professionals and the public (Kanel and Tamir 1991;MacLulich 1995;Samis and Pau 2011). ...
This article examines how audience-sensitive art exhibition labels engage visitors of different age groups – children and adults – from an appraisal perspective. The potential of evaluative language and emotionally charged expressions in enhancing visitor engagement is increasingly recognized by museum professionals, while it has received limited in-depth exploration in the research literature. A corpus of 56 audience-sensitive labels from an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Australia was compiled for a comparative analysis of how they negotiate affect, judgement, and appreciation meanings. The findings reveal that both sets of labels frequently employ positive and inscribed appreciations to evaluate the qualities of the artworks. However, there are notable differentiations regarding the realizations of attitude types, subtypes, polarity, mode, appraisers, and the appraised triggers/targets. This article contributes to our understanding about the use of evaluative language in art exhibition labels for children and adults, offering insights into audience-sensitive label writing practice in the art museum context.
... There is a growing belief that traditional museums cannot continue to exist in their current form in the 21st century [59][60]. Therefore, there is a significant need for dynamic, active, and participatory museums that engage visitors as contributors rather than passive observers. ...
This study explores the role of immigration museums in promoting social cohesion between local communities and immigrants. Immigration movements are an ongoing feature of current global dynamics and influence the cultural and artistic spheres. Integrating immigrants into local societies has become a core goal of nation-states and requires innovative approaches. Traditionally viewed as repositories of cultural artifacts, museums have evolved into dynamic spaces that promote cultural interaction and mutual understanding. This study focuses on immigration museums in Germany, Poland, Brazil, and Türkiye, exploring how these institutions contribute to social peace by documenting migration processes and facilitating contact between immigrants and natives. The study uses a situational description approach to conduct a case study of the Immigration Museum and its activities. These museums actively combat bias, promote empathy, and foster a sense of community through exhibits, educational programs, and interactive demonstrations. The findings highlight the importance of immigration museums in bridging cultural gaps and strengthening social cohesion. By providing spaces for cultural exchange, these museums help create inclusive societies that respect and value diverse backgrounds. The research highlights the transformative potential of contemporary museology to address the complexities of migration and integration and provides valuable insights for policymakers and cultural practitioners.
... W ramach tej funkcji realizują one więc szereg działań, które mają prowadzić do zaspokajania potrzeb wyższego rzędu, związanych w głównej mierze z rozwojem osobistym i społecznym (Manczak i in., 2019), a także edukacją (Majewski, 2013;Hansson i Öhman, 2022) i popularyzacją turystyki kulturowej (Ściborska-Kowalczyk, 2017). Odgrywają więc szczególną rolę w procesie ewolucji poznawczej, rozpatrywaną zarówno z punktu widzenia indywidualnego, jak i publicznego (Graham, 2012;Kaczmarek, 2018;Wróblewski, 2018a). Dlatego też szczególnie ważne jest zapewnienie dostępu do zasobów kultury dla całego społeczeństwa (Gaweł, 2018), bez względu na przekonania, zasoby materialne czy ograniczenia fizyczne i psychiczne. ...
Podstawowym zadaniem instytucji kultury jest zaspokajanie potrzeb odbiorców w zakresie dostępu do sztuki. W związku z tym odgrywają szczególną rolę w procesie ewolucji poznawczej człowieka i jego uwrażliwienia, a także przyczyniają się do poprawy jakości życia społecznego. Dlatego też szczególnie istotną kwestią jest zapewnienie dostępności instytucji kultury dla wszelkich zainteresowanych odbiorców. Stanowi to bowiem ważną część misji tego typu organizacji. W przypadku osób z niepełnosprawnościami wszelkie udogodnienia wizyty w obiekcie nie tylko prowadzą do uatrakcyjnienia odbioru kultury, ale mogą wręcz być decydujące w kwestii jej percepcji. Głównym celem artykułu jest przedstawienie znaczenia dostępności kultury dla osób z niepełnosprawnościami jako misji instytucji kultury, omówienie potrzeb odbiorców posiadających dysfunkcje o różnorodnym charakterze oraz wskazanie propozycji udogodnień, które mogą wspierać recepcję sztuki i twórczość artystyczną. Ponadto podkreślono znaczenie osób z niepełnosprawnościami jako istotnej grupy odbiorców kultury, dla których może stanowić ona źródło kreowania tożsamości, kształtowania wartości, wzrostu potencjału, a nawet pełnić funkcję terapeutyczną.
... Μουσεία, διαδίκτυο και δημιουργικές δράσεις και εφαρμογές Χαρά Κανάρη, Αντώνης Λενακάκης, Νάσια Χολέβα, Μαρία Κολτσίδα Εισαγωγικά • Το διαδίκτυο και η μεγάλη ανάπτυξη και διάδοση των ψηφιακών μέσων και εφαρμογών έχουν αλλάξει όλες τις πτυχές της ζωής μας αλλά και τις έννοιες της πρόσβασης και της συμμετοχής ανεξάρτητα από τη φυσική παρουσία σε έναν χώρο αλλά και ανεξάρτητα από τον χρόνο (Black, 2012). ...
Το παρόν κεφάλαιο επιχειρεί να αναδείξει τις απεριόριστες δυνατότητες που έχει ο καθένας μας σε ψηφιοποιημένα έργα τέχνης από Μουσεία και Πινακοθήκες της Ευρώπης και του κόσμου, αλλά και του υλικού που τα συνοδεύει. Η εν λόγω διαπραγμάτευση στην ενότητα αυτή του ebook ασφαλώς και δεν είναι διεξοδική αλλά περιλαμβάνει απολύτως ενδεικτικά παραδείγματα δράσεων και δυνατοτήτων διασύνδεσης του μουσείου και του σχολείου μέσω του διαδικτύου και ψηφιακών
δράσεων και δεν επεκτείνεται σε άλλες ψηφιακές εφαρμογές που αξιοποιούνται εντός των μουσείων (π.χ. εφαρμογές για κινητές συσκευές ή χωρο-ευαίσθητες εφαρμογές) οι οποίες εξελίσσονται διαρκώς.
Μέρος του βιβλίου Λενακάκης, Α. (Επιμ.). (2024). Tέχνες, διαδίκτυο και δημιουργικότητα: Εκπαιδευτικές προσεγγίσεις και εφαρμογές. ΤΕΠΑΕ ΑΠΘ. https://doi.org/10.12681/sece-auth.209
... Museums must transform themselves if they are to remain relevant to 21st-century audiences [1]. It is the result of the impact of new technologies and the rapid societal developments that we are all a part of and applies not just to museums but to all arts bodies and other agents of mass communication. ...
... Vikki McCall i Clive Gray wskazują, że "[n]owa muzeologia wyewoluowała z postrzeganych niedociągnięć pierwotnej muzeologii i opierała się na idei, że rola muzeów w społeczeństwie wymaga zmiany […]: w 1971 roku twierdzono, że muzea są odizolowane od współczesnego świata, elitarne, przestarzałe i marnują publiczne pieniądze" (McCall i Gray 2014, 20). W ten sposób nastąpiła głęboka zmiana w odczytywaniu roli muzeów: miały one przestać być elitarystyczną przestrzenią eksponowania dzieł sztuki, a stać się konstruktem o znaczeniu społecznym, w realny i istotny sposób wpisującym się w dyskurs dotyczący problemów i tożsamości współczesnych społeczeństw (Black 2012). Doszło zarówno do radykalnego poszerzenia pojęcia obiektu muzealnego, jak i do zmian w sposobach jego prezentacji. ...
MUSEUMS OF LISBON – DISCOVERIES AND SURPRISES Over the past few decades, museums have encountered numerous challenges. These include changing living conditions, evolving social values and needs, social justice issues, decolonisation, the climate crisis, and giving a voice to marginalised groups. As a result, contemporary museums are expected to meet new audience expectations. Some museums have attempted to establish their own identity in response to these challenges. The article presents an analysis of three case studies of museums in Lisbon, demonstrating how different approaches can result in the development of a unique set of values, goals, and objectives that are relevant to the needs of modern societies.
... We argue that in this case it is the latter and suggest the gallery has a critical role to play in continuing with this type of activity or something similar. Yet we need to be cautious of what Black (2012) called "being torn in all directions, " which constructs arts institutions as "unable to define for themselves their own role, let alone broadcast this to their potential audiences" (p. 4). ...
Against a backdrop of elitism and exclusion, many public art galleries are adopting educational processes aimed at tackling society’s pressing social and cultural problems. This paper shares the findings of case study of one such project, a Human Library (HL), hosted alongside a portraiture exhibition in an Art Gallery in British Columbia. Findings show how this ‘safe’ space of ‘discomfort’ illuminated stereotyping, bias, and ignorance and the subsequent transformation of perspectives around both people and art. It also provided a critical space of social reflection on the media and gender issues. Yet those who attended were predominantly middle and upper class and female and there was confusion around the link between the portraits, the mission of the Gallery and the HL. However, the Gallery can be seen as an intentional, critical space of adult education, playing a unique role in promoting social justice and change.
... In the 20th century museum, the new focus on a visitor-centered approach sent museums into new territories of education where museums became powerful educators with the potential to significantly impact the human experience [19,20]. The standard methods of traditional education that rely on teaching and transmitting information to passive receivers, which is similar to the institutionalized formal education of schools and universities, have expanded to a more interactive experience model that offers visitors a high degree of experiential participation, flexibility, interaction, and social engagement [21][22][23][24][25]. Much of the published literature in the museum discourse highlights, therefore, the museums' environments as places of learning, lifelong learning, and experiences that combine physical, social, and personal contexts in the learning processes [23,26]. ...
By considering the increasing emphasis on lifelong learning and the ongoing significant debates over the value and utility of digital technologies in accelerating long-established learning tasks, the paper suggests new approaches for the national museums of Egypt to incorporate distance learning and museum-based online programs as a means to improve their traditional educational programs. This would significantly help school students better understand the ancient history of Egypt, “Pharaonic Egypt”, which is an essential part of their formal school curriculum. Moreover, it provides much-needed support to museums with limited or insufficient educational programs to promote more meaningful learning experiences. The proposed approach can be effectively implemented through the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world’s largest archaeological museum complex dedicated to the culture of ancient Egyptian Pharaonic Culture. The study discusses the GEM’s educational and digital infrastructure capabilities in creating a robust online learning platform that provides access to rich educational content and digital resources across Egypt’s various geographic regions, enhancing museum education concerning pharaonic Egypt in line with the state’s cultural policy to strengthen national identity among future generations. By analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data, the study investigates the potential benefits of integrating online digital technologies into the pedagogical and educational practices of Egypt’s national museums. It concludes by providing practical recommendations for future research and actions encouraging online learning among Egyptian museums, aligned with recent national efforts toward Egypt’s digital transformation.
... Some authors even speak of the last two decades as the third stage of a rising wave of interest in fabrics, clothing and fashion accessories reflecting the ongoing transition from dress museology to fashion museology (Hjemdahl 2016;Melchior 2014), while others consider museums an immanent part of the fashion system, institutions active in various networks within this system (Löfgren 2005). Moreover, this examination of the presence of fashion in museums reflects the broader discussion on the complexity of museum functions and impact (Black 2012;OECD and ICOM 2018;Scott 2006). It may likewise be considered a good illustration of the significant dilemmas surrounding the conception of museums as foremost repositories and research institutions, venues for social encounters, leisure and entertainment or creative centres (Melchior 2014). ...
Fashion and textiles have always been present in museum collections and exhibitions. In recent years, however, they seem to be becoming more visible, both in response to the interest of curators and audiences in the field and due to the development of new links and forms of cooperation between museum institutions and the creative sector. The aim of the paper is to propose a new quantitative approach to assessing the extent of museums' engagement with fashion, and to consider the factors determining the presence of diverse activities related to textiles, garments, fashion and fashion accessories in museums, with a view to furthering the discourse on the connections between museums and cultural and creative industries. The empirical analysis in the text is based on a comprehensive survey of Polish museums administered in 2022. This enabled us to consider how the intensity of museums' engagement in fashion-related activities may be measured and what characteristics of museums and their environments make them more likely to engage in a broader range of fashion-related endeavours or focus on a particular fashion-related activity type. Our goal is not only to diagnose the situation in the Polish context but to also contribute to the broader discussion on factors impacting museums' programme choices and performance. ARTICLE HISTORY
... Since 2014, Trapholt Museum has developed a large-scale participatory practice involving up to a thousand participants in craft-based collaborative art projects. This unique practice, which invites ordinary people to contribute to a collaborative artwork to be exhibited and later saved at Trapholt, fits right into current norms of participatory art and of the democratization of cultural institutions that have been on the agenda in art and cultural institutions for well over a decade (Simon, 2010;Black, 2005Black, , 2011. ...
This article investigates the collaborative craft-based art project Data Mirror, launched by the Trapholt Museum of Art and Design in Denmark in March 2022 with artist and weaver Astrid Skibsted. Through the lens of affect theory (Massumi, 2002, 2009), the article explores how the textile making practice and the materials in Data Mirror affected the participatory experience. Building on Christopher Kelty’s understanding of participation as strung between individuality and collectivity, the article argues that the experience of participation in Data Mirror is in fact “more than individual,” but not only in the sense defined by Kelty of being “both individual and collective at the same time” (2019, p. 18). Over and above this, the participatory experience is also about connecting with and being moved affectively by materials, tools, and – in the Data Mirror case – artistic dogmas. The aim of the article is both analytical and theoretical. Based on a close analysis of (1) material intensities and embodied experiences of stitching and (2) felt potential and creative capacity, it calls for a more embodied, material, and affective understanding of the horizontal and vertical (Eriksson, 2019; Kelty, 2016) dimensions of participation.
... Questions about what the museum is and what the specifics of museums are in comparison with other cultural institutions have long been under consideration. There are complex discussions on changing museum roles (Black, 2012;Janes, 2009), articulation of mission, and meanings (Anderson, 2019), values and ethics, including decolonisation (Coombes & Phillips, 2020;edson, 1997), communities' engagement, and communication (Falk & Dierking, 2000;Simon, 2010). The book Reinventing the Museum: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift includes a collection of papers by museum innovators and scholars who examined changing roles of the museum in a historical perspective (Anderson, 2004). ...
Museums have widely used digital technologies to expand their societal and cultural impact. In terms of their use of information technologies (IT), museums have evolved from initial experiments in the 1950s to a significant online presence today. In the process of digital transformation, museums have shaped their digital identity, aiming to expand their activities beyond museum walls with emerging new roles in the digital era. The concept of museums’ digital identity is the focus of this paper. To articulate the concept, the theory of digital identity, the methodology of web history, the concept of virtual museums, and museum branding, are brought into consideration. The author articulates the concept of museums’ digital identity and outlines a number of components at the collective and individual levels embodied in national strategies and policy documents relating to digital transformation, articulated in statements by museum associations, revealed in features of their online presence, and embedded in brand design. In the conclusion, the author raises questions about the driving force of museums in developing digital identity and the need to comprehensively analyse the multiplatform museum presence.
... Η ανάπτυξη των νέων τεχνολογιών και ο Παγκόσμιος Ιστός έχουν καθοριστική επίδραση σε διαφορετικά επίπεδα, λειτουργίες και παροχές των πολιτιστικών οργανισμών όπως για παράδειγμα τα μουσεία. Το μουσείο του 21 ου αιώνα αναζητά τρόπους αξιοποίησης αυτών των δυνατοτήτων τόσο για τη διεύρυνση κοινού (φυσικοί και διαδικτυακοί επισκέπτες/χρήστες) όσο και για την παροχή ψηφιακών πολιτισμικών και μουσειακών εμπειριών (Black, 2012). ...
It is very important to improve conditions in our environment, social, physical, or digital, with adaptations that reduce or eliminate activity restriction and participation limitations for People with Disabilities (PWDs) so that they can participate in roles and activities of everyday life, such as interacting with culture and the arts. Especially for our digital environment, which is constantly expanding in these areas of life, special care is required in the technical part, so that it is fully accessible. As our lives transform into a digital one, there seems to be an opportunity to remove the barriers and limitations faced by PWDs in the natural environment and in traditional means and ways of accessing information, knowledge, education, entertainment, culture and the arts.
... The latest definition, approved in 2022, emphasised museums' role in engaging community, accessibility, inclusivity, and offering "education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing" (ICOM, 2022). Nevertheless, Black (2012) highlighted that the access to museums was limited by class, culture, race, and gender. ...
This qualitative exploratory case study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young children and their families’ visits to a museum in England. The study explores the changing role of museums in society, particularly their educational function and informality, and emphasises the recognition of children’s agency in museum experiences. Under a posthumanist philosophical arc, the paper presents the findings from seven interviews with museum staff members and five video-recorded family visits, followed by post-visit interviews with each family. The findings focus on the museum’s adaptation to social distancing restrictions, staff members’ navigation of uncertainty and unexpected changes, and the creation of an enjoyable and safe space for visitors. The emotional connection between young children, their families with the gallery spaces is evident. The study also highlights the negotiation of agency between the museum and family participants, shedding light on non-human entities within the museum space as agentive beings, and further discussing the dynamic and contextual meaning-making during family visits. This paper critically appraises the theoretical development of museum education and provides empirical evidence of young children’s learning experiences in museum spaces. It makes a significant contribution to the field of museum education by specifically addressing the impact of the pandemic on visitors’ real-world experiences.
... In addition to fostering international connections, encouraging consumer spending, and promoting investment, the tourism industry, which is a significant industry on a global scale, plays an important role in all of these areas. The tourism industry in China has been undergoing a significant transformation ever since the beginning of the twenty-first century (Black, 2012). The industry has been subjected to significant changes ever since the period of economic reform and liberalization (Gallagher, 2002). ...
Over the past three decades, China has witnessed transformative changes in its society and economy, necessitating a fresh perspective on social relations. Despite progress, research on social relations remains limited. This paper addresses this gap, focusing on the evolving landscape of tourism in China and the emergence of electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) within the digital tourism domain. The study begins by examining the role of digital technologies in fostering cooperative and transparent social networks, highlighting the impact of smart devices and mobile internet access. It investigates how data analysis technology reduces communication costs for tourists and enhances information alignment between supply and demand. The research delves into the influence of social networks and credit evaluation mechanisms on e-WOM within the tourism industry, emphasizing the popularity of digital platforms facilitating word-of-mouth information dissemination. Also, it discusses the significance of e-WOM in shaping tourists’ perceptions and travel decisions, emphasizing the role of platforms like Sina Weibo in rapidly disseminating travel-related information. The paper uncovers the phenomenon of “winner-takes-all” in e-WOM, where a few influential microblogs dominate tourism discussions but are balanced by the complex dynamics of the internet. This multidisciplinary study contributes to the understanding of e-WOM, social network analysis, microblogging, and traveler behavior within the context of online tourism. The findings have crucial implications for tourism marketing and management, highlighting the importance of engaging travelers, monitoring sentiment, and adapting strategies in the ever-changing digital landscape.
... Generally speaking, science museums are in a state of flux. From their historical and mainly self-referential functions of preservation, communication, and research, they are gradually shifting their focus to more externally-oriented purposes and abandoning their authoritative stance in favour of more cultural and dialogic approaches to engagement (Achiam & Sølberg, 2017;Black, 2012). On the one hand, some argue that this transition is necessary for museums to remain relevant (Evans et al., 2020;Janes & Sandell, 2019), while, on the other hand, the shift makes some uncomfortable and even seems to contradict what many consider to be the ethos of museums. ...
The world needs equitable and democratic dialogue. As a global society, we face numerous so-called “wicked problems” related to the unsustainable use of the Earth’s resources. The notion of wicked problems, developed by Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber in 1973, describes problems that are ill-defined and rely on value judgments for resolution – and are never truly solved. Today, such problems include climate disruption, the biodiversity crisis, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of tackling these problems is exacerbated by the widespread atmosphere of science scepticism and denialism along with delay tactics and misinformation. From a science communication perspective, the situation can seem overwhelming. Often, it is difficult to see how constructive space can be created for the discussions that are necessary to address the challenges we face. In this paper, I will consider the role science centres, science and technology museums, natural history museums, and other public science communication institutions (referred to collectively as science museums) can play in creating inclusive spaces to address these challenges. As I explore in the paper, science museums have the resources, the expertise, and the social presence to counteract mis- and disinformation and to engage a diversity of stakeholders in co-creating responses to the problems we face.
Los museos se enfrentan actualmente a un reto urgente: reconectar con nuevas generaciones de visitantes. La Generación Y, también conocida como Millennials-personas nacidas aproximadamente entre 1981 y 2000-, representa un sector demográfico numeroso, con alta formación académica y una intensa relación con la tecnología. Sin embargo, esta generación ha mostrado un interés más bien bajo por los museos, especialmente aquellos de corte histórico o arqueológico. ¿Por qué ocurre esto y qué pueden hacer los museos para atraer a este público? Un reciente estudio centrado en museos locales arroja luz sobre este fenómeno, identificando que factores de gestión tienen mayor impacto en la decisión de los Millennials a la hora de visitar o no un museo. Sus resultados, aunque contextuales, ofrecen pautas aplicables a muchos museos del mundo, y nos permiten repensar cómo diseñar experiencias culturales más atractivas, relevantes y sostenibles dirigidas a un público joven. Factores que Influyen en la Decisión de Visitar un Museo. A través de un enfoque cuantitativo basado en encuestas a 400 jóvenes de la Generación Y, el estudio evaluó ocho áreas clave de gestión museística: exposiciones, entorno físico, actividades, personal, interpretación, relaciones públicas, instalaciones, y tecnología e innovación.
This paper examines multisensory museums, envisioned as extended or hybrid realities where the physical and digital coexist to offer cognitively and emotionally engaging experiences to the public, while enhancing the sense of authenticity. Multisensory communication can improve accessibility, as it conveys the content through multiple perceptual channels, and it can solicit more inclusive, participatory, and creative audience engagement through the stimulation of emotions. A methodological approach to digitisation, communication strategies, interaction, creative storytelling, immersive technologies, and accessibility issues are discussed in depth, in relation to emerging museological practices. Machine learning and generative AI are opening new scenarios in management practices and decision-making, in data analyses and in natural language processing, and in the creation of personalised content addressed to the audience. A short overview about how these algorithms evolve and work is presented, considering the challenges, threats, expectations, and ethical implications they pose. Another key topic is the sense of authenticity. How is it changing in today’s users? How do virtual and mixed realities, storytelling, and user experience design in museums influence it? This paper explores these issues, presenting some case studies which have cultural, social, philosophical, and ethical implications, at a time when museums are redesigning their role in a society undergoing profound transformation.
The representation of disabled individuals in museum spaces worldwide has sparked substantial debate in recent decades. It has become increasingly evident that disabled people’s lives and experiences have been overlooked, under/misrepresented in museum narratives, or as museum professionals and academics have highlighted, ‘buried in the footnotes’ of history. Museums can either challenge or continue such exclusion through their actions. This marginalization of disabled people from our present museums narratives contributes to the perpetuation of prejudice and systematic biases that reinforce their exclusion in contemporary society. Nevertheless, the call for change has never been more pressing. Museums, as ‘agents of social change’, are required to not only address the absence of disabled people in their narratives but to combat prejudicial ideas about disability and drive societal changes to support social inclusion. This paper intends to use the recent movement of disability representation to envisage how national museums in Egypt can challenge societal prejudice by representing disability narratives from ancient Egypt in their exhibitions. The historical perspective of disability in ancient Egypt is a compelling example for illustrating social acceptance and the level of inclusion for disabled individuals in contrast to the negative stereotypes prevalent in contemporary Egyptian society. By adopting the new emergent approach of ‘Representing Disability’. Egyptian museums can stimulate discussions on disability issues and advocate for social change while connecting disabled individuals with a history that acknowledges their contributions and existence. The paper employed qualitative research methods to answer the following research question: what impact do representations of disability from ancient Egypt have on the way national museums engage with societal discourses about disability? Please note the article includes images of human remains.
The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted cultural institutions, including museums, to adapt to widespread closures. This study investigates the role of podcasts as a strategic tool for the most visited museums in Poland, Slovakia and Czechia during and after the pandemic. In the theoretical section, the paper discusses the emergence of podcasts, emphasising their marketing potential and role during the pandemic. The empirical part aims to identify the extent and nature of podcast integration by the ten most visited museums from each of the three monitored countries. The results show different approaches to the adaptation of podcasting in the observed space–time. Despite some differences, we also mapped similar trends. A crucial finding was that the end of the pandemic brought a certain modus vivendi of incorporating podcasting into museum activities, which can be framed as a normalisation, completing the lively development that took place during the pandemic.
The role of museums has significantly evolved from being guardians and researchers of the heritage to becoming active social and community agents, a transformation influenced by digital technologies and participatory approaches. This chapter investigates the application of Phygital strategies in museums, which integrate physical exhibits with digital platforms, in enhancing visitor engagement and education. It explores the current landscape of Phygital approaches in museum marketing and their impact on visitor experiences. The study highlights how museums leverage immersive technologies to create innovative and memorable on-site and online experiences. Despite the increasing adoption of digital strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the literature on Phygital practices remains secondary in museum studies, often found within technical publications or broader heritage management discussions.
Visitor studies are an important source of knowledge within museum practice: They inform what we believe about our audiences, what kinds of interpretation we develop, and how we conceptualize success. As visitor studies professionals, we see firsthand that the ways we gather data have implications for how we and our colleagues view visitors and how visitors perceive our institutions. Meanwhile, we also see opportunities for visitor studies within museums' broader aspirations to become more visitor‐centered, as defined by meaningful two‐way engagement with visitors. Using real‐world project examples, this paper explores possibilities for moving toward a more visitor‐centered approach to data collection, in which practitioners can more clearly privilege meaning, transparency, and care. As starting points, we suggest that active attention to four considerations should inform more visitor‐centered visitor studies: comfort (i.e., the well‐being of people); context (i.e., the circumstances of museum experiences and study implementation); flexibility (i.e., responsiveness to dynamics that imply a need for change); and value (i.e., supporting relations of mutual benefit).
Over the past decade, the issue of sustainable development has initiated a new “revolution”, challenging the management and internal operations of all institutions and professions, even the most traditional ones, such as museums. This change is not only a response to external circumstances but also a reflection of the aspirations of internal actors. What are the new emerging trends desired by museum professionals? This preliminary study explores evolving trends in museum professionalism based on insights gathered during the 26th ICOM (International Council of Museums) General Conference in Prague (2022). It analyses 20 non-directive interviews conducted as part of participant observation. Focusing on the five heritage expertise areas identified by CHARTER Alliance – “planning and management”, “outreach and communication”, “preservation and safeguarding”, “crafts and traditional knowledge”, and “general knowledge” – the findings suggest a transformative shift towards greater audience connection, community involvement, and experimental approaches. Moreover, professionals also express an interest for sustainable museum practices. The study underscores a broader ambition to equip museum professionals with adaptive skills, emphasizing the significance of long-term viability, ethical practices, and community engagement. Thus, the recent new museum definition (2022) by ICOM in Prague and its latest actions reinforces these transformative features, emphasizing the sector’s pivotal role in shaping the future of heritage and museums towards more sustainable practices.
Muzej Slavonije sastavni je dio kulturnog života grada Osijeka kao jedna od najstarijih te najznačajnijih lokalnih baštinskih institucija. Ipak, u 21. stoljeću, susreće se s izazovom privlačenja novih skupina posjetitelja, među kojima se posebice ističu studenti. Stoga se trebaju provoditi sistematizirana i kontinuirana istraživanja stalnih te potencijalnih skupina posjetitelja kako bi se utvrdilo koje su konkretno njihove želje i potrebe te iste uključiti u razvoj djelatnosti. Sukladno tome, cilj ovog istraživanja je utvrditi kako studenti Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayera u Osijeku percipiraju Muzej Slavonije, koje su njihove želje i potrebe te kako ih Muzej Slavonije može zadovoljiti u okviru resursa kojima raspolaže. Odabrana metodologija istraživanja je studija slučaja za koju su korištena tri izvora kvalitativnih i kvantitativnih podataka: službena izvješća o radu Muzeja Slavonije, razgovori s djelatnicima te anonimna anketa među studentima. Primarno su analizirana izvješća kako bi se dobio uvid u aktivnosti koje Muzej provodi za studente i/ili sa studentima. Nakon toga su provedeni razgovori s djelatnicima radi stjecanja dodatnog konteksta o podacima iz izvješća dok je posljednji segment istraživanja činila anonimna anketa provedena među studentima Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayera svih znanstvenih područja s ciljem stjecanja njihovog mišljenja o zadovoljstvu aktivnostima, percepciji Muzeja, mogućnostima buduće suradnje i slično.
This handbook presents multiple perspectives on the interaction of heritage and politics, where heritage is understood broadly and variously to mean not just the tangible and intangible phenomena that are often named as heritage, but also the ways in which people and societies live with, embody, experience, value, and use the past, and how they make sense, meaning and cause from it, whether consciously or unconsciously. In this expanded sense, heritage is active within contemporary conditions of existence at all scales. We understand politics as the exercise and contestation of power at a range of scales. However, heritage and politics are what Walter Bryce Gallie (1964) might have comprehended as ‘essentially contested’ concepts invested with ever evolving competing meanings subject to constant interrogation. If this is the case, then this handbook cannot be the final word on either concept, nor their combination, although our contributors advance necessarily located and time-bound understandings to enable new insights.
This handbook presents multiple perspectives on the interaction of heritage and politics, where heritage is understood broadly and variously to mean not just the tangible and intangible phenomena that are often named as heritage, but also the ways in which people and societies live with, embody, experience, value, and use the past, and how they make sense, meaning and cause from it, whether consciously or unconsciously. In this expanded sense, heritage is active within contemporary conditions of existence at all scales. We understand politics as the exercise and contestation of power at a range of scales. However, heritage and politics are what Walter Bryce Gallie (1964) might have comprehended as ‘essentially contested’ concepts invested with ever evolving competing meanings subject to constant interrogation. If this is the case, then this handbook cannot be the final word on either concept, nor their combination, although our contributors advance necessarily located and time-bound understandings to enable new insights.
The file represents a DRAFT of the final chapter as it appears in the book.
This article investigated the multifaceted role of artists in educational programmes, focusing on the challenges they face while balancing their identity as artist‐teacher, artist teacher, artist‐educator, and artist educator. This research was conducted in two phases. Phase one interrogated the effectiveness of artists taking on dual roles as both artists and educators/teachers within international and New Zealand's educational programmes. This phase advocated for artists to embrace their original role as artists without the additional burdens of other roles. Moving to phase two, this research employed the method of document analysis to investigate the historical and current engagement of artists in students' museum education within the context of New Zealand. Historically, artists were considered as art technicians with no direct involvement in art teaching or creation. Although the current LEOTC and ELC programmes in New Zealand value artists' contributions to art education, they do not indicate artists' involvement in these two programmes. Drawing from the findings of phase one and two, the study proposed a novel model that emphasises the integration of three elements: learning environment (art museum), people (artists), and objects (artworks). This model suggested that the combined action of these three elements could lead to a transformation from teacher‐led teaching to student‐centred learning in art education. Such a transition held the potential to enrich students' educational experience through collaborative efforts between artists, museum educators, and schoolteachers, and also enhance students' interdisciplinary learning experiences.
La sobrecarga informacional ha provocado cambios marcados en la forma en que las personas buscan información y, a su vez, ha remodelado la sociedad, especialmente en entornos de información digital, como bibliotecas y museos. El objetivo de este estudio fue presentar y discutir tres proyectos de comunicación museística innovadores y creativos: Hyper- Interaction within Physical Space; Cultural Heritage Information Personalization y SMARTMUSEUM, con base en el modelo conceptual de diseño de experiencias. Se trata de una investigación bibliográfica epistemológica y exploratoria, en la que se presenta un marco teórico basado en el diseño de información y el diseño de experiencia en el contexto de la comunicación museística en entornos híbridos. Las acciones estratégicas de comunicación museológica deben apoyarse en el uso de sistemas de información, el uso de innovaciones y tecnologías de información y comunicación. Con la presentación de estos proyectos, sintetizamos algunas innovaciones que contemplan enfoques científicos creativos, que orientan así los procesos de toma de decisiones en la construcción de las estrategias y los pasos dinámicos necesarios para el desarrollo de un plan de comunicación para el entorno museístico digital eficiente y, en consecuencia, es capaz de promover una experiencia satisfactoria.
The transformative power of storytelling in the realm of cultural heritage has remained one of the most potent tools of human communication throughout history. Now, digital storytelling techniques can be harnessed to convey the past in newly innovative and engaging ways. The following highlights the profound impact of digital storytelling in enhancing cultural heritage experiences by creating immersive narratives that bridge the gap between past and present. The chapter showcases real-world case studies of successful digital storytelling projects implemented in museums and heritage sites, illustrating their ability to make historical narratives more accessible, interactive, and compelling. Furthermore, it emphasizes the pivotal role of personal narratives in cultural heritage, exploring techniques for collecting and preserving these invaluable accounts to ensure their accessibility for future generations. The chapter presents case studies that demonstrate how personal narratives enrich the visitor experience by establishing intimate and personal connections to the past. Additionally, it underscores the significance of community engagement, outlining effective methods for facilitating community storytelling and celebrating the diverse voices within a heritage context. By actively fostering strong connections with communities, museums and heritage sites contribute to a more inclusive, dynamic, and vibrant cultural heritage landscape.
The article deals with the impact of temporary educational exhibitions in Polish national museums on the nature of the knowledge they produce, protect and disseminate. Analysed data were collected during a year-long, qualitative research study with the use of such tools as in-depth interviews, focus groups, research walks and desk analysis of documentation produced during the creation of the Power of the Museum exhibition at the National Museum in Krakow. The primary research question is how the museum’s ecology of knowledge (Rahder, 2020) reacts when the decision-making order is transformed and a new type of meta-exhibition is built. The article aims to describe the mechanisms that stabilize museum knowledge traditions when the environment in which they operate is changed internally and externally.
Este estudo analisa os resultados das interações e conversas de famílias em visita às exposições no Museu Histórico Nacional (MHN), localizado no Rio de Janeiro. Para explorar a experiência de visita, onze famílias tiveram suas visitas gravadas com uma câmera subjetiva acoplada a um colete e ajustada ao tórax de um participante de cada grupo. O material audiovisual foi analisado no software Dedoose para identificação dos tipos de interações com a exposição, entre si e dos conteúdos conversacionais. Os resultados trazem evidências que as conversas que ocorreram no MHN foram importantes para as famílias construírem entendimentos de cultura, história e ciência. Neste contexto, os objetos foram fundamentais para apoiar a aprendizagem, porque são evidências de um determinado tempo e cultura que, para serem compreendidos, precisam de uma definição, explicação e contextualização aceitáveis. Além disso, a interação contemplativa proporcionada pelo MHN, enriqueceu as interpretações e os significados que as famílias construíram.
In this article, we present and discuss a user-study prototype, developed for Bakkehuset historic house museum in Copenhagen. We examine how the prototype - a digital sound installation - can expand visitors’ experiences of the house and offer encounters with immaterial cultural heritage. Historic house museums often hold back on utilizing digital communication tools inside the houses, since a central purpose of this type of museum is to preserve an original environment. Digital communication tools however hold great potential for facilitating rich encounters with cultural heritage and in particular with the immaterial aspects of museum collections and their histories. In this article we present our design steps and choices, aiming at subtly and seamlessly adding a digital dimension to a historic house. Based on qualitative interviews, we evaluate how the sound installation at Bakkehuset is sensed, interpreted, and used by visitors as part of their museum experience. In turn, we shed light on the historic house museum as a distinct design context for designing hybrid visitor experiences and point to the potentials of digital communication tools in this context.
Processes of attention can provide a conceptual framework for understanding visitor reactions to interpretive labels. In this article, three principles of attention are used to organize what we know about interpretive label design. The first principle, selectivity, suggests that the distinctiveness or salience of a label or object will influence which of many elements will be given attention. The second principle, motivated focusing, states that motivation is enhanced by minimizing the amount of effort, increasing cognitive-emotional arousal and minimizing distractions. The last principle, limited capacity, proposes that the resources of attention have a limited capacity and are depleted over time with effort expended. Findings of research studies and specific principles (e.g., an isolated object receives more attention than an object embedded in dense stimuli) are described within this conceptual framework.
This paper explores the development of community engagement work in the heritage sector and the danger of such projects conforming to a top‐down model. An alternative community‐driven approach is explored. The ongoing Bendigo heritage engagement project is used as a basis for discussing the benefits, limitations and potential pitfalls of such an approach. The role of the project manager in negotiating the politics and issues arising in community‐driven approaches is crucial and a range of skills and techniques, which may assist those in this role, are highlighted. Identifying and addressing potential problem areas is essential to ensure the success of such projects. This is imperative if museums, galleries or other organisations wish to move beyond rhetorical strategies for community engagement towards successful implementation of sustainable and relevant projects that positively contribute to local communities.
Museums have been complicit in the construction of physical and cultural hierarchies that underpinned racist thought from the Enlightenment until well into the twentieth century, in marked contrast to the inclusionary role that many now seek to fulfil. In Revealing Histories: Myths about Race (2007Á2009) at the Manchester Museum, UK, a team from within and beyond the museum tried to address this uncomfortable history. They faced challenges and raised many questions: how to present such material honestly but sensitively? Could other voices be included without jeopardising the credibility of the museum? How can post-colonial arguments be made with a collection based on the spoils of empire? And, finally, how are museums to escape the legacies of prejudice? Although well intentioned, the actions of museum staff in realising the project Á the authors included Á exhibited unanticipated vestiges of institutional racism. Drawing on race and international development studies, this paper concludes that a more radical trust may be called for if UK museums are genuinely to collaborate with other groups on projects like this; to become spaces for democratic exchange, and to face up to their legacies of prejudice.
The value of touch and object handling in museums is little understood, despite the overwhelming weight of anecdotal evidence which confirms the benefits of physical interaction with objects.
Touch in Museums presents a ground-breaking overview of object handling from both historical and scientific perspectives. The book aims to establish a framework for understanding the role of object handling for learning, enjoyment, and health. The broad range of essays included explores the many different contexts for object handling, not only within the museum, but extending beyond it to hospitals, schools and the wider community.
The combination of theoretical analysis, policy assessment and detailed case material make Touch in Museums invaluable reading for students and professionals of museology or cultural heritage.
Museums, archives and libraries in Britain operate within an outcomes-driven political climate, as do cultural institutions elsewhere. The need to demonstrate accountability and social value has led to a demand to measure the impact and outcome of learning. How can the complex and unpredictable character of learning be 'measured'? This paper sets out the policy context and the conceptual framework that underpins the development of a new approach to the measurement of the outcomes of cultural learning. It has been developed by the Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG) at the University of Leicester for the Museums, Archives and Libraries Council (formerly Resource). The use of five generic learning outcomes (GLOs) enables both the quantification and the in-depth analysis and description of the results of learning.
Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. I made a brief presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums two years ago called "Museums as Resources for Family Learning: Turning the question around". In that presentation, I challenged museum professionals to temporarily suspend their traditional focus on the learning resources which museums offer families (special programs, hands-on exhibitions, special labeling strategies, etc.) and to consider instead the resources that family visitors bring with them to the museum. One of the resources which I briefly alluded to was the family's experience as a learning system. These people have been in the business of learning together for many years. Dropped into the museum environment with new and different objects drawing their attention on all fronts, family members unconsciously draw on these learning resources to structure their free-ranging behavior. Their behavior, so deceptively chaotic on the surface, actually reflects a complex, well-balanced interweaving of personal and cooperative agendas to learn (Hilke, 1987). In this chapter, I want to give some depth to this statement by looking at some of the specific strategies family visitors use in exploring our exhibitions. The evidence we will examine was collected by following family groups through exhibition halls in a large natural history museum. Both traditional and hands-on halls were included. A specially devised code (see Table 1) was used to record who did what to whom about what during the observation period. Each family member was observed individually for approximately 8 minutes. In all, 132 family visitors were observed representing 53 family groups. (A more detailed summary of the methods and results from this research are available in Hilke and Balling, in preparation).
In this paper we discuss how an interaction design perspective on the design of interactive artefacts in public spaces can encourage us to explore certain issues concerning the inclusion of visitor input into our installations. We see the role of technology as supporting people's experiences of heritage–moving away from simple delivery of information towards enabling visitors to add to the content of the exhibition. This approach encourages active reflection, discussion and appropriation in the tradition of best practice in human-centred interaction (HCI) design. In this paper we discuss two exhibitions/installations in which we have been involved, Re-Tracing the Past and TheShannon Portal. The former was developed with the objective of engaging visitors and enhancing their overall experience of a personal museum collection; the latter had the goal of encouraging visitors and travellers to share their experience of Ireland. We then discuss the impact of this design strategy and analyse the role of visitors’ contributions to each exhibit, and the particular interactions between participants and the content they produced.
This paper seeks to demonstrate remedies for two deficiencies in literature on museum visiting. Firstly, it attends to generic rather than situationally-contingent motivations. Secondly, it considers non-visitors as well as visitors. Particular attention is also given to constraints on visiting and how people try to ‘consume’ cultural attractions. The discussion is resourced from a sample survey conducted in Edinburgh, a city which provides many opportunities (of which many are free of charge in terms of admission) for visiting museums and like cultural attractions.
In 1990, Glenbow began returning sacred objects to various First Nations. As the process developed, we came to understand that First Nations people consider these to be living and to be vital for maintaining balanced relationships with the non-human world. The effects that these objects have had on a variety of other relationships (Native/ museum; museum/museum; Native/Native) suggests that the items become important for everyone who handles, possesses and cares for them. This paper explores the dimensions of these relationships.
This article discusses how museums relate to their visitors. It introduces three interpretive categories to summarize the ways that museums view their visitors: as Strangers, Guests, or Clients. Strangers: This attitude arises when the museum maintains that its primary responsibility is to the collection and not to the public. Guests: From this point of view, the museum wants to “do good” for visitors primarily through “educational” activities. Clients: In this attitude the museum believes that its primary responsibility is to be accountable to the visitor. This article suggests that social trends will force museums to treat visitors as clients. Institutions will then acknowledge that visitors have needs, expectations, and wants that the museum is obligated to understand and meet. Also discussed are four major categories of experiences that individuals find most satisfying in museums: (1) Social experiences center on one or more other people, besides the visitor; (2) Object experiences give prominence to the artifact or the “real thing”; (3) Cognitive experiences emphasize the interpretive or intellectual aspects of the experience; and (4) Introspective experiences focus on the visitor's personal reflections, usually triggered by an object or a setting in the museum. The categories are based on empirical research conducted in different Smithsonian museums. The article concludes with a brief discussion of museum settings, or “servicescapes,” that support or detract from the experiences of visitors.
Can enhanced exhibits produce measurable increases in active family learning? Four Philadelphia area science institutions—The Franklin Institute Science Museum, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the New Jersey State Aquarium at Camden, and the Philadelphia Zoo—have investigated the answer to this question as part of the PISEC (Philadelphia‐Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative) Family Learning Project. PISEC is conducting research and exhibit development aimed at increasing the understanding of family learning in science museums and identifying the characteristics of successful family learning exhibits.
The PISEC project is organized into three phases: (1) a research study to establish behavioral indicators for family science learning (Borun et al., 1996); (2) the development and evaluation of four exhibit enhancements aimed at achieving family science learning goals (Borun and Dritsas, 1997); (3) a research study comparing the frequency of learning behaviors for treatment families that have used enhanced test exhibits to control‐group families that have used only the test exhibits. The results of the first two phases of this project have been discussed previously. This article describes the research study conducted during Phase 3 of the project.
Results of the study show that all four modified exhibits produced significant increases in performance indicators. Using seven characteristics of successful family exhibits—multi‐sided, multi‐user, accessible, multi‐outcome, multi‐modal, readable, and relevant—as a guide to exhibit development proved to be an effective strategy for increasing active family learning.
