This semester I created a blog titled, The Interactive Museum , that evaluated how museums are using digital interactives in their exhibits. I focused on three interactives inside the Smithsonian Institution. These interactives were inside the National Museum of Natural History Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, and the Arts and Industries FUTURES exhibition. I also explored the Cleveland Art Museum (from the interwebs) because they are a wonderful example of how innovative and creative museums can be. As an educator, I am really excited about how technology can transform the museum to be more inclusive, relevant, and effective, which is what let me to this project.
I wrote six blog posts: an introduction, my evaluation process, three evaluating different museums, and one exploring the Cleveland Museum of Art’s interactive gallery. From my study, I found that the Smithsonian is working hard to provide effective digital touch screens in their exhibits that are well connected to the exhibit’s themes and objectives. I was pleased at how well these interactives worked and their effectivity in delivering information. However, I feel that there is more space for creativity and collaboration using digital interactives.
After doing this study, I am interested in growing my understanding of more concrete barriers to this work like budgetary confines and the kind of technology expertise needed to complete this work. I really enjoyed the informality of blogging, while still holding an academic framework. I would love to keep working on this blog – I am excited to keep learning about innovative technological improvements to museums and about how these improvements can make museums a place where all feel worthy, engaged, and comfortable.
Caroline! This is such an interesting topic. I think your blog is so well done, the layout is so nice and clear! I think your topic is so important to think about in the museum field and especially because we are living it the age of technology (hehe) it feels important to use it well in these spaces for public engagement and education!
Hey Caroline,
I LOVED your blog. Not only were the headlines so catchy, but I think the content you are creating is extremely important. As we progress further into the digital age museums need to catch up! I hope you’ll keep blogging even after class is done.
They is such a great project Caroline! I think it can turn into a very useful source for educators who might be planning specific museum trips or projects for their students. Even for your own practice, you could turn this blog into a series of museum/exhibition reviews both digital and physical.