If there is any positive to this global pandemic and the horrible year that has been 2020, it is the accessibility of culture. (Not to dismiss everything that everyone has been through!) Museums, sites and organisations everywhere are pulling off Herculean tasks in order to get their exhibitions, content, and projects online. They are thinking in new and creative ways to open up their work for all of us. But I am hoping that it will continue after the world has a little more control and we have more physical freedom again. Today, I’m going to share my thoughts on why museums should stay online permanently!
New Exhibition Discoveries
As someone who studies largely British and European history but lives in the middle of Canada, I miss a lot of exhibitions and never get to see a lot of museums. There really isn’t much that can be done about it, it is an unfortunate fact of life. However, in the last two months, I have seen several exhibitions that I never would have otherwise. I was able to see the George IV: Art and Spectacle exhibition from the Royal Collection Trust, which opened a few months after I finished up my trip. I “visited” the Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition in Paris, to compare with the V&A exhibition that I loved! (See below) And who can pass up the Balenciaga exhibition from the V&A?
I’m not at all happy with the reason why these exhibitions are online, but I’m thrilled to be able to experience and enjoy exhibitions that I never could have in the past. As much as I want to, I can’t afford to continually fly to other cities and countries to continually see different exhibitions. (Not to mention, a lack of time to do it!) I’m able to capitalise on what is available now, to further my research and broaden my mind. And I’m incredibly grateful for it!
New Technology and Skills
Undoubtedly, like all of us who have had to move our jobs to our homes, new technology and skills are needed for this transition. Creating and setting up a digital exhibition can be radically different from a traditional exhibition, and not every curator and museum professional has those skills. Not all items can be put in an online exhibition, due to their physical nature or copyright/privacy issues. It wouldn’t be an easy transition to start doing online exhibitions regularly for most museums, and will take time and money to make it happen.
Note: if you do have any skills or experience that you think a museum might have use for or need and you are willing to volunteer, let your local museums know. They may be limited in what volunteers can do, but you may be able to make a big difference for them. And those skills could include coding, graphic design, photography/ videography, editing, communication, and more- think outside of the box!
A Different Museum Experience
Without any doubt, the online museum experience is different from the traditional in person visit. It would be ridiculous to claim otherwise. But that does not mean that online exhibitions and museums collections aren’t enjoyable and worthwhile in their own right. I’ve been in the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace for the Romanov exhibition. No, seeing the George IV exhibition online was not the same experience as walking through the gallery, but that doesn’t make it less impactful. I actually think I might have taken more time with the online exhibition, because I didn’t feel like I was in anyone’s way. And you can visit the exhibition when it suits you- no opening hours or transportation issues to grapple with!
The Visitor’s Role- Funding
I have to say, our role as the visitor in this new digital age for museums and organisations is important. And it is not just to take in and then walk away, we must play an active role. Firstly, funding. I don’t think people realise how much money it takes to put an exhibition up online. That only gets more costly if you are building the infrastructure and learning the skills to do it, too. While I do appreciate that these exhibitions and tours are being put up for free, I think that in the future, we have to be willing to pay for them. I don’t think a full ticket price is needed, but there should be a small fee. (You could have programs to allow for free “visits”, much like many museums do now.) And if you are particularly happy with an online exhibition, an extra donation could go a long way to helping stage more. This fee shouldn’t be a barrier, but if we want these museums to stay online, we do need to contribute.
Small plea: If you have enjoyed online content from a museum during this time of quarantine, consider donating. Even a few dollars can help make a difference.
The Visitor’s Role- Being Present
Although you are now in the comfort of your own home when you “visit”, I would urge you to focus on the exhibition. Put down your other devices, take 20 or 30 minutes (if you can), and really engage with the exhibition. A lot of people have put a lot of work into making those exhibitions and getting them online for us to see- honour that work. If you can click into things for more information, click! And if you can watch a video or listen to an audio guide, watch or listen. They are there for a reason, and usually add a lot to what you are seeing (especially if you can’t be there in person!). If there are other people at home who want to enjoy it to, “go through” the exhibition together like you would if you were visiting!
And of course, give the museum your feedback. We all need feedback to improve and adjust, and museums are the same. If you enjoyed the exhibition, tell your friends and share it on social media. It might be a small thing to us, but can make a massive difference to a museum, and lead to more in the future.
Museum at FIT- An Online Model
One of my favourite museums in the Museum at FIT, as they are a wonderful model for how you can put exhibitions up online. I adored the Ballerina: Fashion’s Modern Muse exhibition, and given that I am nowhere close to NYC, I was only able to see it online. Museums won’t be able to immediately switch to this model or may need to find one that suits, but it is a great starting place.
Now that I’ve shared my thoughts on why museums should stay online, do you agree or disagree?
Cheers,
The Historian
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I think (circumstances aside) that museums have put so much of their exhibits & collections online as accessibility-wise it allows more people to see what museum have & experience the museums if they are unable to visit them (due to distance, accessibility or other reasons). That being said, I have a very hard time looking at exhibits online. It doesn’t pull me in the same way the same way seeing them in-person does. I get distracted looking at them online too easily.
I also think this provides museums an opportunity to take a very hard look at accessibility for everyone. I hope the online exhibits don’t get taken down so that everyone can enjoy them but that the physical ones will become more accessible for everyone who visits them- whether that means the price, how they’re viewed etc.
I find that my online exhibition experiences are a lot more enjoyable and engaging when I closed all of my other tabs and put everything else away. And I don’t think we can ever expect it to be the same experience, but I would prefer a potentially different or distracted experience over not seeing them at all. Being in a city with fewer museums has really made me realise that it is better than nothing, and when considered on its own rather in comparison to a traditional visit, it can still be quite valuable!
Like many other workplaces, I think that this has been the kick-in-the-pants that museums needed but probably didn’t want. I know of some museums that do take their online exhibitions down, but it is an established practice that predates this. (I think at a point, your online hosting/storage/infrastructure would become insane.) I do hope that visitors/patrons/supporters realise though that it isn’t all on the museums. We have to play a role too, and we can’t expect a massive amount of stuff to be put up online in no time and with no cost associated.
Yeah there is only so much the online storage can hold & keep the artwork looking like it does in the museum itself. Maybe going forward it works like newspapers are doing with their online versions- so much is free & then you have to subscribe. Or you subscribe right away & see everything. Or your membership to the museum also gets you online access. Or you pay a bit more for extra access to the online version (beyond the basics since you would be able to see all that in person anyway)… I agree people need to help if it stays online it does take a lot of work.
I would think that having an online only membership category could be a way to go! For most of these museums, I will never be there in person, so for me personally, I don’t need an in person + online deal. I would think think that “behind the scenes” materials could be good- some museums are great at documenting as they go, which has given them a lot to share at the moment. For those that aren’t, it might be a possibility to periodically document what they are already doing! (In my own work and others, I really try eliminate creating entirely new tasks.) Online lectures and talks with curators and specialists could also be a great option, and they could charge a small fee for those as well.