Acquiring knowledge has become an intrinsic part of our culture; we are able to receive more accurate knowledge more quickly. Our society’s desire to become more knowledgeable is commendable but our methods make the learning process more impersonal. We tend to bombard ourselves with too much information and because of this only gain superficial knowledge. Museums fill the void created by our inclination to learn rapidly by offering an alternative method of education. Visitors are encouraged to take more time so that they may fully understand an object. Viewing an object in person creates a connection that cannot be duplicated by simply reading information. That connection can stem from appreciation, curiosity, or any number of reasons, but in all cases it allows us to think more deeply about the world, humanity, and ourselves.
As children, many members of our society were captivated by the natural world. Animals, plants, and even rocks can be endlessly fascinating to children and they treat each new fact as breathtaking discoveries. Museums capture that same sense of wonder which nature creates in children; people of all ages feel awe when viewing the bones of animals that lived millions of years ago and they marvel at the beauty of the stones and minerals that make up our planet. By appealing to childhood feelings, museums are able to connect our society to the natural world. We often forget or choose to ignore the fact that humanity is not alone on this earth. Museums
The main purpose of the museum is to amaze the new generation and to show how life was like back then. There were many things I was amazed by of how people survived the passed. Nowadays people can't stand a day without internet, but back then people stay days without eating and managed to survive. This explains why the latest generation is lucky to be living in this generation. Mostly the museum purpose is to entertain the
Museums serve as a way to connect with the public on a large scale, and the knowledge held within exhibits can be a fruitful experience for those who choose to visit these institutions. Experiencing all that a museum has to offer, no matter how well intentioned, can at times be confusing and overwhelming to the individuals visiting the site. The Smithsonian’s Museum of the American Indian dedicates itself to Native Americans in North and South America, and worked tirelessly with varying tribes to create a new standard. Some visitors and scholars found their work to be successful in design and approach while others found it to be lacking in execution. This institution does not approach Native American history in a familiar fashion; however it does cover an expansive period of time, and produces a great amount of detail while generating powerful emotions.
Positioned alongside Central Park in the heart of New York City, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest and most influential art museums in the world. The Met houses an extensive collection of curated works that spans throughout various time periods and different cultures. The context of museum, especially one as influential as the Met, inherently predisposes its visitors to a certain set of understandings that subtly influence how they interpret and ultimately construct meanings about each individual object within the museum. Brent Plate in Religion, Art, and Visual Culture argues that “objects obtain different meanings in different locations and historical settings.”An object placed on display behind a glass case inside a museum would hold a vastly different meaning if it was put on sale by a street vendor, like the ones who set up their tables in close proximity to the Met. The different meanings that objects are able to obtain is attributed to the relationships that are established between the object itself and the environment that surrounds it. These relationships often involve the kind of audience that a museum attracts, where the work is exhibited, and how the exhibits within a museum is planned out. Museums subsequently have the ability to control how these relationships are established which influences the way a viewer is able to construct meaning. When a visitor observes an object on display at the Met, they instinctively construct a certain set of
Another aspect that I found to be very interesting was the way in which each of the museums offered different multimedia formats to facilitate the visitor’s experience with the artwork in display. I noticed that both museums offered applications for smartphones and tablets, free of charge, to assist the visitors with getting the most possible out of the museum. Visiting a museum can be a very distracting task because there is so much to see and without a plan or a navigating system that helps you make your way towards the museum, it can be hard to gain something from your visit. Both apps are accessible to most people and very easy to navigate through. These apps included audio guides, exhibition information, calendars, events and so on. However, I noticed
I hope to see museums make more concerted efforts to educate the public. Too many exhibits are of the “passive, didactic looking” than like the engaging Object Stories program (Dartt, Murawski). Exhibits should seek to tell untold narratives, and programs should be places of communication and cross-cultural encounters. For too long, difficult confrontations have been avoided, both inside the museum, and by dominant communities
After arriving and going through the security screenings, I proceeded to go down the stairs, entering the exhibit itself. Before even observing anything specific, it was immediately realized that this was no typical museum. Most people know that upon arrival, but only when you first enter the exhibit do you realize that this museum is not one that inspects the past, but one that reminds us of it.
For instance, I read about the three mixed media collages by David Maxim, studied the picture of one of them, Time’s Speed, and searched for it when we arrived at the Polk Museum of Art; I was interested to see how the artist’s “signature expressive style, with its energetic line and spilled color, contributes to depicting power and the anxiety of being impacted by that power (“Current Exhibitions”).” When I found it, however, I was shocked at how much larger it was than what I expected, and the splattered bulbs of fabric and rope hung off the canvas as large as my head, compared to the size of a golf ball I had been imagining. In addition, being in the actual place with the artwork was a much more educational experience than trying to glean knowledge from the web; seeing the physical objects made them so much more interesting, and interacting with the docent was much more informative than reading paragraphs, since we could ask her questions and hear her anecdotes. For instance, in the Ancient Art of the Americas gallery, our kind tour guide described the cultures and people that used the artifacts we saw, which without her information might have been easy to gloss over. She told us about how some cultures in Mexico would use Chihuahuas as a food source and how they were therefore depicted in art, and pointed at sculptures that I would have otherwise looked at with no understanding. Yet since she explained it, I remember it clearly, unlike the information on that same exhibit that I read from the website such as, “The objects date from c. 800 BCE to c. 1500 CE and include ceramics, textiles, stone carvings, and precious metal pieces (“About Our Collection”).” Being at the museum gave me perspective and let me notice
In Steven Lubar’s book, Inside the Lost Museum: Curating, Past and Present, the recurring idea that museums are “more than the sum of their parts” plays a critical role in the overall argument (329). Lubar notes many aspects that make up a museum, the collection, for example is an essential part of any museum, but the community, as well as the experiences of the patrons create a lasting museum experience. Additionally, Lubar aptly utilizes real-world examples, contemporary and historical, highlighting the work of individuals in museums and establishing a connection between past and current events. Central to this narrative is the example of the lost Jenks Museum. Lubar uses this museum to argue that museums of the past can educate museum goers
The woman who I spoke to at the front desk was very kind and considerate. She was very friendly and trusting and I made me very excited to see the gallery. I was also very encouraged at how many children were present and enjoying their learning experience. I believe that the majority of archaeology’s worth comes from how the public benefits, even if it is only some joy at learning an interesting fact. Seeing children introduced to history and archaeology so young and enjoying the encounter is one that will always bring me a great amount of joy. So, although I wish adults could also benefit from this museum, I truly appreciate its ability to engage childrens’
Throughout the experience, I learned the importance and care of working with an artifact along with operations within a museum. As I toured Heartland Museum, I witnessed all of the items that are stored behind the scenes because museums only keep a small percentage of the belongings on display. I also learned about the process of creating a display, which includes piecing together many details like attraction, relevance, and of course history. Museums must worry about the community’s interest in the displays. Lastly, I learned about the importance of an artifact by working with some of the items. It is important to handle artifacts with care because of the fragility of the item. After the information I learned at the museum, it was my turn to experience the public
While some may view museums as homes of the dusty, decrypt, and decaying, I think back fondly to the memories I've made in them. When I was four and living in a small apartment in Shaker Heights, Ohio, my father would take me to the Cleveland Museum of Rock and Roll on the weekends when he wasn’t busy working on his MBA at Case Western Reserve University. Every time we visited, I would tell my father that I would grow up to be just like Elvis, to which he would laugh and scoff affectionately. When we moved to Glen Allen, Virginia when I was six, we would occasionally drive up to Washington, D.C. to the Smithsonian Museums. On some Saturdays, we would walk for hours through the halls of art I didn't understand (and still don’t really understand) at the Museum of American Art. On other Saturdays, we would go to the Library of Congress, where I would press my forehead against the glass of the observation deck—much to the dismay of security guards. But perhaps the most significant "museum" I've been in is just a short three-minute drive or seven-minute walk from my suburban home: the Twin Hickory Public Library.
Before I went to the museum, my prospective about a museum was poor expectations. What can a museum will offer? , this was one of the questions that I always had in mind. For these reasons, I never thought that I could enjoy a museum tour. However, everything change after visited the Phoenix Art Museum. I went to the trip with poor expectations, but since I arrived in the lobby with all of my classmates and the professor. I started feel that this trip will be sash an educational experience.
When people think about a museum most of them think about walking around starring at paintings they don’t understand and reading the little cards with their description. After a while they get tired of walking around long hallways and finally decide to leave. On the other hand, the Gallery One at the Cleveland Museum of Arts is more than just a museum, it’s a fun and innovative environment that how Alexander explained, “… the intention of Gallery One was to transform visitors into participants, rather than passive observers.” (2014). When people get their hands on the action they are most likely to have fun, learn, and build experience.
According to the American Alliance of Museums, community engagement in museums includes the use of this facility as “a center where people gather to meet and converse and an active, visible player in civic life, a safe haven, and a trusted incubator of change” (Long 141). Different museums
A greater number of educators are looking to museums to help them attain their educational objectives. Howard Gardner has identified Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood as the perfect environment for stimulating the natural curiosity of a child. Furthermore, in response to demands for new educational approaches, older children are using museums to develop their critical facilities in art and design (Campbell, 1992).