The readings in Module 6 on Hyperlinked Museums, Galleries & Archives reminded me of an interaction I had with a staff member when I visited the Art Institute of Chicago. I had difficulty locating Grant Wood’s American Gothic (1930) and asked the nearest staff member for directions. He simply said, “You should download the app.” Needless to say, I was a little taken aback by the brevity of his response because I expected him to direct me to the room using the map I had in my hand. His impersonal response made me realize two things: 1) this museum is very cool for having an interactive app, and 2) staff are so dismissive here!
I did not end up downloading the app (because I was nearing the end of my visit and had zero signal), but it made me think about new ways of learning in museums that transcend object-based exploration. In “How does learning happen in museums”, the writers talk about using technology to understand how learning happens in museums and how it can enhance visitors’ experiences (Oliveira and Barba, 2018). In their study, they identified two main groups of museum-goers: the highly engaged group and the less engaged group. Through Bluetooth technology, researchers were able to capture information about participant interaction with specific exhibits and create personalized guides to navigate visitors across installations.
For instance, the Art Institute app has a location-aware interactive map and audio storytelling; it has a search function that enables users to learn more about a specific piece of artwork and a list of featured tours. The app comes in various languages to accommodate international visitors. In “How technology is bringing museums back to life”, Charr emphasizes that “[t]echnology shouldn’t be an enemy of culture” but rather an asset that can help museums increase focus on their collections (Charr, 2020). I can definitely see the appeal of museum apps and how they can assist visitors when tour guides are not present. Sometimes, people prefer listening to audio guides rather than reading museum descriptions on dull placards. Technology is a useful tool when implemented correctly.
References
Art Institute of Chicago. (n.d.). Mobile app & audio tours. https://www.artic.edu/visit/explore-on-your-own/mobile-app-audio-tours
Charr, M. (2020, June 17). How technology is bringing museums back to life. MuseumNext. https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-technology-is-bringing-museums-back-to-life/
Oliveira, E. A. & de Barba, P. (2018, December 18). Bluetooth technology has helped reveal how visitors explore museum exhibitions, and how much they learn in the process. Pursuit. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/how-does-learning-happen-in-museums
@rzhu, my family is on vacation right now, and we have been to several museums this week, so I could relate to your post. Every museum offered some sort of technology-enhanced experience. But like you at the Art Institute of Chicago, we had no signal to even participate in it! At the Detroit Institute of Art, they offered a paper map, but it only showed the main areas. Each section had its own flow, and it was not intuitive to walk through. We didn’t even think about downloading anything an app as we entered the museum, and by the time we saw that it was encouraged, we couldn’t, even if we wanted to.
Hi Ruby – Thanks for sharing your museum experience. Your last sentence is great – technology IS useful when implemented correctly. However, staff need to be a part of the technology rollout, and it sounds like the staff person you interacted with didn’t quite get that memo. Technology also can’t be a substitute for basic customer service. At the institution where I work, we are supposed to go beyond even just giving directions to students. We are actually supposed to walk the person to their location and chat with them to answer any questions along the way.
I’m sorry that you had a negative experience with the museum staff member. Hopefully you still enjoyed your time at the Art Institute! I appreciate your comments about evolving technologies and museums. While recently visiting the Asian Art Museum, I was surprised to see QR codes available, which offered another method of viewing exhibit information along with laminated guides. I actually found the QR codes and digital guides to be very convenient and enhanced my experience. You mention potential barriers to using some of these technologies, such as not having internet connection. Some ways museums can overcome these barriers are by offering wifi to museum guests and providing multiple methods of accessing the information. Thanks for sharing!
@rzhu I agree with you, Colin. The staff members’ terse response was not my favorite thing. It would have been much better to say, oh, we have an app you could download, but let me direct you to where the painting is. And I’ve been to the Art Institute of Chicago and it’s huge. Last year when we were in Scotland, I was looking for a favorite painting of mine at the National Gallery, and it had been moved, and I talked to a staff member that practically walked me through to the painting through multiple galleries.