Today, let’s talk about one of the most polarizing cultural public spaces we have- museums.
At a personal level, you either hate museums and would have to be dragged inside one, or you absolute love them and are the ones doing the dragging.
At a societal level, there is a perception that museums are ‘important’ places, and a lot of us end up visiting them as a part of school excursions. But, if anyone asks us otherwise, no one really goes to a museum to hang out. In other words, while there is a societal expectation about museums, they are not really considered a prominent public space for the masses.
At a larger, historical level, museums become a divisive place, when the conversation of the contents of the museums are discussed. There are many debates about where these contents ‘belong’ and the ethics of the same.
The first point to discuss is, what exactly are museums? Wikipedia says-
So museums aren’t just dusty old places with age- old artifacts. Museums have moved forward to encompass historical events- like the Holocaust Museum, and contemporary concepts like Museum of Moving Image, which held an exhibition on memes. Yes, memes!
Many museums have initiated more engagement with their audiences using digital and social media tools. Extensive and regular community engagements have become a crucial part of the museums’ operations. This digital revolution, however has not reached India, as of yet.
But, before we further dive into that, we should try to answer the question, ‘Why do museums matter’?
A lot of times, people forget that their public spaces are often mirrors of their own society. Museums in their way, become places which strongly define the identity of the region they are situated in. What we do with museums, how we interact with them, how they operate- all these questions become parameters of our own society. What makes museums important is that they serve as storehouses of history, narratives and stories which could have been forgotten. The artifacts in the museum become reminders of past which could have been lost otherwise.
The narratives within these museums have the power to challenge and engage us, and how we encounter these items will define how we look at our own history and identity.
I could go on and on about the importance of museums, but honestly, no one would care unless museums actually become interesting and engaging spaces, for all.
Which brings me to my next point- "how do we make museums more engaging?"
The visits that I have made to the museums have brought the following issues to light.
Not a lot of people visit museums because of which, obviously, the museums do not generate enough revenues. Government museums often really on funds from the government, which are negligible.
Museums are not re-visitable. If a person has to go through a museum again, they are not really seeing anything different. This puts museums in stark contrast to other kinds of public spaces like parks and restaurants.
Much of the information and literature available in museums, is quite outdated. Even the way-finding, while efficient, is not eye- catching. In a day and age, where our communication channels are constantly evolving and changing, information at the museums remains 2D.
Keeping these issues in mind, the following are the steps that I believe will greatly improve the experience of the museums.
Firstly, we need to convert museums into more regenerative spaces. For instance a café on the premises of the museum ensures a steady influx of people and funds. The Victoria and Albert Museum is London has a historic café, which serves classic Victorian cuisine. This would further add another layer of experience in terms of introducing the visitors to the local cuisine, which India has plenty of.
Furthermore, apps like Navigine also optimize the navigation within the space, and give the owners a platform that can be updated constantly.
Many of the museums world over are now contemplating their approaches to not just their artifacts and the museum experience, but also preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage and abstract concepts like memes. As for non- designers, get to know your local museums and donate! Or you could always try this:
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