Curating or otherwise managing a museum space is one of the most fulfilling roles you can fill as an academic. Museums hold history in the palms of their hands and offer the average person hitherto inconceivable access to the makings of us – whether relics of civilisations gone by, biological imprints of species long since the past or the artefacts of recent history.
And the UK is one of the best places in the world to curate such an institution. According to recent statistics, the UK is home to a quarter of the most-visited museums and galleries in the world. But as the times change, so too should learning centres. Innovation is core to ensuring longevity, and new technological possibilities make it possible for museums to make even greater impacts on the people that come through their doors. What tech innovations apply in such a space, though, and how might they improve the museum experience?
Sensory Experiences
Sensory experiences are key to fleshing out the museum experience for visitors – but they can be so much more than a gimmick for children. Museums have long had accessibility issues, not in the least about the sight-impaired. 3D-printing technology could allow visitors to explore copies of exhibits by feel, and bring braille descriptions into the experience in an organic way. AI technology can also interpret sights and descriptions on demand, as part of the guided tour experience.
Virtual Tours
Improvements to 3D modelling technology and VR together make it possible for museums to replicate themselves in the digital space, improving accessibility to the extent that visitors could feasibly do so from home. Of course, such technological possibilities invite fresh challenges – particularly concerning legality. Numerous laws and regulations can apply to the showing of a particular piece or artefact, and there may be restrictions levied on specific pieces that could preclude them from reproduction in virtual form.
The legal issues relating to curation in this regard are not uncommon, but not altogether difficult to address – rather, they can be tedious to manage. The result, though, is an accessible form of a virtual tour that furthers the museum’s interests and reaches a new generation.
Interactive Displays
Interactive and digital displays are not necessarily new to the museum experience, but there are a great many curatorial spaces that do not use them to their utmost extent. Interactivity is more than just a trend and can be utilised well to engage younger visitors as well as provide fresh contexts to older visitors.
Where previously space was at a premium, and certain tidbits of information simply impossible to include alongside an exhibition piece, interactive displays enable interested visitors to read further into individual artefacts. They can also be used as games for children, to provide context in a fun and engaging manner.