How+Museums+Are+Using+Digital+Media

Dan Magerr


 * Research Question **

How museums are using digital media? I am interested in this topic because I’m curious with all the MAC technology that is coming out, how museums will transition their information into digital use. Also the honest reason I thought of this topic is a scene from The Time Machine when the main character goes forward in time. He walks into a museum and the entire museum is digital with a computer generated persona that tells you any information you want.


 * I Wonder **

I wonder what museums are going to look like in the next 20 to 50 years. I wonder throughout my lifetime how much change will museums go through and how easy it will be to access information. I wonder if each exhibit will eventually be digital. I wonder what the actual exhibits will look like surrounded by this up and coming technology. For example I wonder how a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton will look and if there is a way to possibly portray it in a digital way. Will the fossil look out of place or will digital media create some unique graphic to make it look like it has been brought back to life. My imagination wonders on picturing what museums could look like in the next half century.


 * My Work Plan**

This project will be majority of online research and hopefully journal articles. I plan on going to the librarian and asking her if they’re any books on this topic or if she can help me research in any way. I’m going to Google scholar or use TU Library search engine and look up museums and digital media. Hopefully this will come up with multiple results and also I am going to go to NY Times or any high profile newspaper/magazine and just research digital media museums. Philadelphia in general is one of the most historical cities in the country, so I could possibly do some advanced research and go to Old City. I’ll ask if there are any digital media transitions currently with any precious historical items. I hope to find a museum that has begun to transition into the digital media age and found out what they’ve exactly done.


 * My Expectations**

I expect to learn a lot with this topic. I expect to know whether museums are preparing for the digital age or if they are sticking with their basic standards. I expect to find hopefully one museum that has planned for the digital age. I want to reflect on how digital media can be great for museums especially attracting the non-usual crowds. For example that digital media will hopefully intrigue younger kids and teenagers interests to go visit museums. Is it inevitable that all museums will eventually become digital? Overall I plan just seeing what information will be out there and let the sources lead my project focus.

GREENLIGHTED. This is a huge and important topic and you will probably want to focus on some part of how digital media are reshaping museums as you learn more. Please contact Emily Cooper Moore at the Philadelphia History Museum to learn more about their approach to integrating digital media into the museum's mission. Some people at the Rosenbach Museum in Philly have been doing some interesting experiments with digital media. Most famous among the museum community is the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester. Also, dig into the cool stuff we saw on the video about the Smithsonian's work with digital media and young audiences.