A museum is typically a place to reflect on human behavior and experience. While it can be far away from the leading emerging technology, a better connection between technology and museum can bring culture and history closer to us than ever.
Bring In
In the US, gallery spaces receive 850 million visitors annually, more than most sports venues. The American Alliance of Museums represents around $21 billion in economic activity (Richardson, 2021). The interaction of visitors to museums doesn’t start at the time people enter the museums but instead at the time they get to know about the museums. With the help of smartphone applications and websites, a more attractive hook can be delivered and pull people’s attention to the museums.
Experiencing
The use of technology makes historical items more vivid and accessible. The Museum of Modern Arts in New York City brought up their need to ensure that the collection exists in those online locations among people with plenty of creativity and ideas. It is advancing to Open Access and meeting the digital age.
Meanwhile, visitors can interact with artificial intelligence robots in the National Museum of Emerging Science and Technology in Tokyo. Many of the displays have a broader point to make about sustainability, human interaction, and the environment (Richardson, 2021).
Tracking and Data Analytics
Museums are using visitor flow technology to understand how people experience their exhibits. Data are collected and applied to personalize visitors’ experiences. The force of big data changed museums’ operation and management.
The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Siena has adopted new technology to aid in this process, which can be carried out through tracking wi-fi connections, online ticketing, and in the case of the Italian art museum, the installation of 3D sensors. Using people counting sensor technology from Xovis, which provides the same service to the retail and transport sectors, the sensors and technology can automate people flow, allowing for better route-making and reporting.
Undoubtedly, our Mr. Museum has a bit more to do to catch up with the information age.
Reference
Richardson, J. (2021) How technology is bringing museums back to life, MuseumNext. Available at: https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-technology-is-bringing-museums-back-to-life/ (Accessed: October 10, 2022).
