Museum musings: Getting involved
Last month, my London travels took me to see the William Blake exhibition at Tate Britain.
The exhibition is a collection of over 300 artworks, letters and objects, curated to take you on a journey through the life and works of this great author and artist. Because I have always thought of Tate Britain as an art gallery, the whole experience reminded me of the introduction in our first session to the concept of a Museum in the 21st Century.
The International Council of Museums (Icom) sparked global debate when it rejected an amendment to its description of what a museum is.
The new working defined museums as "democratising, inclusive and polyphonic spaces for critical dialogue" and acknowledged their aim to "contribute to human dignity and social justice, global equality and planetary wellbeing."
On the course we unanimously favoured the newer version because it was more progressive, dynamic and inclusive, more about dialogue and less about acting as somewhat staid and conservative storage.
Have a look and see what you make of it all...
Current version
Suggested new version
Storytelling and involvement
Back to Blake.... the way a story is told as you move through a museum has always fascinated me, together with the ways visitors are invited to take part in proceedings.
At the Blake exhibition the pencils and invitation to sketch as you go was a lovely touch, tying in directly with the work on show and immediately adding a sense of involvement for visitors (I won't share my woeful attempt but I did enjoy having a go!)
The exhibition is a collection of over 300 artworks, letters and objects, curated to take you on a journey through the life and works of this great author and artist. Because I have always thought of Tate Britain as an art gallery, the whole experience reminded me of the introduction in our first session to the concept of a Museum in the 21st Century.
The International Council of Museums (Icom) sparked global debate when it rejected an amendment to its description of what a museum is.
The new working defined museums as "democratising, inclusive and polyphonic spaces for critical dialogue" and acknowledged their aim to "contribute to human dignity and social justice, global equality and planetary wellbeing."
On the course we unanimously favoured the newer version because it was more progressive, dynamic and inclusive, more about dialogue and less about acting as somewhat staid and conservative storage.
Have a look and see what you make of it all...
Current version
Suggested new version
Storytelling and involvement
Back to Blake.... the way a story is told as you move through a museum has always fascinated me, together with the ways visitors are invited to take part in proceedings.
At the Blake exhibition the pencils and invitation to sketch as you go was a lovely touch, tying in directly with the work on show and immediately adding a sense of involvement for visitors (I won't share my woeful attempt but I did enjoy having a go!)
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