Guggety Guggety Guggety: An overview of the Guggenheim-Ney York museum

Immediately upon opening the website you know exactly where you are. Across the main banner is the name of the museum in large font and completely in capital letters: GUGGENHEIM. Since there are other Guggenheim museums around the world, the name of the city the museum is located in is also on the front. But just incase you were looking for a Guggenheim located in another country, you are in luck. This is because there are links to all of the other museums on the front page.

Also on the main page is a scrolling banner that outlines some of the exhibits currently on display at the museum. Further down there is another list with clickable links to current special exhibits, as well as those that are coming soon, along with some important museum related news and events. Last, but certainly not the least, is a long line of tabs integrated into the main banner, as well as at the bottom of the page. Some of these tabs allow you to scroll over them with your mouse, and it will open up sub categories to allow you to insure that you navigate to the exact page you wish to view; even if you need that page in another language!

Each of the clickable tabs will navigate you to another page with more specific information. Some of the more interesting tabs are the 'visit us' tab, which contains all of the information pertaining to the museum location, hours of operation, how to buy tickets, menus for the restaurant, and even a map of the museum. There is also a tab for the ' calendar & events', 'about us', 'membership', as well as tabs for the 'exhibitions', and 'collections', which have pictures, articles and much much more. Under the 'connect' section there is a vast supply of ways to experience, or enhance the museum experience. Social networking sites such as facebook, myspace, and twitter have been integrated, as well as links to pictures, videos, audio tours, podcasts, media feeds, and even a website to make and send your own electronic greeting cards. If there is a way to keep you interested in the museum, it will be located here.

The mission statement for not only the New York Guggenheim museum, but for the entire Guggenheim Foundation is: "to promote the understanding and appreciation of art, architecture, and other manifestations of visual culture, primarily of the modern and contemporary periods, and to collect, conserve, and study the art of our time." I feel that the website helps to achieve these goals in many ways. For starters, the amount of the digitized information available is pretty substantial and widely available to the public in many different forms of media.

I believe that the website is extremely effective. All of the information is laid out in a format that is easy to access, and the search feature is phenomenal. You can search by artist, title, date, artwork type, and even movement type. There appears to be something for everyone, whether you are an occasional web surfer or a technological-pro, information and enjoyment can be found by the boatloads at the Guggenheim-Ney York website.

The website can be view at the following link:
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york

Fossilized Remains of the Connor Museum

The museum exhibit I chose to review is located in the Conner Museum at Washington State University. This exhibit did not have a visible title but focused primarily on a dinosaur named Prosaurulophus maximus; also known as the ‘duck billed‘ dinosaur. The objectives of the exhibit were not entirely clear, but I believed they were centered around providing the public with some basic information about this dinosaur and others in the same family: Hadrosaurus. These dinosaurs lived approximately 75 million years ago during the Cretaceous period and were most likely vegetarians. They probably ate conifers and other swamp grasses judging by their broad and flat teeth, which caused them to wear very quickly. Luckily, these dinosaurs were able to grow their teeth back quickly and almost always had others waiting to replace the damaged or missing ones. These dinosaurs also had rough skin, much like that of a football.

This exhibit was pretty large in retrospect to some of the other exhibits in the museum, and most likely required a substantial amount of work to complete. Unlike most of the other exhibits that consisted of taxidermied animals, this exhibit housed faux fossilized remains that spanned the entire width of the room. The centerpiece of the exhibit was a painted plaster cast of an actually fossilized ‘duck billed’ dinosaur. It was as long as the room was wide and as tall as the ceiling was high. With dimensions like this, is was not housed in an actual glass case like many of the other exhibits. It was instead left out in the open for patrons to witness, almost unshrouded completely. The only material suggesting museumgoers not to touch, were some very short wooden poles; loosely tied together with rope. There was also some archeological tools scattered around the base of the plaster-dino to simulate an actual dig. These tools consisted of a small pic hammer, handheld broom, and some other odds and ins. Finally there was a small poster, and an even smaller sheet of paper on stands for patrons to read from. The poster contained all of the data regarding the exhibit, along with an actually picture of a fossilized skin sample from one of these creatures, as well as a computer generated image of what the dinosaur might have looked like in its heyday. And the small piece of paper was just s written thank you to all those that helped create the exhibit.

The exhibit was initially very appealing to me and is one of those setups that catches your eye from the beginning and reels you in. The sheer size of the exhibit quite literally could not be contained by the traditional practices of the Connor Museum, but for some reason it just worked. The openness of the exhibit gives you the feeling of being on a dig and provides just as much of the ’wow’ factor as if it were an actual fossil. The plaster provides great detail of what the real skeleton would have looked like, even showing the broken ribs that the animal had at the time of it’s fossilization. However, when you look at the rest of the exhibit in detail, it is actually kind of disappointing. For one there is no title to give a quick description or let you know what the exhibit is about. There is some information displayed on a poster mounted to a stand, but really some more information about the dinosaur would have been great. I can think of a few things off the top of my head: where it was originally excavated, who excavated it/ discovered it, what type of material it was fossilized in, or really anything else that tells the story or helps paint a mental picture of the dinosaur or its discovery. Some of the information contained on the poster is actually kind of hard to follow and slightly confusing. The poster stated that the skin of this dinosaur is like that of a football or a baseball. In my mind, theses are two completely different textures. A baseball has a feel of soft smooth leather, and the football of a harder more bumpy and textured material.

I really did like this exhibit and I have always been fascinated by dinosaurs, or any other creature that is extinct for that matter. I like how the display was setup and felt that it really conveyed the feelings of an archeological dig. There were very few things I would have changed, and really I would not have changed the exhibit at all, but rather just enhance it. I actually wish that there were more exhibits of ancient or extinct creatures in the Connor Museum and displays containing animals which one can see out on a Sunday drive.

Attack of the Smartphones

The New York Times article I reviewed was entitled, The Best Tour Guide May Be in Your Purse by Keith Schneider. The article revolved primarily around museums and art galleries incorporating digital technology into their exhibits. The museums in this article utilized ipod touches, blackberrys, and other smart phones to provide vast amounts of information at patrons finger tips; the likes of which were not possible in the past.

The idea behind incorporating these devices is to develop an experience unlike anything that has ever been seen before. These devices provide access to downloadable content that museumgoers can either upload to their personal phones, or view through phones provided by the museum.

Pictures, information, sounds, videos, and even interactive application are being implemented into these devices. Patrons can now give themselves a tour of the museum with out even having to leave the comfort of their couch. But for those patrons who are present, the experience can be enhanced quite dramatically.

The appearance of technology in museums is not a new trend. Since the 1960’s, audio recorders and audio tours have been utilized in museums to provide a level of interaction above the norm. In 2002 the first cell phone audio tours had already been given, and by 2008 ipod touches had been used to provide multimedia tours.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art celebrated its 75th anniversary by handing out such devices that were pre-loaded with videos, pictures, interviews, and other various forms of information encompassing some 200 pieces of art from the museums permanent collection.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts has taken the interaction with smart phones one step further. They have developed a downloadable application that allows patrons to play virtual instruments in the palm of their hands. They have employed this application in their iAfrica exhibit, which lets the sounds of the lamellaphone come to life.

The Brooklyn Museum of Art is also paving new ground by incorporating new mobile devices. The museum staff has photographed many of the museums collection and have not only posted these online for a digital tour, but also made them available to cell phone carries. They have created a free application that is available through the iPhone store that can be downloaded to any iPhone device.

Aside from free access to media, there is also an opportunity for museums to make a little bit of extra money to offset the cost of these new programs. The Indianapolis Museum of Art is just one example of how this can be done. They charge a nominal fee of $5 to rent a mobile Smartphone-like device, jammed packed with more information than one can shake a stick.

The integration of technology into museums and art galleries is on the rise, and this article helps to inform enthusiasts of where some of these most recent innovations are taking place. By spreading the word about these new highly interactive exhibits, museum directors hope to attract new generations of patrons by providing them with a mode to experience the past, in a way that they can relate to.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/arts/artsspecial/18SMART.html?ref=artsspecial

The effects architecture

The moment I laid eyes on the holocaust museum I was taken back to a time long since passed. To an age of stone and steel. Immediately upon arriving at the museum, I was overwhelmed by the shear size and simplicity of the building. It seemed to be made primarily of concrete, steel, and brick; as if windows were an after thought. Although the concrete entry way looked inviting from the outside, once inside, I felt more or less trapped.

This was because the museum’s architecture was not designed like many of the other museums I had been to. The floor plan was not open and inviting. It did not make you feel at ease. Oh no, everything about the museum seemed suffocating. Darkly colored walls, dimly lit exhibits, tight turning corners with no escape, and not to mention the stuffy, cramped elevator ride into the pits of a re-created hell.

Around every bend, there seemed to be some overwhelming aspect of the architecture which conveyed dark and ominous feelings. Some of the exhibits protruded onto the path of travel, as if to force you to, quite literally, stumble upon them. Towering walls of photos, trunks, and shoes seemed to condense around you at every corner. Walkways consisting of pure iron conveyed the seriousness of the atrocities the museum had on display. All of these aspects and more provided a sense of uneasiness, which is exactly what the curators wanted you to feel.

Although you may be expecting fun and excitement while visiting a museum, the feelings associated with the holocaust museum are of a different sort. It is a very somber experience for most. Some people mourn, some are left shocked, and some simply cannot handle the museum in its entirety. But one thing is for sure, there is a significant effect on the psyche of the patrons who visit this museum, some of which is caused by the architecture. It is just something about a hard rigid structures that can either provide feelings of safety by keeping the bad things out, or a sense of entrapment by keeping things in.

Example of an effective museum

One particular museum that sticks in my mind as being particularly effective according to Weil’s criteria, is the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, located in Wenatchee, Washington. Weil says that in order for a museum to be effective, it must be “demonstrably able to accomplish the purposes they seek to accomplish”.

Now, although this museum does not have a mission statement explicitly written, the action words the museum uses to draw you in are quite apparent; explore, discover, enjoy, create, and experience. All of these action words are pertaining to education the public on the history of north central Washington; from the ice age to the present. This is the museums purpose, but in order for it to be “effective” the museum must be able to accomplish this.

The Wenatchee Valley Museum educates the public in a variety of ways. There are guided and self-guided tours which are open to those both young and old. There are hands on exhibits designed to teach patrons first hand about different eras; specifically the Clovis culture of the ice age, late 1800’s and 1900’s town life and industry, as well as the first trans-pacific flight which just so happened to land in Wenatchee, and much much more.

While providing exhibits and tours is certainly a good way to accomplish the museums goal of education patrons, it would only constitute performing the minimum. Now in order to go above and beyond, the museums provides materials for those people who wish to enjoy the museum but simply cannot make it in. There are “museum-to-you” boxes, which quite literally is an exhibit packed up and delivered to your door. Those employed by the museum will also make house calls to share stories and slideshows of many historic events, along with skits and role-playing done in full costume.

Because the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center seems to go above and beyond achieving their purpose/goal of educating the public about the historical events that took place in and around the Wenatchee valley, I believe that the museum is indeed “effective” by Weis’ criteria.

Adapting the contextual approach

A contextual approach very much keeps to what the museum patron knows and is familiar with. My idea of a museum is that of dinosaur bones, priceless artwork, and other random odds and ends that have some sort of value associated with them. Usually these items are displayed in ways that make them easy to understand and relate to. Artifacts locked up in glass cases, with plaques containing information about them, is the generally accepted method of conveying information, and works out fairly well for museums. But in order for a museum to stay appealing and on the ‘cutting edge’ in this modern era, a more contemporary approach must also be incorporated. Many museums have begun to modernize by incorporating technology into their exhibits. Now, instead of just seeing the bones of extinct animals and reading a short blurb about them on the walls, visitors can now see how the animal might have looked, in astonishingly life like detail. This is all thanks to new age materials, and techniques. Not only are the exhibits more vibrant, but thanks to sounds and animatronics, a dinosaur can now literally walk around an environment and let out a roar. Another way museums are keeping with the times, is by offering interactive exhibits. No longer are the rules of ‘look but don’t touch’ in effect. One example that comes to my mind, is the last time I visited the Seattle aquarium. They had an exhibit set up with a variety of sea creatures in a tank that you could actually get your hands on. The tank was at about waist high, and was primarily designed for children, but provided fun for everyone. This very hands on approach offered the ability to get up close and personal with some very docile sea creatures, like the starfish, for who ever wanted to examine them. In the end, I feel like a healthy mix between old and new is what it is going to take in order for a museum to stay successful in this ever changing world.

How I 'see' a museum

The last ’museum’ I visit was that of the Pacific Science Center, formally known as the Seattle Science Museum. I really enjoyed how the museum was catered towards entertaining the public in an interactive way. Unlike most of the museums I have been to, there was a an element present which was truly unique. What made this museum so special was that the majority of the exhibits were designed for both school children and adults alike. Why this concept works so well has to do with how each of us ‘see’ an exhibit.

Perhaps the easiest way to explain how I see an exhibit might be to recall an event from my childhood. I remember this one in particular because it was quite a common occurrence. One person would ask to see some object expecting it to be handed to them for examination, and instead would be given a witty remark: “You see with your eyes and not your hands”. Although you do physically see with your eyes, the act of actually ‘seeing’ something and understanding it in its entirety is completely different. I feel to truly see something for what it is, every aspect of it must be closely examined: size and color, texture, sound, smell, and even taste (not usually in a museum). All of which can play an intricate role in each person ‘seeing’ what something really is. Whether we know it or not our senses make us critics; especially in a museum. I tend to criticize exhibits and works in a museum far more than I would judge something simply walking down the street. I utilize all my senses, some of which feel slightly heightened.

The first thing I notice when I walk into a museum, even before my eyes fully adjust, is how it smells. Some museums tend to be musky and smell as old as the exhibits they are showing, while others can possess that new-museum smell. Once my eyes adjust, I examine how the lighting is used to portray some feeling or emotion; whether that be dark and ominous or fun and carefree. As I approach an exhibit closer, occasionally there is some audio describing the specimen, or some ferocious roar originating from the beast; both of which intrigue and excite. When I am finally close enough, and when allowed, I reach out and touch the exhibit. For me, touch might be my most powerful sense when in a museum. Whatever the texture may be, Ii always conjures up thoughts and emotions and has me ; “what does this feel like?“. I feel that it is the collaborative effect of all our senses that enable us to truly ‘see’ something for what it is.