And that's it! The end of the June conference run with the MuseumNext XR Summit. Thanks again to Jim Richardson for hosting a fantastic set of innovators and to Robin White Owen, Paige Dansinger, and Celeste Fetta Neff for the encouragement to seek out events like these!
What are my #MuseumInnovation takeaways?
1. The first, and most important, is that the various ways we tell narrative experiences continues to e x p a n d.
- The Ephesus Experience, a 1500 year long story of a lesser known city dedicated to Artemis using alternating mythical and historical figures, was created by ATELIER BRÜCKNER and MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST . They opted for something temporary, movable, impressively multi-sensoral, and headset free.
- In contrast, seated 360 films like "Bearing Witness" and "West to Westerbrook" created by East City Films and Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center use creative visual effects while connecting visitors with survivors of the Holocaust to hear their stories firsthand. Their detailed VR headset rig and dedication to survivor's stories tipped the decision to create a permanent exhibition space.
-Let's not forget about massive historical sites! The Franziskanermuseum and NUMENA remind visitors that, in German, the word for story and history is the same. Their tablet application had visitors play the part of investigators as they "spoke with" with both ancient ghosts and ex-curators, with their phone app used GPS treasure hunts to get visitors to explore the tumulus and "solve the mystery".
2. Accessible tools are crucial for long term scalability, particularly for public institutions or public purposes. Ben Erwin I know you'll love this one!
- The Smithsonian Institution's 3D Team, led by Vincent Rossi, is opting for open source solutions over applications, ensuring wider reach and easier maintenance. Their open source DAM pipeline means that new web based experiences can be built faster, work across more devices, and be built far more efficiently.
- "Memories of Mexico" by IVAR Studios and Sweden's National Museum of World Culture, brings the rich history of Mexico to life via classic point and click storytelling. By creating an extremely accessible WebXR experience, students and teachers could easily access the content on school issued laptops, making the barrier for use very low.
3. A solid collaborative partner is key, particularly in the arts.
-Collaboration shone in every single presentation I attended. The work of MediaCombo + the Pollock Krasner House & Study Center and Everson Museum Of Art resurrected the studios of famous artists or location based commissioned works .
-I was struck by the vision of Bozar when they decided to celebrate 100 years of Surrealism by bringing in 8 artists for an AR Surrealism takeover of the museum.
In short, the future of museums is immersive, interactive, and inclusive. Let's talk?
Maeve Jones Dean Browell Brent Ward, CIP Christian Greuel Mark Lambert
M.A., Media Psychology, Fielding Graduate University
1wFantastiv...ummm....shall we say "prompt?" I lvoe all Magritte, but I b leave this one suits the topic.