The Future Museum of Public Art – Final Files

Here’s a link to the idea that we presented to our classmates in EMA 6361.
Full Presentation:The Future Museum of Public Art

And here’s a web-based prototype that gives a small window in to what we have envisioned.
Web-based prototype: Public Art Prototype

Filed under: Abimbola O. Ijagbemi, Ben Smithson, Catherine Rodriguez, Chelsea Conway, Nico Smith, Sydnie Montgomery

Google to Buy Plink

Article on Google’s purchase of Plink. Plink uses visual search to recognize well-known pieces of art. Makes you think.

Filed under: Ben Smithson

Visit the Sistine Chapel Without Leaving Home

KERA’s Art & Seek blog has been killin’ lately. Perfect timing for our upcoming presentation. This post promotes an interactive guide to the Sistine Chapel.

Filed under: Ben Smithson, art

DMA Survey: In Search of Learning Styles

The Dallas Museum of Art has announced (sort of) results of a 7-year study of visitors. They learned that visitors fell in to different groups of learners. I think we should think about this more.

Filed under: Ben Smithson, artmuseum, DMA

Readings!

Hi guys, please check the shared google doc (only our group has access right now) some time before the end of the weekend so we can get the reading list assigned.  There is a section near the top of the document that has the top reading list contenders filtered out. Please review the readings and voice your opinion.

In other news: here’s a good article about mobile use at museums.

Filed under: Ben Smithson, mobile

Share Your Research Yet?

Hey guys, just a quick reminder to post up links to your research. It’s time for us to vote/decide on the list of assigned reading materials. Please contact me if you don’t understand or if you cannot access the shared google document.

Filed under: Ben Smithson, readings, research

CHNM: Barnum

Part of Dr. Parry’s advice last night was to check out the Center for History and New Media. I’m lurking the site now looking for some ideas to share.

Also, I’m heading to the Modern in Fort Worth on Saturday. I’ll bring my camera and thinking cap… see if I can get in to some trouble.

Filed under: Ben Smithson

Attendence Up, Revenue Down

NY Times quotes research released by the American Association of Museums (AAM) that states that attendance is on the rise. However some museums are struggling financially.

Things to think about:

1. Do you think that people are attending museums because it’s cheaper than some other activity?
2. Does an economic recession cause a shift in culture / consumerism?
3. Is there something irreplaceable about the physicality (having a semi-permanent or permanent location) of a museum?
4. If we propose some virtual museum, what sets it apart from other non-spaces?

Filed under: Ben Smithson

Digital Museums (links)

I thought this was a timely link, since we live in DFW and it is snowing again today.

The Digital Snow Museum (via Coudal.com’s Museum of Online Museums [MOOM])

Filed under: Ben Smithson, links

Benkler, Open Source, SJMA

This book is an easier read compared to the never-ending historical accounts we witnessed in The Nature of the Book or Glut. The first 90 pages read very quickly.

I want to spend a minute discussing the open source model. Benkler gives a description of open source, stating “The person or small group starts by developing a part of this project, up to a point where the whole utility—if it is simple enough—or some important part of it, is functional, though it might have much room for improvement” (p. 66). While the physical nature of the museum (as in, come visit our so-and-so museum at 123 Main St.) continues, it might be good to think about ways in which we could enrich the experience of the museum. Not only that, but think of ways to enrich at no cost, using visitors’ knowledge, opinions and stories to augment the visit experience.

What about the social aspect? Benkler mentions Skype briefly on page 86, but never dives in to the world of using computers as social tools. I’m curious what Benkler would have to say about social networks (via web-based services like FB, etc.) and how they assist in information sharing, storage and retrieval.

This week, I skimmed through a presentation about museums and tech. The head of Information Technology at San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) shared his story on how the museum started with cellphone-based tours all the way through their current iPhone offering.

Filed under: Ben Smithson, museum, open source, peer production