Case studies
MuseumNext 2012 conference
Jim Richardson and Conxa Roda (co-chairs, MuseumNext 2012), and Nancy Proctor (keynote speaker and head of Mobile Strategy and Initiatives at the Smithsonian Institution) at the welcome address for the conference.
Photo: OPH collection
MuseumNext is a series of international forums for debating the future of museums, with a particular focus on the role of technology. At the MuseumNext 2012 conference, held in Barcelona, Spain, in May 2012, more than 340 museum and gallery workers from 30 countries came together to share ideas and projects.
Ms Glenda Smith, Manager, Learning and Interpretation, presented a paper on behalf of the museum. Entitled Interactive Learning Trails: An RFID Success Story, the presentation showcased the school programs that incorporate radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in the museum’s exhibition spaces. It talked about the collaboration between museum educators and software programmers to enable the creation of a rich and engaging experience based on social and democratic learning principles.
The open discussion following the presentation ranged from software operational issues to evaluating learning. It was evident that, although RFID technology is being used in other museums, the museum’s application of the technology to the strong learning principles that underpin its program was unique.
Other sessions at the conference focused on topics such as:
- ensuring that social and digital media strategies align with the organisation’s mission, objectives and business plan
- inviting the community to contribute to content development and curatorship through crowd sourcing
- evaluating online programs
- using augmented reality technology in cultural institutions.
Common themes around the question of how to best use limited resources were developing partnerships; focusing on areas of expertise and specialist knowledge; and linking to what others are doing, rather than reinventing it.
The opportunity to listen and talk with colleagues from institutions as diverse as the Tate, the Smithsonian, the Museum of Modern Art and the Rijksmuseum, among others, was an invaluable learning and networking experience.