Julianna Yau’s blog

This was a great presentation by Brian Porter and Tony Hushion from the ROM

Photos and notes:

-started with video of eye-level view from land animals/insects
-Animal Borne Image Samples
-new museum workers don’t typically have a museum background (more about storytelling)
-polarized opinion of the crystal building at the ROM
-people visiting to see the architecture of the building

The new ROM – who do we aspire to be?
-natural science and art & culture
-urban renewal
-physical location – the Gardiner, the AGO
-reliable and stable institution physically
-separation in governance (judiciary and day-to-day admin)

-attendance is ahead of forecast; people can only be curious about new architecture for so long
-March Break was most successful on record
-construction impacted business because many people thought they were closed (incl. students)
-tons of upcoming programming (only 2 slides photographed)

Shanghai Kaleidoscope show
-all about the technology
-photo of quote on slide
-the “next culture”

Shanghai Historical Photos exhibit
-digital image to showcase Shanghai 100yrs ago
-juxtaposition of two shows

-both exhibitions dependent on technology
-photographs in historical photo exhibit based on their ability to digitalize work

New Media Resources
-Information Technology Services
–Web/database/network/systems
—still need a strong support in the physical
—need strong IT support and support for the infrastructure (e.g. setup of hardware)
—IT people can work with the content people
-Media Productions
–Video/television/multimedia & exhibition/gallery AV
-Publications
–Co-publishing/academic/catalogues
-Digital Image Centre
–Photography/scanning/copying/image licensing
–3D imaging unit
–digitalization of assets is key
–can’t move to the next level without digitalization
-Information Centre
–Rights and Reproductions co-ordinator
–Digital Media Assets co-ordinator

-ROM uses Final Cut Pro for most of their editing
-they have podcasts
-website
–really focused on using it for transactions and registration
–not a rich content site (yet)
–mostly marketing site
-ROM on FB
-ArtShare FB app

What is the concept of the mindful museum?
-museum as a masoleum
-museum as a machine
-museum as a metaphor (i.e. the Agora)
-museum as a mall – drained and devoted to pleasure; an attraction (like Disney; no longer about education)
-photo of quote re mindful museum quote
–”being primarily about the objects it contains”
–Louvre – 25 minutes from door to objects
–”mindful museum puts art in your face”
–CBC website podcast –> CBC Ideas –> 1 yr ago, Adam Copnik on the mindful museum (closest I could find was “Canada: Nation or Notion?“… that’s a direct link to the mp3, and I haven’t previewed it yet… also see this blog post)

-photo of projection from show
-because of success of the show getting people to look around, continue to use the space to put art infront of people as soon as they enter
-Sony donated flat screen monitors to ROM
-traditional vs digital donor walls
-digital donor wall – interactive; stories about the donors
–background image is from archival images of building; meant to be blurry and background image
–speaker mounted on ceiling, sound directed to viewer (instead of broadcasting to the entire room)
–not just about donors; also about the history of the ROM

-Digital gallery for education
–manipulate objects on projection
–provide digital options for younger audience who is already using technology at home
–in-house creation and management of content vs outsourcing
–often spend almost as much time with 3rd party as having to do it yourself
–ROM did it in-house

-podast – Constructing the Baronsaurus
-shows recreating a dinosaur at high-speed
-also uploaded to YouTube

-4 flatscreen monitors with touch-screen technology
–interactive display in front of dinosaurs
–didn’t want dioramas
–skeletons only
–images licensed from BBC (Walking with Dinosaurs)
–mindful of the audience

-Dipali (sp??)
-South Asian history and culture
-women in S.A. art
-same thing happening with First Peoples Paul Kane paintings show
–worked with John Basai – filmmaker
–kiosk, browser-based, with info on work
–more info for visitors

-new textiles gallery
-curator had specific ideas of how she wanted to use technology
-texture of textiles
-how they are created
-how a loom works
-video of how suit made

Canadian Mining Hall of Fame
-minerals and ores
-satellite exhibits
-how to take photos and bring that to life?
-used model of donor wall
-part of mining/minerals gallery

-elabelling – current RFP for delivery solution
-necessary for densely stoked display cases

-flatscreens everywhere!!

Schad Gallery of Biodiversity
-snippets that demonstrate life (ref: video at beginning)
-combo of media
-include media studio for ongoing program
–video producer and programmer to create programming for schools etc
-presents social networking web opportunity

Iconic Objects
-new marketing campaign
-must-see iconic pieces (regardless of what their current feature show is)
-short video sequences
-mindful museum – about the objects

Lessons Learned
-enhanced accessibility – audio tours
–transcripts of all podcasts
-evening and weekend IT support
-remote monitoring & updating
-hire for specific skill sets
-donor intervention – how much?
-avoid technology for the sake of technology
-allow time for R&D
-test, test, test

What can small museums do?
-seek curatorial support (test the waters)
-talk to visitors (measure the “groundswell”)
-do a POST assessment:
–people (visitors – enhancing their experience)
–objectives (goals?)
–strategy (providing context, more engagemen?)
–technology (solution)
-involve prospective donors
-develop digital assets

-new book: Bold Visions
-not about passive entertainment
-artifacts are not given a theatre setting

Questions
-how was video produced?
–camera technology

-at what point in development does interactive strategy come into things?
–wanted it to happen early, but due to project evolving, some of that got cut and was reintroduced at the end

-what about changing content?
–plan is that the content will be rotated
–funding exists to do this

-what happens when exhibition closes?
–dinosaur exhibit is permanent, but expect content to be updated

-collaboration & availability; produce in collaboration with other museums? make it available to them?
–not typically a practise to collaborate because of IP issues, but open to the idea where it makes sense
–developing portable content

-digital donor wall
–help with interface (Overdrive)
–content was in-house

-when does the technology become too much? interfering with experience with actual item? filter? adding so many layers?
–audience wants the context being provided through the technology
–objects don’t always speak for themselves
–technology is only one means of expression
–ROM also about education

-Charlene Li + Josh Bernoff
-Forester Research
-Groundswell book

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