tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post8273476001916828051..comments2024-03-07T06:04:27.839-08:00Comments on Museum 2.0: In Support of IdiosyncrasyNina Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11723930679606298550noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-83183883107609045642010-03-30T12:00:08.865-07:002010-03-30T12:00:08.865-07:00Kelly, great point. I'm fascinating by compani...Kelly, great point. I'm fascinating by companies like Pixar, IDEO, etc. that are huge but seem to maintain a really active creative environment to cultivate staff. Making museums into "learning environments" for staff - in which everyone is encouraged to experiment, engage, get involved - is a huge question mark for most institutions. I'd love to hear more about institutions that promote idiosyncratic working environments as well as visitor experiences!Nina Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11723930679606298550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-69984740433061028062010-03-24T21:51:53.318-07:002010-03-24T21:51:53.318-07:00I am not in the museum industry, but I am an avid ...I am not in the museum industry, but I am an avid museum attendee. I too am a fan of the idiosyncratic, “unforgettable” museum. Some of my favorite museum experiences have been at “off the wall” institutions. However, even though it may seem safe, there are times when I enjoy knowing what I’m getting into with my museum experience. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for museums being unique or finding their niche. But at the same time I feel there is a time and place for the more conventional museum format. It’s true that idiosyncratic museums are interesting because, by definition, they’re different and may get me thinking about things in a way I haven’t before. But on the flip side, there are days when I just want to go to a gallery and see some dinosaur bones or a Monet and know how they’ll be presented. For me there’s something relaxing and comfortable about the “old school” museum, even if it is just the same as a hundred others.Audreynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-39345309110256415142010-03-18T18:30:17.849-07:002010-03-18T18:30:17.849-07:00This is a post that resonates in the museum field ...This is a post that resonates in the museum field and many other creative and educational fields. Your specific points are useful because what we need to look at is the process that a team undergoes to build both meaningful and innovative exhibits and programs. Based on the comments above, several museums have a process that allows staff to voice multiple perspectives on a topic, and where, hopefully, the museum's leadership values them as well. I am interested in building some clarity and understanding about the process of creative teams that are successful in producing Idiosyncratic museums.Kelly Brisboishttp://www.mystorycatcher.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-41772160876166919102010-03-15T21:22:46.025-07:002010-03-15T21:22:46.025-07:00Great post!
I too love idiosyncratic museums.
...Great post! <br /><br />I too love idiosyncratic museums. <br /><br />I should also admit I can't stand chain-corporations whether or not they try to be idiosyncratic, which incidentally I feel they always fail at because its not something you can fake, sure you can make things look idiosyncratic but they will feel too staged unless there is that real passion behind it. <br /><br />It's for this reason that I think you are 100% right, such idiosyncratic museums have a really unique selling point that they should not shy away from and wish they were like the cookie cutter museums. <br /><br />A book I've been meaning to read for ages, terms them "offbeat museums" which I really like as a term. I have no idea if the book is any good, but, here it is (I thought it looks like an interesting book to have in the car when driving to random places):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Offbeat-Museums-Americas-Weirdest-Wackiest/dp/1579122566/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1HUDHK40U9OG5&colid=3CHHCU0DBU07A" rel="nofollow">Offbeat Museums: A Guided Tour of America's Weirdest and Wackiest Museums ~ by Saul Rubin. (amazon link)</a> <br /><br />Cheers, <br /><br />Dan.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-2506752800756701352010-03-15T18:55:31.037-07:002010-03-15T18:55:31.037-07:00I agree completely. I think the reason why my smal...I agree completely. I think the reason why my small science centre has retained an idiosyncratic identity is through our regular production of in-house exhibitions and one-off exhibits. <br /><br />Anyone in the organisation (we are beginning to grow larger, with about 100 staff now including casual floor staff) can suggest an exhibit. And we can get involved with the process the whole way through.<br /><br />Political and financial concerns to hamper us on occasion, however. Particularly the saleability of the exhibitions we develop, as this is our largest source of income.<br /><br />Our workshop team is about20-25 strong, and I truly think that without them we would lose a great deal of the personality and responsiveness we are able to exude today.Sassahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014724243476761876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-68036207504805033272010-03-15T16:57:31.645-07:002010-03-15T16:57:31.645-07:00@Nina,
The most "idiosyncratic" museums...@Nina,<br /><br />The most "idiosyncratic" museums (including many interesting ones in the science center and children's museum genres --- you need to get out more!) don't need "support" because they just get on with it and make cool stuff.<br /><br />It is not surprising that many, if not most, of the examples you cite were started by strong (idiosyncratic?) founders who did/do not put up with "design by committee" and "agree to anything to get the grant" mentalities common in larger institutions.<br /><br />@Jack Kirby<br />The problem with "design firms" is not the similar "look" in the end products, it's the "paint by numbers" approach of getting to the end products --- which really does matter to genuine visitors.POW! (Paul Orselli Workshop, Inc.)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05111591384018210698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-7320961302364889492010-03-15T16:54:52.297-07:002010-03-15T16:54:52.297-07:00Very smart post, Nina. I'm also very partial ...Very smart post, Nina. I'm also very partial to the funky, eccentric, and untrendy in museums. <br /><br />I'd agree with all of your analyses of what is behind the increased homogenization of museum display, and would also suggest that the overall professionalization of many fields involved in museum display (interpretive planning, tourism planning, place-making/branding, public history, museum education, as well as exhibit design itself) contributes hugely to this. Not only does it create a set of templates that people tend to default to, and a network of firms working across the whole museum landscape, but professional networks of association where people share ideas and practices. This is a positive development in many ways, but I think you're right that we need to fight to preserve idiosyncracy (in ourselves as well as our institutions and communities) to balance all of these networks!CATHY STANTONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471830785628905120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-10647955342313419192010-03-15T14:30:26.831-07:002010-03-15T14:30:26.831-07:00I agree with you about idiosyncrasy. I get tired s...I agree with you about idiosyncrasy. I get tired slogging through "cookie-cutter" exhibits. I start to glaze-over after a while because I know what to expect next.<br /><br />However, being a graphic designer, I NEED to have well-designed text panels and pleasing arrangements. Some less slick exhibits that I've been drawn to seem to have thrown good design out the window. I can't think of how many times I've wanted to put a note in the suggestion box (if there is one) "Please add more leading to your text, please!!" So, if there is a way to have good design combined with unusual design, that would be ideal!Nadjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324731009841217144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-48122039531988896972010-03-15T14:26:22.392-07:002010-03-15T14:26:22.392-07:00I don't disagree with much of this post, but I...I don't disagree with much of this post, but I would reiterate a point I've made elsewhere, regarding your point that "design firms' projects often have a common look across different cities and institutions." I'd suggest it's mainly professionals who notice this - genuine visitors are unlikely to see as many examples of Firm X's work as those of us who are actively comparing similar organisations in different places.<br /><br />Having said this, my own organisation, a combination of museum and science centre, does attempt (and, I think, often succeeed) to maintain a distinct flavour to our exhibitions, in response to demand from our audience for locally and regionally relevant content that shows the relevance of science to our lives rather than purely abstract phenomena. This means that whether it's selecting items from our historical collections, developing exhibits based on recent research in local universities, or inviting local people to curate content with us, we try to make our exhibits unique. This approach extends through to the briefing we give designers and I believe that, while we're not the most idiosyncratic museum I've ever visited, our exhibitions are very memorable.Jack Kirbyhttp://uk.linkedin.com/in/jackkirby1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37032121.post-51975660143726521422010-03-15T14:26:16.927-07:002010-03-15T14:26:16.927-07:00We are a smallish prehistoric/historic Native Amer...We are a smallish prehistoric/historic Native American culture Museum. We began to actively collaborate with similarly themed museums in about a 2-3 hour driving radius. Our collaboration is one of cross-promotion, and more importantly, complimentary vs. redundant programs. We try to work to our individual strengths in exhibits and program as opposed to mimicking the success of nearby institutions. In so doing, our intent is to do away with the cookie-cutter set of identical experiences from site to site. Perhaps not terribly idiosyncratic, but at least moving a little more toward the end of the bell shaped curve.Robert Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13561929510587003686noreply@blogger.com