Are Museums Still Important in the Digital Age? - Athena Dumlao
In today’s day and age, the internet could allow anyone to see anything at any point. Things that you would once have to take a trip to see, you could potentially see whenever. Yet, museums still get much traction, why? Some museums are still known as must-visits, a bucket list spot for anyone traveling. So, are museums still important in the digital age?
Firstly, when museums are mentioned, one might think of a specific niche; but there are multiple types of museums. Besides the ever-popular art museums, there are science, history, and more oddly specific museums. This is also one of the reasons that someone might prefer museums; with the present, you can simply think of an interesting topic and most likely have a museum covering everything and more.
For this example, say we are talking about art museums specifically. The main feature in most is the original artworks that you can only find in that museum. If your main objective is to be able to observe and analyze the artwork, you can argue that you can get more worth from looking up the art digitally. However, at some point, there is definitely a level that photography and online recreations cannot replicate. For example, on an original canvas painting, a photo can only capture so much of the real detail.
Overall, one could probably live life with museums not existing in this current day. However, I do think that museums could improve the artistic and ‘academic’ life of everyone.
Personally, I still think museums are relevant in today's age. Many are designed to preserve historic things. I see your point about being able to look up the object digitally, but I think it would be more exciting to see that object in real life. For example, I could look up a picture of the Mona Lisa, but I would receive a better experience by seeing the original painting at the Louvre in Paris. Overall, I can see your opinion about the existence of museums, but I think they are still relevant to today's society.
ReplyDelete-Timothy Park
I think that this is a pretty interesting topic, and I do think that museums are still relevant. I understand that online museums and being able to look at artifacts and paintings online is a wonderful resource. However, there is something that makes a piece more special when looking at it in person rather than online.
ReplyDelete-Ana
I also think that museums are still relevant. While you can look up lots of things on the internet, you have no way of knowing if they are real. Anyone can put anything they want on the internet. Museums serve as a reliable source, especially museums that also put their collections online; they provide a reliable source that can be accessed quickly over the internet as well as the benefits of being physically with an object if you have more time.
ReplyDelete-Nibaw
Museums are indeed a way to peer into the past; by observing physical objects up close, one can notice far more things than if they were just to look at it on a computer screen. Although technology and Virtual Reality is becoming much more advanced, to some extent, the digital and physical world are still separate. The internet is not yet mature enough to simulate real world interactions, meaning that at least for now, in-person museums are a more full experience compared to virtual tours/images. I personally was never a fan of museums, but they are still have an important place in society.
ReplyDeletejosh
I see how museums may become more obsolete as we get deeper into the digital age, however I also see the point of view of those who prefer seeing things up close and in person at museums. There's something to be said about seeing artwork for yourself, and I think some people also just enjoy the experience itself of going out and looking at museums displays. It can feel more personal and meaningful, while looking at things through the internet could be considered impersonal.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a pretty interesting topic, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic still going on. In my opinion, museums are still relevant. I think there's something that you just cannot get as an online experience. Going in person has a special feel, with moments you can't get by virtual tours. Overall, this is a great prompt and I liked the way you explained the dilemma in detail.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important part of a musuem is the verification of authenticity. On many sites, it is hard to verify, as anyone can make a website for relatively cheap, at least compared to a museum. The ability to look at things from any angle is also a plus, but that's just me.
ReplyDelete