With regards to progress on my thesis, I can keep this update short.
I am continuing to work on writing the various sections of it. By the end of today (March 20)
I hope to only have my introduction/conclusion/implications left to write, and
I will tackle those in the following week. I have also prepared and presented a first
draft of my thesis poster, which I will work to improve in the coming weeks.
I am continuing to work on writing the various sections of it. By the end of today (March 20)
I hope to only have my introduction/conclusion/implications left to write, and
I will tackle those in the following week. I have also prepared and presented a first
draft of my thesis poster, which I will work to improve in the coming weeks.
Today I’d like to write a bit about inspiration, specifically how it can be found
in unexpected places. For example, I would not have expected to find inspiration
for Native Peoples of the Americas at an aquarium in Canada, but I did.
This past weekend I visited the Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto, ON, Canada.
While wandering around in their Canadian Waters exhibit, I noticed that instead of traditional
labels accompanying each tank, there were screens that would rotate through the
various occupants of the tanks and give facts about them. This, to me, seemed like a
brilliant solution in many respects. For example, it makes updating or correcting information
easier than having to create a whole new label, as the screen could simply be turned off, a
correction could be made in the program, and it could be turned back on with minimal lag time.
Similarly, if there is a large variety of fish in a tank (or, in my case, objects in a case), but
minimal space available for text, then a single scrolling or interactive screen could save space.
And then, if the screen is a touchscreen, this not only gives visitors a low-level interactive to
participate in by scrolling through and looking at the information in “bite-sized” sections, but
allows for greater connections between items (or fish) on display via linking and internal reference.
in unexpected places. For example, I would not have expected to find inspiration
for Native Peoples of the Americas at an aquarium in Canada, but I did.
This past weekend I visited the Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto, ON, Canada.
While wandering around in their Canadian Waters exhibit, I noticed that instead of traditional
labels accompanying each tank, there were screens that would rotate through the
various occupants of the tanks and give facts about them. This, to me, seemed like a
brilliant solution in many respects. For example, it makes updating or correcting information
easier than having to create a whole new label, as the screen could simply be turned off, a
correction could be made in the program, and it could be turned back on with minimal lag time.
Similarly, if there is a large variety of fish in a tank (or, in my case, objects in a case), but
minimal space available for text, then a single scrolling or interactive screen could save space.
And then, if the screen is a touchscreen, this not only gives visitors a low-level interactive to
participate in by scrolling through and looking at the information in “bite-sized” sections, but
allows for greater connections between items (or fish) on display via linking and internal reference.
While it was already my intention to recommend the inclusion of digital and/or touchscreens
to Native Peoples, if for no other reason than to bring the exhibit firmly into the 21st century
and provide visitors with a “moving” or interactive element, having seen them in action in a
museum setting (I believe that, as formal collecting institutions, aquariums and zoos should
be considered part of the larger museological family) confirms my initial belief that they
might be a good solution for the RMSC.
to Native Peoples, if for no other reason than to bring the exhibit firmly into the 21st century
and provide visitors with a “moving” or interactive element, having seen them in action in a
museum setting (I believe that, as formal collecting institutions, aquariums and zoos should
be considered part of the larger museological family) confirms my initial belief that they
might be a good solution for the RMSC.
A pair of sharks swim past at the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Jess, I completely agree that aquariums and zoos belong in our family! And, I am glad that you included this incidental learning from a site visit in your discussion of recommendations for your thesis. There are, indeed, many ways that technology can help museums reach audiences in meaningful ways without simply being the shiny thing in the space! Keep chipping away at these last parts of your thesis. I look forward to reading your final thesis! Good luck!
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