As I mentioned in my last blog post, I'm hoping to combine my Museum Studies senior thesis with my DHSS Capstone project. Because of this, I'd ideally like to do some sort of project that incorporates DHSS elements with Museum Studies concepts, and then write my thesis about the process of working on that project. So far, I have one idea on how to do this, but I'd love feedback or any other suggestions if anyone has them!
My idea for a DHSS/Museum Studies project would be a visitor engagement project centered around 3D scans and printing. As we've all discussed before in our classes, visitors have a desire to touch items that they encounter in museums, but due to the nature of these objects, that usually isn't possible. We've also discussed before the idea of scanning and then 3D printing objects so that visitors could physically engage with them, and how that might enhance the visitor experience. For my thesis, I was thinking of actually putting this idea into action: would placing a 3D scanned and printed version of a museum object near that object in an actual museum enhance the visitor experience? Would it retract from it?
The process for this project would involve me finding a willing institution, either at RIT or in the area, that is willing to let me 3D scan and then print one of the items in their collection. RIT has the tools to do this on campus, and I know people who would be able to assist me with this part of the project. From there, I'd place my 3D print of the object near where the original object is displayed, and do a visitor engagement study into how this affects the museum experience.
My main concern with this project is whether or not it incorporates enough DHSS ideas to be able to count for that degree as well as Museum Studies. I'd need to go and talk to program heads and advisers if I decide to make this project a reality, but I'm thinking I could also create some online component to the experience in order to bring more DHSS elements into it. Maybe a project website or a separate blog tracking its progress, or the creation of an online questionnaire for the visitor survey portion of it.
I don't have this idea fully thought out right now, so if anyone has any suggestions or comments on it I'd love to hear them!!
I love this idea. Something interesting that you could maybe try too is checking to see if completely replacing the item would affect the user's experience as well.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see if you could do this at the RMSC, because they are a more tactile museum but they also have plenty of materials that are original objects which would work well for 3D printing. I think that your idea to document the process is also a really good idea, it would provide a good basis for your thesis and it ties in to the digital even more.
ReplyDeleteThinking of quite a few ideas here, Lizzy. Consider the goal of the facsimile/surrogate. Is it to fulfill the desire to touch? Is it to provide access to mobility (i.e., turn a gear whereas you can't turn the gear on the "real" thing)? It could be useful to consider visitor studies/tracking - though be mindful of the purpose (again, thinking of the RQs). I think of DHSS/MUSE projects as being discrete entities with a core overlap but parts that are uniquely of their own discipline. A good journal to peruse is Visitor Studies.
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