what will the museum of the future be like?

Changing role of the Curator?

Hi guys,

In an essay I currently writing I hypothesize about the potential affects of crossmedial exhibitions and the role of the curator in museums.

It appears to be that these days, museums have both historically and social purposes and that public museums are changing their educational as well as recreational roots by moving closer to leisure tourism by becoming crossmedial attractions.

Do you think that the role of the curator is changing when museums are choosing to anticipate more on their audiences and their exhibitions are becoming more and more an attraction?

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Permalink Reply by Peter Gale on May 15, 2012 at 10:01pm

Naomi, in this sort of question, you might want to more fully and directly explain the term 'crossmedial' as you, yourself, personally use it. Others may have their own definition or notion for such a term. Same for 'leisure tourism'.

I would imagine that your essay will outline these terms more fully, along with the evolving role of a museum as you see it, but also as you have heard others characterize it (so that your hypothesis reflects your investigation of this topic, and its complexity, as background).

The role of the curator may be changing, along with the roles played by others in a museum, and their relative consequences/inputs? Your paper will have to recognize this subtle development, and not perpetuate concepts that may lie in the past.

Collection presentations, special exhibitions, related programs, etc., have always been used by a museum as an attraction. Perhaps it is the nature or mix of the ingredients and a museum's intentions that is evolving, but also audience expectations and personal experiences? Who may be driving what?