Giovanni Kanter, a 25-year-old ICU nurse, visits at least one art museum whenever he travels to a new city, in addition to regularly exploring galleries in New York. He discovers new artists and gallery openings through word of mouth and social media, and is currently interested in surrealism.
As the son of a painter and nephew of mixed-media artists, Kanter was exposed to visual art from a young age, visiting galleries and shows in Dallas and France.
Museums play a significant role in educating people about art, and many institutions are working to broaden their appeal and make their collections more accessible.
Museums and Data-Driven Decision Making
According to Hilary Knight, director of Change& in London, museums are changing their role to be more participatory and centers for discussion and encounter. To achieve this, many museums are using data to inform decisions about how to present their collections.
The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has collaborated with academics from leading business schools to explore how data and analytics can improve visitor experiences. A study by Ali Aouad, Abhishek Deshmane, and Victor Martínez de Albéniz used data from visitor interactions with digital multimedia guides to gain insights about visitor movement and identify optimal locations for pieces.
They found that visitors respond to both the physical location of works and their placement on digital guides.
Personalization and the Museum Experience
Museums are using data to provide personalized recommendations and tailor the visitor experience. This raises concerns about how museums should wield this power and whether they have a duty to expose visitors to a diverse group of works.
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Experts believe that curators should make intentional recommendations rather than simply predicting preferences. Hilary Knight said, “Showing people artworks that you think they’re going to like actually is a disservice. One of the roles of art is to challenge you and to present you with things that you might not like or might not realize you like.”
The use of data and technology in museums is not limited to personalization. It is also being used to analyze collections databases, visitor records, and operational data, and to support conservation and virtual restoration efforts.
The Future of Museums and Technology
Museums are taking a thoughtful approach to evaluating the various options available to them, and are focusing on using technology to enhance the visitor experience rather than simply adopting new trends. Elena Villaespesa, head of digital analytics at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, advises museums to ground their decisions in a user-centered perspective and to experiment with new technologies, but with evaluation and a clear motivation behind it.
Ultimately, museums aim to strike a balance between using data and technology to enhance the visitor experience and maintaining their role as creative spaces. As Lisa van den Bos, product manager for digital education at the Van Gogh Museum, said, “They are creative spaces in the end. It will always be a place where the story is leading and the creativity is leading.”
Researchers believe that data-driven and creativity-driven approaches are compatible, and that insights from tools such as digital guides can lead to more compelling narratives and a better visitor experience. Abhishek Deshmane said, “Use this tool first to create compelling narratives, and then use the data that is generated for future purposes of creating more compelling narratives with the physical space as well.”
The team is working to create a more merger of technology and art, which will enhance the overall experience.