The impact of state-of-the-art technology on the previously untouched cultural landscape, particularly, in this case museums, is well documented. Whether this attempt to introduce advanced technology into museums would help enlighten visitors or be more likely to just entertain them is the subject of the two texts. Despite the increase in cost to museums of introducing technology, the recent increasing introduction of technology into museum culture has continued to rise. It is inevitable that, despite the increase in the cost of introducing technology, technology will continue to rise, so that we can transform stuffy old museums into museums with a fashionable 21st-century face.
The first text puts forward the idea that the current trend toward an active but effective collaboration between museums and cutting edge technology has changed our rather distant relationship with artefacts, prehistoric remains and art more accessible to everyone, regardless of educational background, age and occupation. Consequently, the use of digitalisation has tickled some curators’ imagination, so that their collaboration can be appealing to even young children, as a matter of fact, it can touch and stimulate all of the senses leaving none desired. Ultimately, a stagnant museum metamorphosed into a vigorous active learning space and this metamorphosis can move into the mainstream.
In contrast to the first text, the second text takes issue with these neo-museums avoiding their responsibility to educate and inform us and replacing it with expensive entertainment. While providing children and grown-up children with expensive toys is infantilising them, allowing experimentation surrounded by artefacts, prehistoric remains and art might help us to use their own imagination and develop their thinking skills to learn about these subjects on their own initiative. In this case, the inherent artistic, historical and educational value of the museum’s collection should not be dependent on how it is presented. It is surprising given that an old fashioned museum can be inherently suitable for all generations.
After taking the above aspects into account, I have come to the more nuanced view that future museums could have both characteristics; one would be an actively interactive style using digital technology as a fashionable 21st- century face while keeping elements of traditional low-tech style providing a comfort zone for technophobes. Considering the fact that museums have a long history of protecting us about various facets of humanity and the natural world over a millennium, museums are highly likely to continue playing this vital role. In order to do so, museums must be relevant, attractive and appealing to future generations, therefore, this coexistence needs to strike the right balance between conflicting requirements.
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