Hi Lisa!
I agree with Cindy's comments about finding out what the director is
wanting to achieve with music in the galleries. I also wanted to mention
the issue of music licensing, which can be complex and challenging and
should definitely be brought up with your director. There is a helpful
article on the subject on AAM's website:
http://www.aam-us.org/pubs/webexclusive/licensing.cfm
At my museum, we (quietly) play swing music in one corner of our WWII
exhibit to evoke a mood and it seems to go over well with visitors. We
don't have a license for it, but since admission to our institution is
free, I believe we are technically exempt.
Best,
-Anna Musun-Miller.
Curator
Johnson County Museum of History
On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 11:46 AM, Cindy Boyer
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I don't have galleries so can't comment on personal professional
> experience.
>
>
>
> But more and more it seems we are losing museums as a place of
reflection
> and discovery.
>
>
>
> I really love music. For that reason, music in a gallery unrelated to
the
> theme or purpose of the exhibit would be very distracting to me. Music
is
> powerful - it is never "just background." I can't ignore it - I
can't
> choose whether or not to hear it.
>
>
>
> Do you know why your director wants to have the music? If it's to
promote
> the regional music, then it deserves a space of its own. Is he/she is
> uncomfortable in a quiet atmosphere? Would offering ipods or nanos to
loan
> with the music on it work?
>
>
>
> Would your director consider placing video monitors in the exhibits
showing
> locally produced videos, or local crafters, or local personalities?
That
> would certainly be distracting to visually oriented people - it can be
the
> same for music.
>
>
>
> One of the reasons that my husband and I both like to shop at Target
is that
> they don't play music or make announcements. Makes for a much more
peaceful
> shopping experience!
>
>
>
> Cindy Boyer
>
> Director of Public Programs
>
> The Landmark Society of Western New York
>
> 133 S. Fitzhugh St.
>
> Rochester NY 14608
>
> (585) 546-7029 ext. 12
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Fax: (585) 546-4788
>
>
>
> The Landmark Society: Revitalizing Yesterday, Protecting Today, and
> Planning for Tomorrow
>
>
>
> www.landmarksociety.org
>
> Confessions of a Preservationist: The Landmark Society blog
>
> Facebook / MySpace
>
>
>
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf
> Of Lisa Chastain
> Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 11:31 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Music in exhibits
>
>
>
> Listers,
>
>
>
> My director has put to me a request for 'regional music' in all of our
> exhibits. Now, as I curator I balked at the idea of breaking themes of
my
> galleries with random music that has nothing to do with the exhibit
ie. A
> military exhibit or a doctors exhibit. I was wondering of your
opinions
> concerning music in galleries/exhibits, do you have music, have you
rejected
> the idea and why?
>
>
>
> Any opinions would be helpful!
>
>
>
> Thank you!
>
>
>
> Lisa
>
> Curator of Collections and Exhibits
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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