On the subject of technology in museums, I agree, the foundational issues are
media ones, not limited to museums or technology.
 
It seems to me to be essentially true that "the medium is the message."  It's
now an old idea, but too little contemplated by museum people.  Those involved
in the public side of museums, exhibits especially, are media professionals,
whether they realize it or not.  Museums live in that narrow piece of ground
which tries to combine the intellectual rigors of academia with the hard
practicalities of public media.  I believe many of us expend most of our energy
facing the challenges of the former leaving too little for the latter.
 
The impact of the media on the viewer almost always dwarfs the impact of its
content.  Almost all exhibits people seem to know this anecdotally, even if they
can't articulate it.  New media excites young visitors and intimidates older
ones (a stereotype with a strong vein of truth to it). It is almost never
transparent.  Older media (simple text, line drawings) bores some and is a
comfortable old friend to others.  It too is almost mever transparent.
 
Listen to people's descriptions of thier museum visits.  They much more easisly
and readily describe the media ("there was someone demonstrating," "there was a
video," "there was a slide show," "there was a picture," "there was a parade")
than the content.  I think this is becuse it impacted them more that the
content.  This is fascinating to me.
 
Above all, visitors talk about their interaction with museum staff people (a
media experience) even if it was one of the guards.  If one asks adults about
their most memorable experience in a museum the answer often includes
interaction with a museum staff person or an encounter with an incomperable or
personally significant artifact (also a media experience / such as a stack of
gold buillion, a famous work of art, or the Hope diamond).
 
Look even at this listserv.  Its impact on us is shaped far more by its nature
than its content.  We are granted, instant, faceless, body-language-less, safe
communication with hundreds of people at once.  Not only that but we know they
each will have to encounter our submissions.  Note the tone of may of the
responses is far more imperative than discussion oriented ("you should...,"
"contact...").  Some people clearly can't resist commenting on almost everything
and can't resist the urge to try to appear expert on every subject.   Why are so
many responses that might better be sent directly posted to the list?  Many of
us can't resist the seduction of the medium.  Sometimes it seems more like a
dozen people in a room, all talking and no one listenting, or perhaps I just
can't see them listening (another charactersitic of the medium).  Well, enough
ranting about that.
 
The bottom line is that I think media issues are at the core of museum issues
and I especially appreciated some of the referrences related to this issue
provided by others in response to the query. cm
 
 
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Christopher A. Miller
Museum Director
Berea College Museum
CPO 2298
Berea, KY  40404
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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