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
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
>
>
>
>
>
> (585) 546-7029 ext. 12
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>