Gianluca Nicchiotti raised the issue of the virtual museum yet again.  While
I think it's a significant cultural issue, I also think we are
over-empowering the concept.

When museums first became major public spaces, inexpensive colour printing
had not been envisaged.  The introduction of lavishly illustrated, coloured,
coffee table books and low-cost illustrated art, science, decorative art,
technology and nature books of all kinds in the second half of this century
did not put museums out of business, despite the fact that an awful lot of
the illustrations were sourced from their collections.  Rather they tended
to inspire cultural tourism, and popularise museums, galleries, block-buster
exhibitions.....

In fact the more you could see the reproduction, the more you wanted to see
the original.

With the best will in the world, computerised reproduction is rarely of as
high quality as a good quality book.   Though it does have additional
advantages - close-ups, moving the object spatially, cross-referencing - and
it's fun to use, but, unlike books you can't take your computer to bed
(yet).

Rather than putting us out of business, the virtual museum is surely more
likely to have the same effect as the books did - strengthen the desire to
see the real thing - rather than become a substitute for the museum itself.
 It's a great second best, but its definitely SECOND best.

Heleanor Feltham
Powerhouse Museum
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