Artifact #9 Response

      In the "Spirit of Sharing," Carol Vogel describes how museum officials are updating their websites to attract attention from viewers. In the past, most museum websites posted little more than the institution's hours, admission prices, and exhibitions. Now their pages include pictures of pictures, behind the scenes videos, and commentary from staff and professionals. One video allowed viewers to watch the construction of a twenty eight foot tepee inside the museum. Not only have museum personnel updated their websites, but they have actively participated in social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Four Square, and Twitter. The museum's presence on these sites has drawn much attention from the public and has sparked an interest in a great number of people that would have been virtually impossible without the assistance of technological improvements and the Internet. Vogel notes that it is important not to get too caught up in fads. Right now, almost everyone is on social networking sites. Fads come and go and you can't put too much stock into something that might not be around for the long run. These sites allow people to voice their opinions on various topics concerning the museum. People can have a say in what goes on at the museum and they can get involved with the activities being organized by the museum.
      I think it is a great idea for museums to turn towards technology and really use the popularity of the Internet to draw attention towards the museums. I don't think of museums as a very popular place. Kids and teenagers don't talk about hanging out at the museum over the weekend. They could use all the help they can get in drawing people into the museums. Giving people a close and personal look at what goes on inside the museums makes them feel more involved and increases the likelihood that they will initiate discussions with other people on what's going on within the museums. It also may cause people to begin talking with museum staff and help coordinate new activities and spread the word concerning these activities. When museum officials organize an event, getting the word out is half the battle. Posting an event on the Internet can spark a reaction that will end up spreading the word to thousands of people. The Internet is a wonderful place for anybody to broadcast to an extremely large audience. I think a lot of people would admit to being bored when it comes to the art and history of museums, but there is such a wide array of exhibits that I think the museums would be able to appeal to almost anyone. Exposing the exhibits over the Internet might gain popularity among people that would have never gone to a museum. One thing I would worry about when exposing all this information over the web is that it may take away from people actually attending the museum and experiencing the exhibits in person. If people can take online tours and find background information on the Internet, will they still feel the need to go to the museum and see everything in person?