Broaden the appeal!
30/07/08 16:52
I love space history and I love space museums. But, I
already know the stories and history and meaning of
the artifacts and pictures and spacecraft on display.
You may know about this, too, if you are a space buff. But most people do not. Ask a friend to name some astronauts. He might come up with Armstrong or Glenn. Ask the friend when men first walked on the moon. He probably won’t get it right, and he might even believe that men never walked on the moon.
And, in many space exhibits, the curatorship is minimal or just rather bland. I want to know more than the name of the spacecraft and when it was flown. I want someone to tell me a story.
People -- nearly everybody -- loves and interesting story, well-told. And, in the history of space explorations, there are zillions of stories to tell. Some museums do a good to great job. And some just cater to people like me: people who already know the stories.
I’d like to see these space museums be more successful, get more visitors, reach more people and get people who never thought much about space travel to get excited about it. Even a space museum with less than top notch artifacts can do this: “present an interesting story, well-told.” Tell it with photos, and video, and audio. If possible, add interactivity. Stimulate people’s senses and make the stories come alive.
And if you can do this with great artifacts, so much the better.
You may know about this, too, if you are a space buff. But most people do not. Ask a friend to name some astronauts. He might come up with Armstrong or Glenn. Ask the friend when men first walked on the moon. He probably won’t get it right, and he might even believe that men never walked on the moon.
And, in many space exhibits, the curatorship is minimal or just rather bland. I want to know more than the name of the spacecraft and when it was flown. I want someone to tell me a story.
People -- nearly everybody -- loves and interesting story, well-told. And, in the history of space explorations, there are zillions of stories to tell. Some museums do a good to great job. And some just cater to people like me: people who already know the stories.
I’d like to see these space museums be more successful, get more visitors, reach more people and get people who never thought much about space travel to get excited about it. Even a space museum with less than top notch artifacts can do this: “present an interesting story, well-told.” Tell it with photos, and video, and audio. If possible, add interactivity. Stimulate people’s senses and make the stories come alive.
And if you can do this with great artifacts, so much the better.
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