It’s hard for me to think of
a museum as a place for interactive entertainment and education.
The only museum I can think like this is the one in Ft. Lauderdale,
called Museum of Discovery and Science. At this museum, visitors
can simulate a shuttle launch, fixing a satellite in zero gravity
and games based on physics. To be perfectly honest when I was
younger I mostly played with the games and ignored how and why
they worked.
Recently I visited the Orlando Museum of Art located on 2416 Mills
Avenue. I expected there was going to be a collection of artwork
I thought were going to be remarkable and others would be boring.
I was right. Its amazing how one piece of artwork can look so
incredible next to something that looks like it was assembled
from trash. The majority of people there were adults. Hardly any
children were to be found except one in the play area.
I asked one man why he was visiting and he said it was because
he is always interested in the new exhibits. Many people there
were quiet, passing each piece of art without so much of a nod
of approval. There were many benches for people to sit but rarely
anyone did, except for me. I was disappointed I couldn’t
work myself into excited into the work of the artists, but was
I at fault?
I realized the science museum of my childhood was the place I
had the most fun in a learning atmosphere. I don’t think
museums should be designed simply for children but there should
be interactive entertainment for adults.
Each museum should have sections that fulfill the concepts of
interest, education and fun. On the website http://www.ilinet.org/contextualmodel.htm
it demonstrates a chart of overlapping physical, personal and
socio-cultural context. Visitors should be engaged in the subject
by the way the exhibit draws them in with a colorful, provocative
display. The educational value should come organically with the
subject. The feeling of learning should be welcomed with the subject
matter.
The main concern I have is: how can I make learning consistently
fun and engaging as well as quite educational. With the museum
I tend to make based on the children’s story I think I can
tie all the elements together. Although, parents won’t be
bored because they will be engaged too.
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