Tim Jones (Christchurch Art Gallery) - A new type of audiotour
Channel: NDF - National Digital Forum
Date: 07/12/2016

Lightning talks
3:30 - 4.30pm Tuesday 22 November, Main Stage (Soundings)

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu re-opened in 2015 with a new type of audiotour. Out went commentary from our own curators and in came poetry, music, personal reminiscence, field trips and voices from the archives. All professionally recorded, edited and directed.
This decision was made after fixing on a few basic rules, foremost of which was that looking at the ART in an ART gallery must come first and that anything that detracts from that is to be deprecated. Rule two was only to use audio when there is something to say! These rules in turn made deciding how to deliver this material easy.
This presentation is a report on what we did, how visitors reacted and what we hope to do next. Our collection is small and our means limited, so our methods could be easily copied at other museums and galleries.

Tim Jones is the librarian, archivist and de facto website person at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu.