We’re Craving Access to Culture During COVID-19 and Museums Can Help
By: Ashleigh Axios
Tags: Virtual Museum, Covid 19, Culture, Design, Museums

Though isolation and a lack of context can result in a vortex, virtual access to culture provides connection and hope, serving as a beacon in lieu of reference points.

“It will mean a different rhythm of life.”

— UK Mental Health Foundation

Museums are especially primed to support the pressing human challenges during this time, shed light on this moment in a historical context, and provide the levity and perspective we collectively need. At the same time, museums face a challenge in fulfilling this role: staying relevant so we have them around for the future.

This connection isn’t being lost on museums. In light of mass closures prompted by COVID-19, museums and institutions likely see and feel the value of a fully integrated experience, including digital exhibitions. Though it’s a challenge to react nimbly and meet these changing needs under the current circumstances, museums persist in their missions. Outcomes of this effort will impact virtual and in-person museum-goers and would-be museum-goers well into the future.

How Museums Are Responding

Museums, institutions, educators, and individuals alike are leveraging museum content that can be experienced online in order to add value to their learning processes and supplement their new realities of people all over the world. Over three-quarters of the country’s museums have temporarily closed since the spread of COVID-19 in the states, according to Laura Lott, the president and chief executive of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

One-third of temporarily closed museums may face permanent closure if the virus-imposed shutdown, however necessary, persists.

— American Alliance of Museums (AAM)

The AAM has provided museums with closed physical locations guidance on leveraging their digital assets to continue to serve and connect the community during this time. These recommendations include the use of live streaming, virtual tours, and special social media campaigns. They recommend taking the physical contents of museums and making expedient efforts to move them to where people are — online.

Though the need for remote access has been made apparent by the current public health crisis, make no mistake, it’s been a pressing need for some time. This moment serves to highlight the ongoing and increasing need for comprehensive museum content to be accessible to all — educators, students, researchers, tourists, and the broader public — across platforms and without travel to a physical location whether we’re in a crisis or not.

7.7 billion people in the world, with 3.5 billion of us online.

— Our World in Data

Today, the physical health risks associated with being in proximity to others coupled withthe mental health risks associated with physical isolation stress the necessity of digitally integrated museum solutions. While we wouldn’t wish this international health crisis on anyone, ever, it underlines the value of digital exhibition undertakings, such as the one proposed by the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), which aims to take their Slavery and Freedom exhibition online.

Benefits Beyond the Pandemic

Creating a dynamic, comprehensive, and integrated online exhibition serves the public not only in times of crisis — but all the time, and from anywhere. Additional benefits to an online exhibit include:

Opening content to global audiences, beyond local community Extending accessibility during peak seasons Extending brand relevance and value to unplanned benefactors Providing greater accessibility and increased methods of interaction and exploration digitally Fostering positive change through education, empathy, and connection Allowing for remote staffing and curation of content; extended employment and collaboration opportunity

We strive to build inclusive digital products and services, including those like the one proposed by NMAAHC. If your organization wishes to prioritize digitally integrating museum content, contact us to set up time to talk.