The importance of technology in a museum is undoubtedly imperative when it comes to finding out not only just information on the museums and its collections but also to enhance the viewer’s museum experience.

Museums are connecting with their visitors through social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, using mobile devices, IPad’s and interactive kiosks, they are involving the public in virtual curating.

Technology offers museums a chance to become more approachable towards the public as well as the exhibitions and art works itself.

As digital technology grows there is drastic change in artist practises, presentations/exhibitions. This includes video art. Through the ever enhancing technology in museums we are able to watch art in high definition giving the viewer a better experience and understanding.

I believe art is a form of communication. In the early years museums were to be said, for the educated, but through time museums has opened its doors to everyone. With the aid of technology museums have used it to engage with their viewers adapting a change in society.

Though researching about technology in museums online and reading forum comments I have come across debates on whether technology ‘spoils’ the public’s experience in a museum. Do tourists become less motivated to visit exhibitions in museums if they can already see what’s inside on a website?

I think there is a significant difference with viewing a painting online to seeing it in person so therefore I think the audience can appreciate the difference as well as take part in the culture of the museum when viewing an artwork in real life rather than through a virtual tour/website.

As for virtual tours of museums, I feel that they can’t quite imitate the museum to its natural environment. The sense of the ‘sublime’ might be lost in translation between the physical and digital, with screens and current digital technologies that cannot quite be replicated. However there are many things that digital representations allow us to do instead and the idea of involving social connectivity with the audience and the art works allows virtual experiences to be more interactive all in a computer or a compact handheld device.

The debate could be ongoing, but when we get past the debate over physical vs. virtual, I think we can begin to see the endless possibilities for museums and museum experiences.