The Charles Engelhard Court and the Period Rooms

Description:

While browsing a map of The Metropolitan Museum of Art I knew I would be forced to make decisions about what exhibits I wouldn’t mind cutting out because of time restraints. The first on my list to axe were the Period Rooms. Fortunately, I stumbled across the Charles Engelhard Court and the Period Rooms by mistake. The Met’s use of technology throughout these rooms changed my mind about their value and ability to be an educational experience.
The rooms themselves were not unlike other Period Rooms. They represent American architecture and design from the seventeenth through the twentieth century through structural design and object arrangement. The technology incorporated into the rooms was not all that unusual or innovative either. Each room contained a unobtrusive touch kiosk centrally positioned so that visitors could view the room while further exploring the objects and history of the space.
These kiosks represent a small portion of the technology available at this institution. I found them to be a simply effective method of enhancing the experience of the museum visitors. The systems were very easy to manipulate and the visitors have a great deal of choice about how to use them. They are also not essential to the visitor’s experience, and if one chooses to not interact with the technology it won’t diminish their experience.
When exploring the rooms through the kiosks, visitors can engage with various aspects: objects, people, the house, etc. These small devices offer people a great deal of choice and control over their own experiences. Visitors have the ability to learn more about specific pieces that interest them, while also highlighting details that might not be noticed on first view of the room. After selecting an object, the visitor examines a close up view and can read additional information about the object and its significance to the room.
Though each room only holds one kiosk, there is enough room for a small group to view the screen. In larger groups it might be beneficial to have an additional viewing screen, though this might be difficult to include while preserving the integrity of the space. Visitors also have the option to use the more traditional audio tour in which audio devices are purchased beforehand. The touch kiosks seem to offer a greater amount of information as well as more visitor choice as to what information he/she would like to have as part of his/her experience. A visitor can use it individually as well as socially. I believe that the kiosk increases the ability for a shared experience over an audio headset where only one person can listen to specific information at a time. More than one person can search the touch kiosk and discuss their experiences.
I found these touch kiosks to be an effective use of museum technology. I really appreciate the amount of choice and control they give the visitors over their own experiences, while not being so integrated that you have to utilize them into have a successful encounter with the space. As a visitor that once struggled to find value in Period Room exhibits, I left the museum with an appreciation for the exhibit style. In the future when visiting museums, I will be more likely to explore all exhibits without allowing past experiences to control my attitude. Seemingly simple uses of technology can have a great impact on the visitor experience.