Museum Navigation Post 1
Museums can be wonderful places to visit the art, history, and the environment is very exciting. It can also be a bit overwhelming at times. This is where Love of Muse is here to help. As an avid museum goer, I have come up with this post series on museum navigation to help you have a better experience. Let’s get started. No matter your need to visit for a school art project, college assignment or just to look around a good plan will help and it’s easy. There will be an upcoming post on virtual navigation to view art from the comfort of your home if you so choose.
Note: The art you want could be moved or temporally on loan to another museum see later on for tips.
Choose the museum to visit along with the day and time. What to expect when you visit plus some twists and turns.
If you want to see a special exhibit (one that is there only for a short time) check online to see if you need special tickets. You can choose to get your tickets at the front desk. Due to Covid-19 there have been some changes. Museums have adapted to Covid-19 as best as they can. See the website or call for details. Examples of changes are as follows: Some may very place to place.
Wear your mask inside at all times. It is not just required at the entrance, but inside as well.
Temperature Checks at the door. If you have a fever, they will request you come back on a different day.
No coat check. Take only what you can carry, large items, especially will not be stored in the coat check
Food and Drink- Never allowed in the galleries. No food service due to Covid-19.
Online Tickets– no need to buy them at the front desk. Your phone will be scanned at the exhibit entrance.
Online maps for navigation on your phone also check if the museum has an App.
Hand sanitizer stations and wall mounts are around the museum.
Limited number of guests in the museum and due to Covid-19 there are currently no tours.
Use the museum website, it might tell you what’s currently available to see, especially if you are at the museum due to a cool picture on social media.
Bring a friend. Don’t forget to bring a friend as one it makes the experience more fun and two they can take your photo for you to show proof of your project.
Service Animal Are always welcome, just make sure they have a vest on as kids might want to pet them.
Walkers, Wheelchairs and Scooters. Most, if not all museums have wheelchairs available for use, but you or a family member must leave an ID at coat check when you drop off and pick up your wheelchair.
My phone just died: You can charge it in the library of the museum. Note outlets in the galleries are for the museum use only and not for charging your cell phone.
Speaking of phones: There are still rules of etiquette in museums and it’s not that different from movie theaters. Silence your phone and step outside to take calls or in the lobby if you can’t go outside. No flash allowed in the museum, why? It will damage the art with light exposure. A picture with the flash turned off is fine.
Lost and found. Lose something? Ask the front desk to call security and they will bring you back your item.
Now with that information in mind say you have your parking space and tickets. You had your ticket scanned and now you are free to explore. The café or restroom might be first on your list. Ask if you are not sure.
Next to each work of art, you will find a placard. Be on the lookout for them and see example below.
Name of the Artists or unknown
Title of the Art and Date of Creation
Medium Oil paint, Glass, Steel.
Doner name of the person who gave money to make it possible
10/2002 or 10.2001 – ex: the tenth piece of artwork, the museum bought in 2002. This may help you tell the difference between similar art of the same name but with different or unknown artists. For example, there are many versions of the Last Supper but only one of them is painted by Leonardo Di Vinci.
If many people are around the one work you want to see look at others and then come back when more space frees up. The information from the placard is good to have written or as a photo on your phone so you can use the museum website to look up more information. Go to the museum website homepage. Look under a drop-down tab or something that says COLLECTION OR SEARCH THE COLLECTION. Click it and enter the artist’s name and date. If this does not work or is not needed then try the title of the work, if this option is around the search page click on view, this lets you ‘see’ what is up now on the walls/ tells you what is out on display. Your artwork might just be available. If all else fails go to the library and get a scanned copy of the work from a book there and information on the artists.
All of this may seem like a lot to remember but once you get into the swing of things it will work out. If you like what you see and experience or just find yourself going a lot you might want to become a member. Ask at the front desk or check the website for the benefits of being a member. You can get discount tickets if you are in one or more of the following categories. Some may apply to certain days only like if you a cardholder of a certain kind of credit card. If you are a teacher, in the military, or a veteran, is a senior, college student with your active id one you then you should be able to get a discount. Not it will vary from place to place.
How about free? We all like free. If you don’t mind a crowd or at least a busy place go on a free day. Most museums have a day where general admission is free. Not special exhibitions. So what is a special exhibition? Special exhibitions are works on loan to the museum for a short time and are not something that they typically own. Most of them are around for usually three months. So check the website before you go.
If I missed something let me know in the comments.
