The impact of blogs and other social media on the life of a curator

Museums are quickly adapting to Web 2.0, and engaging with a new on-line audience. Social media projects are being developed and used by museum staff, and curators are starting to explore this new space. When the Powerhouse Museum's curatorial department created their first blog, they had no idea what they were in for, or what challenges they would face. They also had little idea of how curators as a whole are participating in social media activities. This paper will use the Powerhouse Museum's 'Object of the Week' blog and a major international survey of curators to investigate how social media activities are impacting on curatorial practice.