Maintaining Authenticity, Avoiding Distraction: A Social Media Experiment at the Newseum (Student-led Forum)

Abstract

Join four museum studies graduate students from Johns Hopkins University to review and debrief a social media experiment conducted at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Discuss the challenges and lessons of designing an in-gallery social media experiment in less than a week.

Simply replicating museum experiences through social media is bound to fail – authenticity is a thin line to walk and new audiences are conditioned to spot any iota of disingenuousness. To change the dynamic of the Newseum experience, we first introduced a new, overarching narrative to our on-site visitors. This new scaffolding allowed us to transform social media from a translator of the museum experience to an active character in the story.

Type:

Professional Forum - discuss an issue

Authors


	Aaron Baker, Johns Hopkins University, United States Emerging Museum Professional interested in new media strategies.
	Rachel Greiner, National Air and Space Museum, USA Rachel is a Visitor Services Coordinator at the National Air and Space Museum. She will receive her graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University in Museum Studies in May 2012.
	Ruth Goerger, The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, USA Ruth is a Museum Technician at the LBJ Library and Museum and is pursuing her Master's degree at the Johns Hopkins University online Museum Studies program. Her interests in museums and the web are providing access to museum collection database information, creating web exhibits, and designing and...
	Gabriela Gil, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, USA Gabriela Gil is a Registrar at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, and is currently finishing her masters in museum studies at Johns Hopkins University.