I think while this is invaluable, this can be frustrating for some people who may be more used to visiting a conventional museum or gallery, where each piece is individually highlighted, and often has its own label. Sometimes the person, or people, associated with the building are also just as important, and can be what really makes it interesting! Think of something like the Charles Dickens House- the house and artifacts are interesting in and of themselves, but doubly so because of what they can tell us about Dickens.
The collectors’ intent and the place of each object provides a unique secondary provenance and adds to each objects history. Beyond the building, you can then look at the collection as whole to tell us about the history of collecting and the attitudes towards art, antiquities, architecture, and other elements. The physical structure of the building, and its decoration- wallpaper, flooring, furniture- are just as important as the paintings and other objects! This element can certainly add a lot, and it tells us a lot of important things- built heritage, cultural and societal norms, history of decorative arts, history and personal tastes of a particular person or family, building techniques, etc. It’s not just about the artifacts or objects or paintings individually, as they may often be in a museum or gallery. I think the first thing to remember is that the house itself, and the collection as a whole, is an artifact. Most modern museums are now rife with signage, text, audio, visuals, and various other interpretation methods- or at least trying to incorporate them- but historic house museums don’t always have these, or at least to the same extent (although some houses are going to great lengths to be creative with these and other techniques!) I think some visitors to historic house museums can leave frustrated, or confused, and I think there are a few ‘tips’ to keep in mind to help get the best experience, since historic houses are a little bit different than a conventional museum. Generation Y Not? Also has some other great videos you should check out! Make the experience as engaging, fun, different, and experiential as you want to be. So next time you’re off to a museum or gallery, or want to try something new, maybe try some of the activities they did in the video, or add some of your own- mimic the pose of your favourite statue or painting, draw the name of a specific animal or object you need to find hidden within a work of art, if there’s a larger sculpture or statue group, get as many people as possible to help you re enact it.
Some of these specific conversations go a bit far, perhaps, as incorrect information is given about some of the pieces, or trying to sell a piece in the museum, but the others seem to be harmless, and fun, and maybe do offer a completely different perspective- like singing, or sitting down, or breathing deeply! As long as you aren’t really invading other people’s enjoyment or exploration, being somewhat respectful of the people around you and the pieces, why not go for it!? You might learn something new, enjoy your time more, or help other people enjoy their time more (even if it’s just providing them with a weird anecdote to tell their friends!) Why not sing in front of a painting if it inspires you to do so? Or spark a conversation with a stranger about what it reminds you of? I like that it has made this group, and the people they were talking to, potentially think about the pieces and their surroundings in a different way, or more critically (or ridiculously). Picking random activities out of a bag before you go on an excursion to a museum or gallery could make things very fun and interesting! This doesn’t necessarily have to involve talking to other people like in this video, but could, or it could be within members of your own group, or a random scavenger hunt. I like the idea of this video, at least in principle.
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