This week we are exploring how museums can deliver content online. This, of course, has become especially important as museums around the world deal with the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. How can museums continue to serve the public? How can museums provide compelling content within these tight constraints? What will be the long term consequences for the the sector? And how should museums respond, not just to the pandemic, but also to the social and political moment?

We’ll welcome Katie Anderson, (Class of 2019), Education Coordinator for the Region of Waterloo Museums, (Schneider Haus National Historic Site and McDougall Cottage), who will share her experiences of the pandemic thus far. 

Explore how other museums and public historians are managing and thinking about the impact of the Pandemic.

Avi Decter and Ken Yellis suggest we need to move form “best practice” to “next practice.”

Smithsonian Magazine just recently published a new article on how the pandemic will change how museums are built. 

Explore the extensive material collected by the Network of European Museum Organizations. 

Insights from UNESCO and closer to home. 

Let’s consider some prescient ideas from Carly Straughan. What about Virtual Museums? Have a look through some of the exhibits on The Virtual Museum of Canada, including the 2018 Public History Group Project.

The Smithsonian provides panoramas and there are easy to use and free platforms to create your own virtual museums. Here are just two examples: the Titanic Exhibit and Jessica Chernich’s (Class of 2020) final project from last year.

What about digital tours? Let’s also return briefly to that discussion. What makes a fun tour? What about Museum Hack? Here is what they have to say about virtual tours.