How To Enjoy Museums

Museums use to seem boring and elitist.  In more recent years, however, these institutions have attempted to attract a broader audience.  As long as the museums are making the effort to appeal to the general public, you may as well go for a visit.  Following are some tips for making your trip more enjoyable.

Some museums are free all the time and many other museums are free one day per week.  If you’re interested in a certain museum, find out which day of the week it’s free.

Many museums offer movie screenings, live music performances, and exhibit receptions.  If these are open to the public, find out which ones suit your schedule.

The museum’s web site will tell you about its permanent and temporary exhibits. Reading the webpage before you go can help you decide which exhibits you're most likely to enjoy. This way, you’ll know in advance where you want to spend your time during your visit.

Read the captions at the entrance of each exhibit and next to some of the paintings. This will help you appreciate what you are seeing. An abstract painting is more enjoyable when you know the artist is exploring the concepts of darkness and light or trying to create a certain feeling. Even traditional art becomes more interesting when you know the artist studied under Da Vinci, was hired by the elite to romanticize poverty, or portrayed his mistress in a certain painting.

You don't need to read all the exhibit descriptions.  In fact, don’t even need to look at all the artwork. This can be overwhelming and time consuming. On your first visit you might just read the information at the entrance of each exhibit and then stroll through the galleries, rather than reading the information about every single piece of art. Alternatively, you may want to focus on just one exhibit and study all the art within that particular exhibit.

Many museums offer guided tours. This can be a simple way to see the highlights of the museum, without spending too much time on one exhibit or one work of art. Audio tours are good for this same reason, plus they allow you to move at your own pace.

Some museums have IMAX presentations, movie screenings, planetarium shows, etc. This can enhance your visit and give you something to enjoy when you need a break from walking through the galleries.

Identify museums with interactive exhibits. This type of exhibit invites the visitor to participate in the displays through computer touch screens and hands-on activities. Interactive exhibits provide a fun way to learn new things. They are most typically found in natural science museums and children’s museums.

Many museums are located in or near a park.  Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the scenery while taking a break in the middle of your museum outing.

All that walking. looking, and reading can be tiring. You don’t need to see the whole museum in one day. Look around until you get tired and then take a break. Look around some more and then go home. Come back another day.

Museum members receive a newsletter each month letting them know what exhibits and activities are coming up.  They usually receive free admission, as well as invitations to special events, like exhibit opening receptions.

Museums generally have a permanent collection plus temporary exhibits.  These temporary exhibits are curated in one place, but then travel from museum to museum.  If you’ve already seen a museum’s permanent collection, go when there’s a traveling exhibit.

Those are my tips for enjoying your museum visit. Research your visit before you go, pay attention while you’re there, and make sure you relax and have fun. I look forward to seeing you in the galleries!