When Being Tech Ruins the Museum Experience

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Sometimes in a museum I want to scream “MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!” 

Let’s face it, art museums (and even cathedrals) are rarely quiet anymore, and rarely are you able to really look undisturbed.  As technology becomes more readily and affordably available loud distracted spaces are becoming the norm. For years now devices resembling payphones with digital screens have been sneaking their ugly heads into Europe’s beautiful sacred spaces. Portable devices have been available in museums for forever in my mind.

Full disclosure: I work on developing a number of art programs and exhibitions in various settings from museums to galleries to public pop up spots. I fully understand the need to appeal to the general public as well as the need to be accessible to them. That doesn’t change my feeling that there is a time and place for technology in these spaces and it is not all the time in all spaces. Second disclosure: I do rent the devices at times. But I have 2 personal rules I follow. See below for my rules.

Paris.

One of my favorite cities in the world with outstanding museums. I love everything about Paris; except for how packed it gets in the spring. It is elbow to elbow everywhere. If there is a big show and you sleep in, just forget it. It is not worth the hassle. This past April we were in Paris and I was ecstatic that the Musee d’Orsay had a Bonard exhibition. We did not go first thing in the morning and we were s@!t out of luck. Elbow to elbow I can deal with sometimes – I just squirm in and out. Elbow to elbow with people busy dealing with trying to figure out the portable audio device with commentary is another story.

It is like this – Oh you are looking here… well, this is the next painting on my audio commentary so I am just going to stop, right here, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU, screw around with this thing for a minute, adjust the volume, look for the right track, nope not the right one, try again,  nope still not right, oh that’s why, this painting is not featured on the track. I guess since it’s not on there it must not be worth looking at, sorry if I blocked your view, but you don’t want to look at this painting anyway, if it was worth looking at there would be a track for it.

The whole time their eyes did not glance once at the painting. Only at the label to see if it was included on the audio guide.

This year in Paris the situation was taken to a whole new level. The Louvre has Nintendo DS handheld devices available. I was there last in 2000 and do not recall their presence.

Patrons are now not only listening, they can fidget with screens as well. They actually can stand in front of you, in front of a painting, go thru the whole exercise above and actually look at the painting on the device the entire time and never look up. When is enough, enough?

These are the 2 rules I personally follow when I decide if I will get a device.

Only if I actually feel like listening. Depending on how I feel about this determines if a guide is a good idea. Many times I want to look and develop my own thoughts.

Only if the exhibit or museum is not crowded. If it is crowded no matter how hard you try you are always in the way when fiddling with the device.

As I said in the beginning,  I understand the need for these. I also understand that they are a much needed revenue source for increasingly underfunded spaces.  The next time you rent one, please be considerate of the person you are standing in front of. You may be blocking their view.

 

To Ensure Successful Churning, Use the Hand of a Dead Man

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We don’t use any pretend butter stuffs… butter is a shortcut to flavor.” -Rory O’Connell, Ballymaloe Cookery School Demonstration, 8 April 2015

Butter on Display

18,500 dairy farms can be found in the Republic of Ireland according to the Irish Times. All that dairy means a whole lot of butter. Golden, creamy, silky butter. Just walking through a local supermarket or farmer’s market you are faced with a plethora of choices. If you are curious about the history of butter in Ireland then the Cork Butter Museum is a good place to start.

Located in the original Cork Butter Exchange Building, the museum illustrates the history and culture of dairy and the impact of butter on Irish society. Spread out on two floors, the first floor contains a variety of artifacts from butter production and the second floor looks at the cultural significance of butter on early Irish people as well as trade routes and documents of butter sale through the history of the exchange.

The museum visit begins with viewing a video that discusses the early days of Irish dairy production and how marketing and quality control turned butter into “gold” for farmers. The film illustrates what measures early farmers would go through to sell their firkins (small wooden barrels) of butter from their 10-20 cows and how the process improved over the years allowing for farm growth to the current average family farm of 60 to 80. Logo and identifying designs can be compared by examining the wide variety of butter stamps and wrappers on display. The museum has a variety of churns from glass tabletop size to large barrel churns that could hold up to 20 gallons of cream.

An informative placard on the wall discusses that farmers a century or more ago did not understand the science behind butter making and as a result there were many superstitions. Due to the high value of butter its production was carefully crafted. Precautions were taken by the farmer and his family to ensure a proper churning. The cow house contained St. Brigid’s crosses and were located far from ring forts which were believed to be homes to fairies. Cows were sprinkled with holy water and received the protective qualities of the color red through a red ribbon tied around their tail following milking. During the churning process a combination of pagan and christian prayer was recited. Two types of wood were used in the churn to protect against witchcraft and milk vessels and churns were forbidden to be loaned. Fairies were greatly feared and depending on the region salt was sprinkled on the churn or red-hot iron placed under the churn to keep them away. To ensure success, some county customs were to use the hands of the dead. An infant’s hand may be placed under the churn, or my personal favorite was to

Use the hand of a dead man (preferably one who had bee executed) to stir the milk in the churn.”

Butter, and cows have a long and important history on Irish culture. Early Celtic people were semi-nomadic dairy cow herders, or búachaill. Wealth was judged by the number of cattle you had and they were the measurement for financials as there were no coins until the arrival of the Vikings. Cattle raids were apparantly all the rage and were carried out on a regular basis. Successful raids led to honor and celebration. Celtic kings were given tribute through cattle and were often expected to lead their loyal farmers in the raids. With the development of monasteries across Ireland raids continued and now the church received a portion of the acquired cattle.

There is also a ‘Bog Butter’ artifact. A container crafted from a single tree trunk dated to over one thousand years old, it still contains the original butter that was packed inside. The properties of the bog in which it was found have preserved the butter. The butter on the outside has hardened over time and the exhibit card explains that the inside center remains soft. The process used to create butter in essence has not changed from then until now. Cream is separated from the milk, then the cream is beaten and small lumps of butter form along with milk residue.

The Cork Butter Museum is a fascinating look at butter. The visit takes approximately an hour and is heavy on reading so if you need reading specs, bring them! More information can be found at corkbutter.museum.

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