SPOTTED.... MACLUHAN in a musuem

11/8/09
Yesterday I spotted MacLuhan in the Hillwood Art Museum of C.W Post. In most art museums, there are audios available for each work. The audios are heard using headphones that the museum provides. However, the Hillwood Art Museum placed a new spin on artwork audio. It makes use of what MacLuhan would refer to as a hot technology. This is a concept within his theory of Technological determinism: the idea that innovations themselves alter people and society. More specifically, it is the focus on the technology itself and not the social/cultural factors surrounding the innovation. In the case of the Hillwood Art Museum, the cell phone is the technology of focus. The audios are accessed through a phone number. Museum goers simply use his/her cell phone to dial the number and access the audio for a particular work. MacLuhan focuses on the way the technology itself changes individuals and society. In this instance, the cell phone technology alters the society involved in visiting museums. After viewing a piece of art, a viewer no longer has to endure the hassle of putting the clunky headphones on. All that is required is pulling out his/her cell phone. Also, the number can be called from outside the museum (for those who really enjoyed the audio or like me, have an art history paper to complete). I found this concept particularly interesting. The museum assumes that individuals entering the museum will all have a cell phone. I know it is very rare in today’s society, but what if an individual visiting the museum has no cell phone or forgot his/hers and wishes to listen to the audio? Do they copy the number down and then listen at home? But then the issue of having a pen and paper comes into play. Unless you are an art student or have a paper to write on the works within the museum, who would bring pen and paper to a museum? This brings the question of, is updating museums with new innovations a practical and wise decision?