Comments on: Museum “Fans”

By: How Wrong Was I? | newcurator

How Wrong Was I? | newcurator — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:39:23 +0000

[...] I admit. I’ll throw my hands up and say I was wrong. Several times I have said David Beckham would be the future of curating through great use of his celebrity [...]

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:43:36 +0000

Are you talking to me or to Paul Orselli? I am not Paul Orselli.

And yes, they do require personalities and competitions, in the fact that museums lack them and football would be pretty weird without them.

Larger social interaction? The other side of a stadium can be 60+ yards away. That like feeling social contact either side of a motorway/highway.

By: Paul Stromdahl

Paul Stromdahl — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:35:41 +0000

Dear Paul,
As continuation of our string via another web site… I agree with you that what an institution “calls” its visitor is indicative of attitude son the next question is; if a museum called its visitors fans how would they approach them differently? As for some of the thoughts expressed about fans and their interest in “teams” I would suggest that many of them define museum’s “member and donors,” who certainly are a part of something, advertise by word of mouth, and to a limited degree wear their colors in the form of stickers hats and such. Do “fans” require competition and personalities to root for to be fans? Museums don’t seem to promote personalities. Zoos may have a few in the form of Jack Hanna or Marlin Perkins. As for competition there is always the bigger dinosaur…

You talked about how the City Museum creates fans and I’d join with you as describing myself as a fan of it. Whenever a conversation turns to a St Louis visit I highly recommend the place. So what about the City Museum makes us fans? It is its difference?

As for stadium seats facing front, you are there to see the game and larger social interaction that starts as a “wave” on the stadium across from you.

By: Pete

Pete — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:45:28 +0000

I dunno, I would have thought being a fan of something is far more about private preference. I watch sport for the spectacle, not for the person sitting next to me. This is why all stadium seats point inwards, not towards each other. Sure, I’d go with friends or a small group, but my interaction doesn’t go beyond that group and nobody in that group doesn’t want to be there.
If being a fan of a particular sports team was purely a social focus, we wouldn’t have sports on television.

By: Nina Simon

Nina Simon — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:06:45 +0000

Being a fan is much more social than your two points. It’s about affinity. It doesn’t take stars like Beckham–even tragic heroes will suffice. As a fan, you feel like you are part of things, connected to the team, an extension of something you perceive as great and valuable. The performance is only part of it. It’s also how it feels to be among other fans, lost in the thrill. You say “we” unironically, referring both to other fans and the performers. The poet William Matthews called it “loneliness with noise.”

By: Erika

Erika — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:44:26 +0000

Un-hide the staffers! maybe exhibition proposals should go online or up in public, alongside a curator’s bio. Then people can vote, may the best curator win.

An example of competition along the same lines: http://mosmanlibraryblogs.com/challenge/about would be great to see this adapted to a Museum world in some form.

By: Pete

Pete — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:17:32 +0000

Exactly. That type of fan needs David Beckhams and competitions.

By: Paul Orselli

Paul Orselli — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:46:21 +0000

Hi Pete,

No offense to Mr. Beckham, but what I meant by museum “fans” was the excitement people have for an event or activity (like a museum visit or book or movie, or even “football”) after the temporal fact.

“Fans” give positive word-of-mouth — talking about great experiences with their friends and colleagues so convincingly that their friends/colleagues are inspired to check out the museum/book/restaurant/game and, in all likelihood, become fans themselves.