Web Development: Within the Museum and Beyond

Case Study: The Tenement Museum Stories of immigrants who lived in typical, 19 th Century tenement. Narrative, accessible approach to historic house Museum. 2008 “brick and mortar” visitors: 120,000 2008 “virtual visitors”: 500,000

The Web Guy… or

Tenement Museum: Why a web guy? Capitalize on tech and funding opportunities. Liaise with, and bring knowledge to, various departments. Double as “IT guy” Report to Vice President.

Case Study: A Virtual Tour Inter-departmental collaboration: education, curatorial and “web guy”. Web guy worked on content, interface and coding. Almost as popular as Virtual Tour of Graceland Useful to various audiences, including classroom.

Case Study: DARP TM funds creation of original, web-based art. Projects explore contemporary immigration. Mission-driven and multi-purpose. Expand audience/notion of history museum

TM funds creation of original, web-based art. Projects explore contemporary immigration.

Mission-driven and multi-purpose.

Expand audience/notion of history museum

Taking Stock: PROs: Open to new technology and different applications of it. Web guy driving projects… … but not working alone Well-trafficked, well-regarded web sites. CONs: Also the IT guy! Did institution try to do too much?

PROs:

Open to new technology and different applications of it.

Web guy driving projects…

… but not working alone

Well-trafficked, well-regarded web sites.

CONs:

Also the IT guy!

Did institution try to do too much?

Shifting Role : Web as Marketing Is this the right home for the web? In current climate, many low-cost, potential high-impact vehicles (e.g. Facebook) CONTENT: as best marketing device—get noticed in a crowded field Regardless of department, need supervisors who are attuned to the medium’s possibilities.

Is this the right home for the web?

In current climate, many low-cost, potential high-impact vehicles (e.g. Facebook)

CONTENT: as best marketing device—get noticed in a crowded field

Regardless of department, need supervisors who are attuned to the medium’s possibilities.

Case Study: IOTME Bring collections online. Inter-departmental... … but no clear leader and no involvement of Education. And perhaps too involved/expensive.

… and then a Department Serve as point person to generate project. Bring in other departments. Foster collaborative environment. Focus on the Web/new media as part of Museum experience.

Serve as point person to generate project.

Bring in other departments.

Foster collaborative environment.

Focus on the Web/new media as part of Museum experience.

Case Study: From Ellis to Orchard Idea evolved organically over many years Education-oriented Collaborative Many stakeholders

Idea evolved organically over many years

Education-oriented

Collaborative

Many stakeholders

Case Study: From Ellis to Orchard Most popular non-visit page on site SXSW award nominee Already used in classrooms around country. Steady flow of emails to Victoria.

Most popular non-visit page on site

SXSW award nominee

Already used in classrooms around country.

Steady flow of emails to Victoria.

The Move to Consultation Tenement Museum has great visitorship and need to raise money. Web moving to a less prominent role. Museum now focuses on critical, small-scale updates; web less prominent.

Tenement Museum has great visitorship and need to raise money.

Web moving to a less prominent role.

Museum now focuses on critical, small-scale updates; web less prominent.

Opportunity to work with variety of institutions. See different approaches to integrating web personnel: own department to consultant aiding small staff. Regardless of approach, good to have someone (perhaps consultant) who is cognizant of and sensitive to organization’s needs, constraints and content AND the possibilities of the web. The Move to Consultation

Opportunity to work with variety of institutions.

See different approaches to integrating web personnel: own department to consultant aiding small staff.

Regardless of approach, good to have someone (perhaps consultant) who is cognizant of and sensitive to organization’s needs, constraints and content AND the possibilities of the web.