Presentation for FIAMP 2008 The Tech Virtual Museum, Second Life, Oct. 16, 2008 3-2-1: Killing 3 Birds in Second Life with One Stone

Museums in a Virtual World - Are You Serious? Is this: A scientific experiment? A commercial venture? A joke? Chasing a fad?

Is this:

A scientific experiment?

A commercial venture?

A joke?

Chasing a fad?

Why The Tech Museum is in Second Life Access and interaction. Reaching visitors that can’t come to San José - e.g. hosting IMD ‘08, grotto of prehistoric rock art. Rapid prototyping. Using SL’s 3-D tools to test exhibit concept, gallery designs. Open source design. Teams of strangers compete to design exhibits. We choose the best and build them for the real museum.

Access and interaction. Reaching visitors that can’t come to San José - e.g. hosting IMD ‘08, grotto of prehistoric rock art.

Rapid prototyping. Using SL’s 3-D tools to test exhibit concept, gallery designs.

Open source design. Teams of strangers compete to design exhibits. We choose the best and build them for the real museum.

Access and Interaction 1

Second Life Visitors 115 visitors per day to The Tech Virtual 65% are returning visitors 15 million Second Life accounts 50,000 logged in at any one time 60% of SL users have built something $1.3M per day user-to-user transactions

115 visitors per day to The Tech Virtual

65% are returning visitors

15 million Second Life accounts

50,000 logged in at any one time

60% of SL users have built something

$1.3M per day user-to-user transactions

Rapid Prototyping 1 2 3 4 2

Open Source Exhibit Design 3

Exhibit Creation Process sketch museum floor Virtual thetechvirtual.org Second Life

What Second Life Costs 20 hrs/wk? community depends building $147.50 US monthly rent $700 US whole island or “sim”

Who Pays Currently funded by a grant from Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. Economics of building one new interactive exhibit: $40,000 US 6 months SL/Open Source $55,000 US 18 months Traditional method

Currently funded by a grant from Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.

Economics of building one new interactive exhibit:

Links The Tech Virtual Website: http://TheTechVirtual.org The Tech Virtual in Second Life: The Tech and The Tech 2 Islands (slurl: http: //tinyurl .com/3x7bf7 ) The Tech TG Island in Teen Second Life Contact Us: Rob Stephenson, [email_address] Bob Ketner, [email_address]

The Tech Virtual Website:

http://TheTechVirtual.org

The Tech Virtual in Second Life:

The Tech and The Tech 2 Islands (slurl: http: //tinyurl .com/3x7bf7 )

The Tech TG Island in Teen Second Life

Contact Us:

Rob Stephenson, [email_address]

Bob Ketner, [email_address]