The Dutch Museum Week 2020 will be very different from previous years, as it will be 100% digital this year because of the coronacrisis.
This year will be different as the museums are closed because of the coronavirus. But as with (almost) everything in life: art can survive the distance. While a digital experience can never replace the feeling of being in the presence of an artwork that interests you, it doesn’t mean there is no experience.
The Museum Week 2020 will be held April 20 – 26, 2020.
A digital experience
When you are physically standing in front of an artwork it is just you and the artwork (blocking out other people in the room and noise). This can be a powerful experience. Maybe you read the accompanying info sign to learn the name of the artist and the intended meaning of the art. Occasionally, you can do a guided tour to hear more from a specialist or follow a presentation from the artist about the exhibition.
With the digital experience, you can only see what the person holding the camera wants to show you. Your viewing angle is limited to the inventiveness of the person creating the feed. On one hand, if it is a 3D object, you can not walk around it as freely as you would in a museum. On the other hand, if a drone is used to record your view, what you see won’t be limited to what is physically possible for you.
By using special effects, augmented reality or virtual reality the creator of the content can take your experience to a whole new level. You can see more, interact with the object and receive more information while you’re at it. It is not much different from watching artworks from museums on the other side of the world; museums that most of us can’t all visit physically.
I am excited about the possibilities digital offers: a vastly different experience from visiting an artwork in person. At the same time I don’t think it can mimic the intimacy of standing in front of / under / on top of an artwork. Just you and the work of art.
Things to do during the Dutch Museum Week 2020
- Are they challenging the possibilities of what’s possible with this Museum Week, yes or no?
- Are the organizers using the power of digital fully or simply copying the regular activities to a new platform?
These are the questions I had when I saw the announcement. Most industries are having a hard time with the government’s measures introduced to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Everyone tries to cope the best they can, trying to survive until the world is ‘normal’ again. Some do better than others. Even if the Museum Week manages to recreate 20% of its usual activities into a digital equivalent, then I think they did well. Many museums are rapidly creating an online offering so I am really curious about what will be available a year from now. That will truly be a moment for evaluation!
#OnsEchteGoudTV ('Our true gold' TV)
Every day Sahil Amar Aïssa, a Dutch actor, columnist and presenter, will discuss the showpieces of museums in the Netherlands. The theme: 75 years of cultural freedom, as this year it will be 75 years ago that the Netherlands got liberated during WWII. Participating museums have created a digital exhibition with the Dam in Amsterdam as the background to commemorate these years of peace.
The program will showcase personal stories from Museumcard holders about how they still enjoy watching art from home and tell you more about digital programs from museums you can try and other online activities people set up.
You can watch it live daily between 16:00 – 16:25 (in Dutch) or watch it later on demand.
Discover showpieces
Admire the ‘golden’ showpieces online.
And you can also upload your own picture with an artwork. If you look closely, you might find my picture on the wall!
Online tours and workshops
Participate in one of the online experiences and workshops, for example: paint like van Gogh and explore Museum Huis Doorn.
You can find a list of virtual museum tours online. Unfortunately, the site is in Dutch only and some of the museum tours have a commentary in Dutch. But you can still do the tours and see the artworks or explore the historical buildings if you don’t mind just watching. Click on the tile that interests you and then on the yellow button that says ‘Bezoek nu online’.
My experience so far
My favorite thing about this Museum Week is that I am sampling art from many different museums instead of choosing one museum and exploring that one fully. I’m learning more about my country every day!
I don’t see the digital innovations all that much, but I haven’t seen all the virtual museum tours yet. As I said before: I am curious what the landscape will look like in a year’s time. That is when I expect to see some really interesting things.
Where this Museum Week missed the boat: it is not foreigner-friendly. If you don’t speak Dutch, you won’t be able to understand the discussions or read the descriptions of for example the showpieces. How hard is it to add some subtitles or translations?
