ECSITE this year - the annual conference of the European Network of Science Centres and Museums - was held in the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnica in Milano, the most important national science museum in Italy, located a few steps away from the beautiful Romanesque church of Sant'Ambrogio. The amazing thing was that the Museum remained closed to the general public because of the conference - what a weird strategy, to isolate museum professionals from museum audiences!
Having grown up in Milan, I remember the Museum from my childhood. It hasn't changed much, still priding itself on an amazing 1950s collection of wooden models of Leonardo machines - but I have. And returning to see it as an adult, and a museum professional, I couldn't but compare how these detailed - and aesthetically beautiful - models stand very little chance of making impact with any modern audience - even visitors to the extraordinary 2006 exhibition at the V&A entitled Leonardo da Vinci: Experience, Experiment and Design.
There - a celebration of genius, a translation of a technical mind well ahead of his time into contemporary sophisticated computer animations centred on the Codex Forster, the manuscripts revealing the workings of his mind - truly his ideas and the contamination of languages. Here - a slightly dusty, self indulgent corridor of silent wooden models, accompanied by graphic panels. Little sense of the eye of the mind, of the man's curiosity, of his imaginative capacity.
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While the Museo della Scienza's marketing campaign is highly visible, this image made me think about how the museum actually thinks of its visiting public on site - don't come through! no access! far from a welcome, the spaces seem shut, inaccessible, closed off. Mixed messages if ever I saw them. The banner, in Italian, says: How on earth can we claim to be open? Indeed - and I don't mean that just for the redevelopment phase.
Consider the following two images: both positioned on two station concourses, both illustrative - not truly interpretative, but giving the space a mood, communicating with visitors/travellers, enhancing the journey for passersby.
The question, obviously, is - which one do you prefer? The first one, glossy, quite fun - or the second one, placed behind a protective banner?
The first one makes me smile every morning during my commute through London Bridge railway station - especially the guy who has just been lobotomised, and the crying screaming kids.
This second one graces the solemn corridor concourse of the Padiglione Ferroviario (the Railway Pavilion) in the Museo della Scienza.
Kind of desperate - impersonal, and once again - ALL VISITORS TO STAY BEHIND THE BARRIER!!! Do not approach the... graphic panels? Also - beware the risk of electrocution!
Oh dear. If museums are about communication, which I truly believe, the Museo della Scienza has still a long way to go. Even train companies are better.
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