Museum 2.0

DECEMBER 11, 2007

This is not an analytical post (primarily); it's an announcement and invitation to join the new project I've been working on with The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA. But this is not just for The Tech; our grant mandates that this project be a service to the museum community at large. A contractor, Involve Inc.,

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Museum Virtual Tech Second Life 20

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

NOVEMBER 1, 2006

is a new art form that re-uses commercial video-game environments to make animated films. The Museum of the Moving Image is hosting the 2006 Machinima Festival this weekend in NYC. Although I could participate via Second Life. Click To Play "A machinima short music video we shot in Second Life.

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Machinima Contest NTC Video 50

Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

OCTOBER 19, 2006

That's my avatar, I'm live blogging from Second Life. This morning I attended the MacArthur Foundation Digital Learning briefing that was taking place at the Natural History Museum in NYC. Several avatars were also in "real life" in New York City. That's Danah Boyd in RL who was also live blogging the event.

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Digital Learning Media Avatar 50

Museum 2.0

OCTOBER 26, 2007

This past Wednesday (October 24), CBS aired an episode of CSI: NY in which a killer uses Second Life to attract and hunt down her victims. The episode was a cliff-hanger, and viewers were invited to log on to a special CSI:NY-themed island in Second Life to continue the hunt for the murderer. But here the tension rises.

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Museum 2.0

JUNE 6, 2008

On June 4, we opened The Tech Virtual Test Zone , a new 2000 sq ft gallery at The Tech Museum of Innovation featuring exhibits on the theme of art, film, and music that were originally developed in Second Life by a community of creative amateurs. Some museum pros have been puzzled by this.

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Museum 2.0

JANUARY 5, 2007

Today, an interview with Sibley Verbeck (Hathor's his virtual name), founder/CEO of the Electric Sheep Company , which does experience design for real-world companies in virtual worlds including Second Life. Most museums already have websites. Most museums already have websites. Why would they want a Second Life presence?

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Virtual Game Second Life Museum 20

Museum 2.0

AUGUST 7, 2008

For many museums, visitor research--how people use the museum, navigate exhibits, and understand content--may be an equally important arena in which to adopt groundswell listening techniques. I spent an hour this morning "brand listening" to what the online world says about one of my favorite museums, the Exploratorium.

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Museum Teen Second Life Discussion 20

Museum 2.0

OCTOBER 4, 2007

There's a New York Times article today about the virtual CSI:NY experience that will be launching in Second Life on October 24. I've had a blast working with The Electric Sheep Company and Anthony Zuiker (creator of CSI) to design the narrative game that will accompany the superlative CSI:NY virtual environment.

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Second Life Project News New York 20

Museum 2.0

NOVEMBER 17, 2007

The interview includes stories about some of his projects, and a delving into questions about what makes viral content compelling, how to draw people into an uncomfortable environment, and ways that art--or museum content--can become more pervasive by being hidden in the corners of life. At first, it was a surprise.

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Discussion Game Oklahoma Museum 20

Museum 2.0

NOVEMBER 29, 2007

Dear Museum 2.0ers, As many of you know, I'm now working for The Tech Museum of Innovation on a new proje ct in which exhibit designers, fabricators, curators, and visitors from all over the world can hook up to develop exhibit concepts and virtual prototypes in Second Life. But that's not what this post is about.

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Museum 2.0

SEPTEMBER 11, 2007

When I talk with museum people about virtual worlds, the conversation usually centers on Second Life. But Second Life isn't the biggest, and it isn't the fastest growing. These virtual worlds are, as one father put it, "the cuddly G-rated version of Second Life." So what does this mean for museums?

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Second Life Teen Virtual Museum 20

Museum 2.0

DECEMBER 19, 2008

Every museum has a number for its operating cost per visitor. Most museums don't strategically set this number--too many operating costs are fixed by building needs--but they can use it to assess how expensive each visitor interaction is and evaluate the efficacy of programs. So where do online initiatives fit in?

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Virtual Museum North Carolina Evaluation 20

Museum 2.0

APRIL 25, 2008

On Tuesday, I'll be chairing a session at the AAM (American Association of Museums) conference called Eye on Design: Inspiration from Outside the Museum , in which we will feature creative and intriguing design elements from worlds away from museums--guitar stores, baseball stadiums, and more.

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