Theming in museums as a key tool to reach more audiences
Human beings are driven by stimuli and this is something that all public-facing sectors are implementing in their offer. In addition, the inclusion of new technologies and formats is irremediably changing the way in which we interact in all aspects of daily life. This is why museums cannot be oblivious to these new tools. For this reason, the theming of their spaces has become a very powerful tool for attracting more types of audiences (especially the youngest), improving the dissemination of their contents and turning them into an unforgettable experience for the visitor.
The advantages are not only here, it has been demonstrated in different studies carried out in museums that the inclusion of experiences with interaction with the spaces shown, greatly improve the experience, the accessibility of the contents and the attractiveness of each proposal arranged within them, making the visitor have a longer lasting memory and a much more positive user experience. These results are beginning to be seen in museums that have adapted their spaces and collections to themed environments.
Example of success in the theming of museums
The diversity of heritage proposals and the dissemination of their contents make it necessary for the theming process to be carried out in parallel to this, closely linked to each phase of the environment used and the proposed collection.
Within the theming process, it is vital that in each of the phases of development of ideas, implementation of the engineering and then in the construction process, the main essence of the collection on display is respected, with the proposed installations serving as a vehicle and amplifier of the didactic and cultural proposals of each space and room used. In all of them, a great deal of involvement is required between the management team of the museum itself and the theming team, with a view to ensuring that the act of theming does not negatively alter the dissemination capacity of the original heritage proposal.
A good example of this type of integration is the National Museum of Qatar.
In this case the theming team managed to augment and give voice to the history of Qatar, in an immersive and experiential environment. This team built one of its galleries, a Themed Wall, which is a large installation of mounds that evoke the everyday objects of the 1950s and 1960s that arrived as a consequence of the birth of oil. All the elements were made by moulding real objects to obtain an exact cast.
The experience offered to visitors brings the reality of the country’s history and the changes brought about by the emergence of the oil industry closer in a more real and accessible way, facilitating understanding and improving the accessibility of the collection to a wide range of audiences.
This museum has become a benchmark for how to enhance the local and national cultural and historical archive thanks to the careful work of the management team of the various collections and the team in charge of developing the theming proposal, without altering the purpose of the proposal and finding new ways of interacting with the public using channels that they can easily understand.
