Beyond the Museum
Introduction
by Tereza Chanaki, December 2022
Museums are more than their physical buildings. They have the power and ability to reach beyond their walls and extend their exhibitions, content, and values to those who wish to experience them from afar.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) uses its website as the main source for collection, exhibition, and learning content. At the same time though, their Google Arts and Culture page has incredible options for individuals who are not physically at the museum.
The following two sections will consist of a description and an analysis of what digital content can be found on the Met’s website.
Firstly, I will describe what one can expect from the Met when they approach their digital content. This description will be based on my own experience in navigating the Met’s website and their Google Arts and Culture page as of the 8th of December 2022. The description will approach the layout of the website, where information is located, and any unexpected lack of information.
By additional digital exhibition content, I mean any content available online that is connected to either temporary or permanent exhibitions, that offer additional information on the collection. I will analyze the usability and effectiveness of this digital content, and assess the design and interactive decisions that the Met has made.
Finally, throughout my discussion I will mention the accessibility and educational possibilities of the digital content, and highlight the different ways that the Met website and Google Arts and Culture page create digital alternatives for individuals who either cannot physically access the museum, or have physical limitations during their visit (example: hard of hearing, sight difficulties, etc).