Selfie Culture Gets A Little More … Cultured

Anyone who has ever been to a museum knows about their strict “no photography” rules. From fossil exhibits to art galleries, you’re sure to see signs that read, “No, Photography Please.” But as smartphones continue to advance and as more and more people turn to social media, museums like the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (2001 Colorado Blvd) have begun to relax that policy a little, even encourage it in some cases.

Because of the ever-valuable word of mouth marketing that comes from selfies and use of social media, museums have begun to see a benefit in allowing photography within their exhibits.

To add a little insight into how this best benefits museums, we spoke to Maura O’Neal, Communications and Media Relations Manager at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  

Innovator’s Peak: What led to some local museums’ decision to allow, even encourage, photography or selfies within museum exhibits?

Maura O’Neal: I can’t speak for all museums, but the Denver Museum of Nature and Science works to encourage photography whenever possible while maintaining its high standards of care for its collection items and ensuring a positive experience for all guests. Humans are naturally social beings; we want to share our experiences with others. Photography paired with the immediate ability to share images and other information through social media platforms helps us satisfy this desire. For us, encouraging the use of photography immediately creates thousands of ambassadors who aren’t just telling people what a great time they had at the Museum, they are showing people what a great time they are having in near-real time. That’s powerful.

IP: How have museums adopted social media into their marketing strategies? How can they use it to reach larger audiences?

MO: The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has been using social media in its marketing strategies for quite some time. A recent example is the Day in the Life of Bigfoot video series we did to help promote our Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns, and Mermaids temporary exhibitions. (Office Romance, Feeding Time, Getting Around) We shared these videos on Facebook, Twitter, and through our e-newsletters and have received a lot of great feedback and social shares.

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IP: Museums are often thought of as “high-brow” or “stuffy,” how can museums use social media to change that reputation?

MO: Our Day in the Life of Bigfoot series is an example of how the Museum doesn’t take itself too seriously. We’ve worked very hard to develop a social media persona that is approachable – sometimes funny – and always accurate. Everyone can have fun with science and we use our social media efforts to invite everyone into that experience.

IP: The museum experience can be a very quiet, dignified experience. Do you worry that selfies and other social media posts will trivialize that?

MO: Excitement and engagement go hand-in-hand with learning here. It’s not quiet, and we’re okay with that. Selfie sticks have not trivialized the visitor experience. If anything, they’ve enhanced it by allowing people to share their experiences from a new perspective.

IP: Will special museum apps be incorporated into the museum experience? How can you use social media to engage visitors?

MO: We have incorporated apps into the museum experience. Our Super Animal Adaptations is a choose-your-own-adventure app that we developed. The app pairs students with an animal superhero, and takes them on a self-guided tour of the Museums diorama halls. Through activities and questions, the app allows students to pick their next destination while learning about the diverse animal adaptations found in nature. As they consider whether they would rather swim, fly, or hide with camouflage, for instance, the students explore many ecosystems and animals from around the world and earn points towards becoming a superhero sidekick. Discussion questions, photos, and sounds supplement the application making it interesting for many ages and interest levels. We are also in the process of developing an electronic membership card app that will allow our members to redeem their member benefits via the mobile application.

IP: How do you think that social media will affect museums in the long run? Will this change the way we experience museums, or will it simply modernize it?

MO: Social media is already affecting the museum experience. Attending museums is a social experience – 40 percent of our guests come in groups of 3-4 people – and they can expand that experience by sharing content on social media. We see social media as having a positive effect on the Museum experience as we strive to reach new and different audiences daily.

We are also beginning to engage social media influencers through pitches and special invitations in much the same way we do traditional reporters. As newsrooms are shrinking, social media is expanding exponentially, so we see this as having limitless potential for sharing stories from the Museum.

IP: Thanks, Ms. O’Neal, for taking time out to chat with us.

MO: It’s my pleasure.  

Not to sound like a total nerd or anything (not that there’s anything wrong with it) but I’ve never been more excited to run off to a museum with a group of friends and snap some selfies. Frankly, it brings a whole new meaning to the classic song, “Let me Take a Selfie” (Imagine that playing next to a Rembrandt or a Neanderthal diorama).

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science isn’t the only museum to take on this new trend. The Denver Art Museum (100 W 14th Ave Pkway), and the Museo de las Americas (861 Santa Fe Dr) are also joining in on the fun. And many others are likely to follow. It’s free promotion, why wouldn’t you want to jump on the bandwagon?

What’s also super cool here is that this shows the power and influence of social media, and how it’s affecting every part of our lives. The tool that keeps us connected is the same tool that allows us to be educated and inspired. And I can’t think of a better place then at your local museum.

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by Glenn Krieger