Gaming in the Museum Monday, the session titled Gaming: Creating Connections to the Collection offered some fascinating and intriguing in sights to the use of gaming to add an entire another dimension to the how to interact with the museum.

Primarily what was of interest was what is possible in the museum. The institutions that spoke were the Minnesota Historical Society, The Getty and the Smithsonian. Here are some high level observations that came out of this session:

• Interactions within the game can include everything from scavenger hunts, performing for staff, to recording one’s impressions. There appears to be a wide range of possibilities of what can be included in the overall “storyline” of the game.
• Games offer an engaging way for school trips to share a visit and for what happens in the museum to be brought back literally to the classroom and even the home – Requires portable technology (iOS devices the preferred choice due to open source software) which allows for the large variety of interactions. People, including kids are comfortable with it.
• Gaming in the museum appears to point out, highlight or make apparent new needs and well as short comings in the wayfinding of an institution.

 It breaks down the traditional meaning making of the physical space.

• Gaming also causes tensions within staffs at times between more traditional or comfortable ways of imaging how visitors should use the museum
• 21st Century skills appear to be fostered through the use of gaming, skills such as stalking to strangers and teamwork that at times are hard at a singular exhibit in an exhibition
• Kids like to record audio