Most of us would imagine that people visit galleries and museums in much the same way that everyone else does, but in fact, careful observation shows this is not the case.
Perhaps most people amble through the exhibits in a random way, reading the labels about those objects that have especially caught their eye.
It is certainly true that often many people gather around similar objects so that you might wonder if it is the few extra people that others are drawn to or is it that specific object itself that attracts more people.
Some people carefully read seemingly all the labels in their entirety. Studiously shifting their gaze from label to object and then back to label.
However, many people find the best way to learn about an exhibition, to really see and understand, is to not only look at labels, text panels and more, but also who take the time to listen to a floor talk or a curator’s talk or even join a guide on a tour. It seems that person-to-person engagement is the best way to learn and understand exhibitions and the world around us.
That is why during school holidays when Bendigo’s Golden Dragon Museum is open every day of the week, there is a 15-minute museum introductory talk at 11am each day and a 15-minute curator’s talk on the current temporary exhibition every Monday and Wednesday at 2pm.
Bookings are not required, but the talks do start on time, so it is often best to aim to join the group a few minutes before the scheduled start.
(Victoria’s Goldfields: Chinese Curiosities from Heritage Victoria closes November 10).
