I love Nina Simon's ideas about make museums more interconnected with their guests and communities, but I could have taken or left this book. It would be wonderful if all museums could be participatory, but I feel that, in all honesty, there will always be a place for the cold, look-but-don't-touch museums of old. To me, the book borders on "preachy" in some places. That being said, the book is an absolute must for anyone looking into museums as a career. I have been reading Nina's Museum 2.0 blog since 2007. I always loved her ideas and examples, but really wanted a holistic framework in which to understand her ideas and place the clear applications she presented. The Participatory Museum is just that. I found it useful as someone working on a web application as well as someone interested in working in the museum field someday. I think the book is great for cultural professionals, volunteers, museum lovers, educators and anyone interested in the ways people engage with content and knowledge. Nina's advice is both extremely practical and offers a different theoretical framework with which to approach many areas of cultural engagement.
What do You think about The Participatory Museum (2010)?
Excellent practical guide to creating not just great exhibits but a participatory environment.
—omyl
Outstanding. This will be a core title in my professional library.
—kaykay
