Under the Museum popular Lecture Series organized by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Bhopal Professor Sunil Umarao, Department of Journalism Allahabad University Prayagraj delivered a lecture on Museology New Media and Museum Communication: New Emerging Challenges in Developing Countries.
At the beginning of the program, Museum Director Professor Amitabh Pandey honored Prof. Sunil by presenting him a bouquet of flowers, a shawl and also presented him with the logo of the museum. Dr. Suryakumar Pandey introduced the speaker. Thereafter Professor Sunil Umarao said in his address that With proliferation of Internet and new communication technologies, there is significant change in the way the society engages in education, entertainment and communication. With the proliferation of new media, there is a significant shift in the way the Traditional Museum is beginning to change the way they document, present artifacts and engage the audiences.
The New Media today is sweeping the society because there is more democratic two-way communication. The digital technologies allow greater flexibility in data collection, storage and manipulation by software. The growth of multi-media today stands to be eclipsed by virtual and augmented reality.
Today museums all over the world are beginning to use new media not only to go online but also in display of cultural artifacts by use of projectors, streaming live videos etc.
As the youth are getting immersed in digital and social media, the challenge of the traditional mode of exhibitions has to be tuned to the new emerging technologies so that the new visitors can be engaged and feel satisfaction in their visit to the museum. As museums all over the world are gearing up to technological upgradation. As it involves cost and new manpower, how the developing nations will be able to meet challenge for museums to be relevant for cultural preservation and promotion.
Presiding over the programme, Director Prof. Amitabh Pandey said that freedom of speech and expression is an important aspect of democracy. The opportunities that social media has provided to citizens to exercise this right could not have been imagined even a decade ago. In fact, a wave of change can be brought about in society through this platform. Social media is an important means of connecting with people across the world and has given a new dimension to communication in the world.
