The Participatory Museum, Nina Simon

“The Participatory Museum is a practical guide to working with community members and visitors to make cultural institutions more dynamic, relevant, essential places. It was written by me, Nina Simon. I’m an exhibit designer, museum consultant, and the author of the Museum 2.0 blog.”

“Nina Simon’s new book is essential for museum directors interested in experimenting with audience participation on the one hand and cautious about upending the traditional museum model on the other. The book is well written, interesting, well researched, and useful.  It will encourage and support those who wish to begin.  Simon dissects the process of participatory change, showing how to make choices that will augment, without overturning, the museum’s current programs or mission.  In concentrating on the practical, this book makes implementation possible in most museums.  More importantly, in describing the philosophy and rationale behind participatory activity, it makes clear that action does not always require new technology or machinery.  Museums need to change, are changing, and will change further in the future.  This book is a helpful and thoughtful road map for speeding such transformation.”