Guide to Better Your Museum Visit

Oct 31

Oct 31 Guide to Better Your Museum Visit

Fall has officially descended upon us, and as the weather gets colder, what better way to spend the weekends in the warmth of some of Chicago’s best art museums? This is a short list of suggestions to make your museum visit more meaningful and enjoyable:

Know your timeframe. If you only have an hour, limit yourself to one section of the museum so you don’t get overwhelmed or easily distracted by the sheer amount of art. Large museums like the Art Institute and the MCA take several hours to walk through. Instead of trying to see everything, make it your goal to enjoy one exhibition. Moderation is good, and it applies to art-viewing too.
Read the wall labels. This makes all the difference. In conjunction with the last tip, focusing your energy on one exhibition makes it so you can digest the wall labels and understand the art better. Last month, my friends and I stumbled across a cool exhibition in Bangkok, where it was difficult to connect with the artist without knowing anything about his motivations and the sociopolitical context. So, we slowed down and read the labels, and I’m so glad we did, because it made the experience so much more memorable.
Talk about what you are seeing. Continuing with the story, after we started reading the wall text, we tried to understand the paintings — can we count the number of martini glasses? Is this creepy and complex painting about corrupt politicians?
Sketch, if you are artistically inclined. Everyone has a favorite painting, the one that stood out to you like no other. Maybe you are drawn to the colors, the shapes, or the composition. Bring a sketchbook or notebook and put something on the page, anything goes!
Take a water break. Museums have low humidity because artworks last longer in cold and arid conditions. I always feel thirsty about an hour into a visit, and I never have water on me, then I feel bad about buying overpriced beverages in the museum cafe. Therefore, bring water and stay hydrated!