museum experience

I missed class Thursday but having read the Weil and Hein readings and judging from other blog posts, we're now talking about museums. Hein talks about the "museum experience" in one section and from what I understand, he talks about the museum experience as one that is advertised as a unifying participation but actually, what makes a museum experience memorable is the uniqueness of each individual's trip. I'm appreciating art more now because I'm taking this class but recalling on my past museum experiences, I was that girl who walked aimlessly ooh-ing and ah-ing just for the sake of ooh-ing and ah-ing because, well, it's art that I'm paying to admire and be inspired by. My trips to art museums have almost always been with school groups except for one time my date and I walked into the MoMA in New York City because it was freezing outside so I don't think that counts. Unless you're "into art", most teens don't find it worth their time to seek out enlightenment and pleasure from going to the museum. Museums are for old people. That last statement was a joke but the stereotype does exist to an extent. I think what it is though is that more adults than children have the capacity and openness to communicate with the art pieces and walk into a museum knowing and expecting this communication to occur. The unique experience stems from this mindset and it's one I'm learning to possess as I grow older and more mature. I think it's great that museums are trying to expand their traditional visitors by transforming this and that, not for economic gains (although this is true) but to increase enlightenment for all ages.