To Touch or Not To Touch

I've been thinking a lot about the gallery niche for the wearable circuits month. Luigi and Sebastian did an awesome job of putting up some beautiful work by carefully chosen artists whose work matches the studio theme.  However, since many of the electrical circuits on fabric are quite delicate and fragile, they are displayed under clear plexi-glass or behind curved fences so they can't be over-handled by the throngs of visitors used to treating the exhibits roughly.

When wandering through the space, I've felt conflicted by the message that the environment sends to the museum browsers. On one hand I think that it is very cool that we are experimenting with exhibiting pieces of art that traditionally can not be shown at our museum. I also like the idea that the studio space encourages a more reflective attitude and the possibility that different sections of the museum offer different types of engagement. 

But on the other hand, I've always made it a point to let the kids who come on field trips know that this museum is very different from other places and that here "you can touch everything." And while there are plenty of exhibits that block hands from reaching in (mice cages and termite enclosures) I think that the general philosophy is to make the science and art demonstrations able to be touched, moved, and manipulated. Maybe that's why I'm not the only explainer who has been tempted to reach their fingers under the glass to try to get a better feel for the art.

I don't think that there are any clear answers here and I am glad that we are experimenting with the types of experiences that can be had at the museum both to the extreme of having many loose materials and the other end of having art that resembles more traditional museum settings. Just something to think about as we move forward in this great experiment.