Head and Heart, Science and Art

I have always been torn between my love of the Arts and my interest in Science. I originally enrolled in a double degree to dapple in both but later dropped the science to focus on the humanities. Many years on, I ‘m finding there's a palpable difference between science and art-based museums (read Nina Simon’s post on this) I experienced a collision of worlds on my recent trip to London.

I arranged to meet and observe members of the learning team at the Natural History Museum where I assisted in the Investigate room. School groups and families with young children are able to explore real museum specimens in a very hands-on way by measuring, weighing, drawing their chosen object(s) and recording their observations/findings.

I spent some time in the live butterfly tent and on the floor in the dinosaur and fossil area where one family (a mum and 2 young children) face-timed dad at work on their smart phones so he could be part of their museum experience. This got me thinking about onsite, offsite and online offerings, and the possible connections between these relatively compartmentalised methods of engagement. 

I also visited the Darwin Centre which I'd studied during my masters degree. Armed with my Nature Plus card (which when scanned enabled me to capture snippets of information to follow up later at home), I spiralled down the cocoon building past collection storage displays, scientists undertaking DNA extraction and tried my hand at packing for a research trip to the jungle via interactive touch table displays. 

Later in the afternoon, I migrated next-door to meet with the head of digital education at the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was interesting to compare and contrast the two institutions whilst learning about their respective organisational values, staffing structures and interpretation strategies, especially in light of recent budget cuts in the UK.

The V&A fashion collection was definitely a personal highlight - I found myself gasping aloud impulsively at the exquisite examples on display. I love contrasting styles across the decades but I always settle on the drop waisted 1920s as my favourite era (I grew up watching House of Elliot, my best friend and I renamed ourselves after the 2 main characters Bea and Eve).

I also enjoyed wandering freely around the vast interior of the building. Its sheer scale enabled large artefacts such as fountains and staircases to be displayed in their original context relative to human scale. I really appreciated the very deliberate thought behind the arrangement of these spaces where building and object appeared to make happy bedfellows. 

Visitors seemed equally comfortable inhabiting the museum, taking their time, reclining peacefully on one another's laps and drinking in the atmosphere. With record hot temperatures, culture vultures soaked their feet in the central fountain. I found this informal communion on the green delightfully refreshing as museums are sometimes brandished as formal, foreboding places.