The upcoming expansion of Glenstone, a contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, provides a timely opportunity to discuss the unique challenges museums face in the quest to balance access with the quality of visitor experience.
“Museums have spoken the language of mass access for so long that almost anything they do to control the experience — prohibit cameras or selfie sticks, for example — is likely to be seen as elitist.”
There are contemporary museums harder to get to and more isolated than Glenstone, including one on a lonely island in Japan and another in a remote town in Texas. Some museums are invitation-only and function almost like private clubs.
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