ABSTRACT
When the subject of the future of museums comes up—which it often does—and the word "technology" rears its ugly head, the word "interactive" is usually close behind. The ability to effectively establish and understand context—both human context and historical context—is what any great institution does well. Displaying and conserving artifacts and maintaining a quality collection must be taken seriously. Any institution that survives for the long haul must periodically reinvent itself. This could be necessary every few years or after decades. But it's always necessary. The first part of this process is to pay attention. Technology will not replace museums or teachers. It will revitalize them. Anyone who thinks computers are about to replace teachers doesn't know what a teacher does. What this technology can do is provide the equivalent of power steering for educators and museum professionals. It can dramatically extend the reach of our professionals and their capacity to serve more people more effectively.
