Is This The Future Of The Milwaukee Public Museum: Modern Museums and the Meaning of “Digital Engagement”

SaveMPM
Oct 14
2 min read

Source: “The Role of Digital Engagement in Museums,” MuseumNext, October 25, 2024.

When museums embrace technology, the goal should be to connect people more deeply to history—not to disconnect them from it.

Across the world, digital engagement is redefining what it means to be “modern.” From virtual tours to augmented reality experiences, museums are finding new ways to open their doors wider—using technology to make culture more accessible, inclusive, and connected to the people they serve.

When used well, digital tools strengthen the bond between a museum and its community. They allow visitors to see objects in new ways, hear stories in new voices, and explore history beyond walls and time zones. They preserve what is irreplaceable while expanding who gets to experience it.

But modernization should never be confused with replacement. The best examples of digital engagement build upon a museum’s identity, not erase it. They honor the legacy of place, the emotional power of shared memory, and the craftsmanship of the exhibits that first sparked public wonder.

While we know some museums are spending millions to preserve and reinstate the art of dioramas—the timeless three-dimensional storytelling that defined early museum education—a growing number are moving in the opposite direction. A trend toward high-tech, concept-driven exhibits is becoming the new standard for what some call a “modern museum.”

On its own website, the Milwaukee Public Museum explains that it is evolving “to best reflect the larger scientific, social, political, technological, and economic changes occurring in the world.”

That statement captures a pivotal question for the public: should museums evolve primarily to reflect the world as it changes—or to help anchor us within it?

As Milwaukee’s public museum prepares for its next chapter, it’s fair to ask:

Is the goal of modernization connection or control?
Will new technology enhance access to our history, or redefine which histories matter?
And most importantly, is this what Milwaukee means by a “modern museum”?

True innovation doesn’t discard its foundations. Technology should be a bridge between people and their shared past, not a substitute for it. A museum’s evolution should expand understanding—not erase the familiar landscapes of memory that made it beloved in the first place.

And given MPM leadership’s own comments describing our current museum as “old and culturally irrelevant,” where does that leave us? If relevance is measured only by reinvention, the question becomes not just how we modernize—but what we’re willing to lose in the process.