I was desperately trying to avoid the cliché of an end of the year post but more discussions and articles, such as this one from Wired has prompted me to ask on several social media channels (and as I write this, I’m watching yet another tv program on buying habits from 2015):

Tis the season – let’s talk ‪#‎MuseumTrends.

For me:

• Better tech (see retail)
• Seamless engagement 
• Academia to emotive storytelling
• More collaboration and sharing of collections (online/offline)
• [Edit to add] Citizen Museums – with so many closures, will the general public start taking ownership of collections?

You?

Before I get into the responses it’s important for those that don’t know that I often speak about paying attention to trends in my talks at conferences. The museum sector might pay attention to tech but are ignoring rich resources like retail and publishing who also deal with ‘general’ public/audience. The reason I’m adding this is because while I’m doing this at the end of the year, it’s something we should pay attention to year round.  ‘

What we’re *not* buying is just as important as what we are buying.’ – John Lewis Buyer.  

The tv program I’m watching right now has mentioned the shift of traditional marketing and PR and how quickly it is changing. For example, one product that was featured on a top TV morning program received minimal sales increase but one tweet from a known celebrity meant sales went through the roof. This also shows the importance of social media as a trend we need to keep talking about and not assume everyone knows how to use it properly…

I’d also like to preference that I feel some took the question of ‘trends’ to mean ‘what I personally want’ but that’s ok! It’s something we can all explore.

Back to the responses:
Instagram:
saravarelarawMe: more (relevant) short video, more social customer care.

Facebook:
Emma Bearman More people participation in collections & archives? More thematic story telling about individual objects?

Twitter:

@MarDixon responsive.

— Paul Bowers (@Paulrbowers) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon don’t know yet. And both, or either. Let’s see what tech lets us do and what visitors actually use/enjoy and get benefit from

— Paul Bowers (@Paulrbowers) December 30, 2015

Ok, inspired by @MarDixon #MuseumTrends I expect to come: more budget cuts, talk abt. Community outreach wo. doing, same w. Social media.

— Registrar Trek (@RegistrarTrek) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon I would like to see more integrated #autisminmuseum events, less add ons and one offs

— Autism in Museums (@AutisminMuseums) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon more beta testing for big / permanent exhibitions (element of wishful thinking here), ongoing rethink of temp/permanent divide.

— Eithne (@aladytraveller) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon Cooper Hewitt pen got lots of orgs thinking about combining digital & analogue – think this could have impact on museum stores.

— Eithne (@aladytraveller) December 30, 2015

.@MarDixon Ecological context so serious museums will look at all means to tackle it: social, artistic, ethical, digital etc #museumtrends

— bridgetmck (@bridgetmck) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon more consideration of multi sensory approach. #museumtrends (wishful thinking)

— Matthew Cock (@matthewcock) December 30, 2015

#MuseumTrends @MarDixon would be fab to see more hackspace / fablab solutions to museum development a la @derbysilkmill

— Sally Fort (@sallyent) December 30, 2015

Agree! Libraries have had decent success in integrating, could learn from them. https://t.co/EpRo2RX3xc

— EdCom – AAM (@AAM_EdCom) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon It’s #MuseumTrends + #localgov + Environment Agency + #Gov I’d say, esp when add in climate change issues.

— Janet E Davis (@janetedavis) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon |Answer: Museums are about real stuff in an increasingly virtual world #MuseumTrends

— Hilary McGowan (@HilaryMcGowan) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon hoping for more #openaccess with #musedata and digital assets and more experimentation with #AR #VR. #MuseumTrends

— Neal Stimler (@nealstimler) December 30, 2015

.@MarDixon Heck, I’ll be shameless…I want #provenance to be in #MuseumTrends this year. Do more! Publish more! Be fearless abt provenance!

— Tracey Berg-Fulton (@BergFulton) December 30, 2015

.@MarDixon Digital visitors are visitors. One and the same. #MuseumTrends

— W. Ryan Dodge (@wrdodger) December 30, 2015

#MuseumTrends : #3dprinting as a tool to engage new visitors with visitors (youngs, geeks) #musetech #musesocial https://t.co/LPILBZsrto

— Aube Lebel (@LebelAube) December 31, 2015

@MarDixon it’d be interesting if they do as retail/culture are often viewed as worlds apart,though museums can learn from consumer behaviour

— The Secondhand Dress (@secondhanddress) December 30, 2015

#museumfab : #fablabs and #makerspaces in #museums , the next big thing @MarDixon ? //#museumtrends

— christophe buffet (@cpjfb) December 30, 2015

@MarDixon can’t stop to think about more ethos driven institutions instead of mission oriented

— Luis Marcelo Mendes (@lumamendes) January 1, 2016

One last question …. What are museums USP(s)?

@MarDixon real places, telling stories about real people with real things.

— Amanda Phillipson (@amandajp17) December 30, 2015

https://storify.com/MarDixon/museumtrends

Do you have anything to add?