Storytelling: Tall Tales, or the Future of Museums

Just Tall Tales, or the Future Of Museums?Flickr Credit ~archer10STORYTELLINGRobert Stein@rjstein

Flickr Credit ~cgpgreyINCOME INEQUALITY

1% OF THE POPULATION OWNS 46% OF THE WEALTHSource: Oxfam, Working for the Few

62 RICHEST OWN AS MUCH AS THE POOREST 50%Source: Oxfam, Working for the Few

U.S. CHILD POVERTY RATE IS AT A 20-YEAR HIGHhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/28/child-poverty-us_n_6054958.html

This massive concentration of economic resources in the hands of fewer people presents a significant threat to inclusive political and economic systems. Instead of moving forward together, people are increasingly separated by economic and political power, inevitably heightening social tensions and increasing the risk of societal breakdown

Oxfam, Working for the few Jan 20, 2014.

Jean Antoine Theodore Giroust French. 1753-1817The Harp Lesson1791The fourteen-year-old Eugene Louise Adelaide de Bourbon Orleans (1777-1847) Madame de Genlis Madamoiselle Pamela

Daughter of Louise Philippe Joseph de Bourbon, Duc dOrleans (1747-1793)

Philippe Joseph de Bourbon, Duc dOrlans (1747-1793)

Philippe Joseph de Bourbon, Duc dOrlans (1747-1793)

Eugene Louise Adelaide de Bourbon Orlans (1777-1847)

Ficit Ducrest de Saint-Aubin (1746-1830) Madame de Genlis

Comtesse de Genlis1791 Francois Guerin

Jean Antoine Theodore Giroust French. 1753-1817The Harp Lesson1791The fourteen-year-old Eugene Louise Adelaide de Bourbon Orleans (1777-1847) Madame de Genlis Madamoiselle Pamela

Daughter of Louise Philippe Joseph de Bourbon, Duc dOrleans (1747-1793)

Eugene Louise Adelaide de Bourbon Orlans

Louis Philippe I, King of the French 1830-1848

No society can be flourishing and happy of which the far greater part of its members are poor and miserable

Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTENT AND STORY

SO WHY SHOULD STORIES MATTER TO THE CULTURAL SECTOR?

Kurt Vonnegut Explains Drama (image credit Derek Sivers)https://sivers.org/drama

Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 1949.

Why Storytelling?Stories are a familiar way to communicate to many different people.

Why Storytelling?Stories are vessels that carry culture.

Why Storytelling?Stories carry meaning, emotion, and aesthetics along with information.

Why Storytelling?Stories can help address difficult or ambiguous topics.

Why Storytelling?Stories can help build empathy.

OxytocinCharacter driven stories do consistently cause oxytocin synthesis.

Paul Zak, Claremont Graduate University

OxytocinOxytocin is produced when we are trusted or shown a kindness, and it motivates cooperation with others. It does this by enhancing the sense of empathy, our ability to experience others emotions.

Emotional simulation is the foundation for empathy and is particularly powerful for social creatures like humans because it allows us to rapidly forecast if people around us are angry or kind, dangerous or safe, friend or foe.

Such a neural mechanism keeps us safe but also allows us to rapidly form relationships with a wider set of members of our species than any other animal does. The ability to quickly form relationships allows humans to engage in the kinds of large-scale cooperation that builds massive bridges and sends humans into space.

LETS LOOK BACKWHY NOW?

The Social Media Explosion in 2004-2006 Changed Visitor Expectations about Social Connections and Commentary

INSTANTThe reality ofshopping

EXPERIENCEThe Resulting Rise of In-Store

IMMERSIVEThe coming advent of experience in popular culture

Credit Flickr ~scotttbooneSTORYTELLINGIn the Museum

Credit Flickr ~scotttboone

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

Credit Flickr ~scotttboone

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

Credit Flickr ~scotttboone

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

STORYTELLINGIn the Museum

On again off again friendship with Gauguin sister Madeleine was in love with the much older Gauguin59

Emile Bernard, 1889Paul Gauguin, 1888Madeleine Bernard

GENERATIVE STORYTELLING

Intelligent Narrative ComputingMarc Riedl, et al. Georgia Institute of Technology

Credit Flickr ~scotttbooneCHALLENGES FORSTORYTELLINGIn the MuseumMuseums complicated relationship with fictionNot enough storytellersBuildings that are poorly designed for immersive experiencesLack of tools to create and manage transmedia non-linear storiesUnnecessary barriers between museums and the performing arts

Credit Flickr ~scotttbooneSTORYTELLINGIn the MuseumTHANKS!

Clair de luneSally FletcherClassical Favorites from the Harp, track 5/17, disc 1/12007Classical78236.555eng - iTunPGAP0eng - iTunNORM 000000CB 0000014B 0000157F 0000173C 00034263 0001160F 0000571C 000061A1 0000AB05 00035078eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 00000AA4 0000000000ED72CC 00000000 0091B95D 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000eng - iTunes_CDDB_IDs17+3D2F834FB8FB7430FC5920C0D556D543+11549690