The Inner Economist leaves the museum
Post #1063 • September 27, 2007, 10:42 AM • 3 Comments
Two final suggestions from Discover Your Inner Economist by Tyler Cowen for optimizing your museum visit.
3. When visiting a blockbuster exhibit, skip room number one altogether.
There is too much human traffic, because people have not yet admitted to themselves that they don't care about what is on the wall. Maybe you don't care much either, but you will care more by relaxing the pretense.
4. At the end of the visit, ask which paintings stuck with you.
Did you find yourself thinking back on the Munch, the Pollock, or the medieval tapestries? A week later ask the same question. Then go read about those artists or that period. That is a more useful procedure than reading about the art in advance.
2.
September 27, 2007, 5:55 PM
My rule, when visiting anything involving a line to get in, is always to go to the left. Most people go to the right whenever they enter an area. If you go left, it'll be less crowded.
I've gone through many an art show from back to front this way.
3.
September 28, 2007, 7:01 AM
My trick (probably a familiar one to everyone) is to simply be opportunistic. So many people will be listening to those damn headsets that they'll invariably create crowds around paintings featured in the audio. While they're doing that, go look at something else; when the audio segment ends and the group gradually moves to another work, move in.
1.
opie
September 27, 2007, 3:28 PM
Also, when going to a blockbuster exhibit, go to one with long wall labels, because everyone will be reading them and you will be able to see the paintings.
That was my experience with the Hopper show in Boston last summer.