Museums - more than something to muse over
Building on the concept that interactivity can provide a better base from which to learn, MIC sought to provide ways for citizens to be more involved in the knowledge-building process. With the right tools visitors to museums, for example, could build their very own city, virtually. MIC project set out to provide these tools, to actively involve the visitor or citizen in an immersive environment. It also sought to provide unique tools to help strengthen links between museums and science centres, making them a place where doing and teaching is matched by observation and learning. More than 250 people are involved in the project in one way or another, including community centres, museum staff and even museum visitors. The virtual cities developed within the project will be disseminated to consortium partners both as a means to evaluate what people are most interested in seeing and doing at museums and to foster knowledge creation. The project will help give new shape – and even purpose – to museums and the results may influence Europe's future cityscape.