The Future Of Museums Is Reaching Way Beyond Their Walls

The American Museum of Natural History has always been one of the most popular destinations in New York City. Even with this influx of people coming to its doorstep, however, the museum is now equally focused on drawing a crowd beyond its campus. AMNH is a sprawling outreach institution that is using apps, social media, and educational programs to slowly grow its reach. About 70,000 people have so far enrolled in its free online courses, available through the platform Coursera. Many in the target audience are teachers themselves, who will presumably train students around the world in topics related to science, natural history, and today’s environmental challenges. (AMNH also became one of the first museums in the world to launch it’s own PhD program and recently received approval to start a masters program for teachers).

Mobile apps are also now playing a role in extending the museum’s reach to connect visitors to additional learning. "One of the challenges in museums is that you see lots of really great stuff, but then you have no more ways to find out information about it," says AMNH chief digital officer Catherine Devine. The museum’s digital and technology staff now collaborates with an outside agency to create apps to accompany certain exhibits, such as "The Power of Poison" game, which allowed users to investigate poisoning cases in connection with a special exhibit in 2014. AMNH is investing $325 million in a new building on its campus, which will focus on science research and education. Futter says the building’s design will be based around the idea that visitors will "flow from their visit to online engagement."