Friday's (20 Nov) visit to a trio of museums started off with the Maharaja exhibition at the V&A. Highly enjoyable and a sumptious visual treat, the opulence and splendour of the jewellery, textiles and even armour definitely left an impression. I was very taken with the amazingly rich detail and the various motifs favoured by the different reigns. Art-wise, I was intrigued by the idea of the Ragamala, defined in the exhibition as "a visual expression of a mood evoked through music". Although exploratory in nature, somehow it hints at a sense of escapism. Interestingly, the majority of these works and the degree of craftsmanship exemplified wouldn't have seen the light of day if it weren't for the patronage of the Maharajas.
A showcase of innovations and inventions amidst interactive learning came next at the Science Museum's Wellcome Wing , the latter, helped by a mix of mechanical and digital installations enticing visitors to participate.
Over at the Natural History Museum's Darwin Centre, even more digital technology came into play with a novel way of saving one's favourite parts of the exhibition via a barcoded card. These can then be revisited online at a later time.
I think a point worth observing is that as more digital components are introduced in museums or simply across general use, user navigation and ultimately, the user experience is key in making the project a success.
