For many people, museums are boring, incomprehensible, and tedious. You have to silently wander the halls, stare at the exhibits, trying to figure out the artist's genius plan, and endure pain in your legs and back.
But if you want to learn to enjoy art, forget how you used to behave in a museum and start experimenting. Experienced writers at
https://cheappaperwriting.com/writers have put together some ideas and tips to help you rediscover the world. Most importantly, listen to yourself and choose what makes you feel good.
#1. Talk to people
Usually in a museum we are silent, even if we didn't come alone. And for good reason! Whatever emotions or questions your work evokes, it's easier to express them in a dialogue. You can talk not only to a friend, but also to the stranger standing nearby, looking at the same painting. Maybe he knows more about it than you do, and can share interesting facts and stories, or maybe he's just trying to figure out what its secret is - and then you have something to discuss.
You can talk to the caretakers, too. Just imagine: they spend years in these halls and almost no one asks them anything. Ask the curator any question that comes to your mind, or just ask him to tell you about your favorite exhibit.
#2. Don't try to see everything at once
One of the biggest mistakes almost everyone makes is trying to see all the halls at once. Think of a museum as a menu, not a to-do list.
Even if you genuinely enjoy the exhibit, after a few hours you will begin to feel what is called "museum fatigue": your brain simply cannot process so much information at once, your legs will begin to whine, and it will become increasingly difficult to maintain concentration. As a result, you will leave the museum shattered and unlikely to want to come back in the near future.
You can go to museums in your city every month: a ticket usually costs no more than a cup or two of coffee, and many museums have days with free admission. But even if you are traveling and you are not sure if you will ever return, you can find out in advance or ask the museum staff what is considered the gem of its collection and which rooms are worth a visit first.
#3. Ask yourself questions and listen to your feelings
Stop at any exhibit that could attract your attention and start asking yourself questions. What exactly are you interested in — size, colors, shape, plot, material? If something seems ugly, scary, provocative to you, do not avoid it, art does not necessarily have to cause only admiration. What confuses you, scares you, angers you? What causes delight? Going to a museum can open up a lot of new things about yourself.
#4. Take advantage of what a museum has to offer
Alas, most museums care more about art than they do about their visitors. But they can still do something to help.
If they offer you a free audio guide, don't turn it down (and some museums also have audio tours that you can pre-install on your smartphone). Take the handouts that are usually available at the entrance - booklets, brief guides, even flyers with minimal information. All of these may come in handy during your visit.
There are usually signs next to the paintings and at the entrance to the hall with the name of the exhibition/work and comments. Yes, they are almost always written in creepy, unreadable art slang using terminology and heavy syntactic constructions. It's a really specific language, capable of confusing anyone. Try retelling what you read, picking out individual words, facts and ideas.
#5. Give yourself time to get acquainted with the work
According to
statistics, visitors to the Louvre spend an average of 15 seconds at the Mona Lisa: hardly enough time to really see the picture. During this time, the viewer usually only has time to pay attention to the subject or its absence. But try to look at the colors and their combination, the proportions and recurring motifs. Have you ever heard of this artist? What about it? Do you know what the story behind the piece is, or do you have any hunches of your own? Is there anything you would like to change about the work? How would you describe it to a friend?
You can write down your thoughts and questions that come up and think about them for a while longer, or look for answers in books, in lectures, or on the Internet.
#6. Don't ignore the museum store and cafe
You can go to the store before and after visiting the exhibition. This is where you will find art books and catalogs. Browse them in the store or buy them and read them in the museum - isn't this the right place?
Take a postcard of one of the paintings with you - it will remind you of the experience for a long time and you'll think about it again and again and form the most complete impression you've seen. Having coffee in a museum cafe is also a good idea. It's the best place to share your impressions with each other or to reflect on what you've seen alone.