Guide To Chicago Museums And Social Media
Learning about art or history doesn't stop once you leave a museum. Chicago-area museums are using social media to interact with the public, and the Twitter feeds, Flickr pages, blogs, YouTube sites and Facebook pages are helping us expand our knowledge of the arts and humanities, one click at a time. So follow them, friend them or bookmark them, but check out these pages to be in the know about events, exhibits and Chicago culture.
Art Institute of Chicago
Blog: ARTicle, blog.artic.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/artic
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/artinstitutechicago
Multimedia: www.artic.edu/aic/multimedia/
Twitter: @artinstitutechi
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ArtInstituteChicago
On the blog, the museum posts behind-the-scenes looks, staff picks of favorite works in the collection, art history lessons and information on new acquisitions. The Flickr page features event photos. YouTube offers staff picks, lectures and videos of After Dark events. Multimedia is an online clearinghouse for the Art Institute's audio and video resources. Look for lectures by scholars, artists and writers; curators' overviews of exhibitions; panel discussions and behind-the-scenes videos of art installations.
Chicago History Museum
Blog: blog.chicagohistory.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chicagohistory
Flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/chicagohistory/
Twitter: @chicagomuseum
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/ChicagoHistoryMuseum
The Facebook page offers news and links to blog posts. Flickr is a group pool, so users can upload photos they took at the museum, and the YouTube page features historical videos.
DuSable Museum of African American History
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DuSableMuseum
Mobile app: www.dusablemuseum.org/visit/the-dusable-is-mobile
Twitter: @dusablemuseum
The Twitter feed is regularly updated with museum news and events. It also includes retweets that show how closely engaged the museum is to what's going on in the city. The mobile app is available for iPhone, Android and other phones that support HTML5, and you can find information about admission, exhibits and events.
Field Museum
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fieldmuseum
Flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/fieldmuseum/
Multimedia gallery: fieldmuseum.org/about/gallery
Online learning: fieldmuseum.org/schools/online-learning
Twitter: @fieldmuseum
The multimedia gallery offers video and photos related to the Field Museum's collections, as well as from exhibits, events and museum archives. An online learning page lets students explore museum treasures, connect directly to scientists and learn through interactive exercises. The Facebook page offers photos and polls, while the Flickr site is a group pool, so users can upload photos they took at the museum.
Loyola University Museum of Art
Facebook: www.facebook.com
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/luma_museum/
Twitter: @LUMAChicago
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/LoyolaArtMuseum
LUMA's Facebook page features art news that relates to the collection or shows, while the Flickr site has photos of openings, dinners and events.
Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art
www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Block-Museum/12895323492
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/blockmuseum
The museum posts YouTube videos of interviews with artists and of events held there. On its Facebook page, the look for art news, videos and pictures of events.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mcachicago
Games and quizzes: www.mcachicago.org/games/index.php?page=gameidx
Interactive: www.mcachicago.org/interactive/index.php?page=inthome
Podcasts: www.mcachicago.org/interactive/podcasts.php?page=podcast
Twitter: @mcachicago
YouTube: www.youtube.com/mcachicago
The MCA has a main Interactive page, which links to all the online offerings. Look for quizzes about the museum and artists like Andy Warhol, check out videos about shows and dance events held at the museum, and download audio tours to bring with you to the museum. The Facebook page is frequently updated feed with news and links. Artist blogs are coming soon.
Museum of Science and Industry
Facebook: www.facebook.com/msichicago
Online Science: www.msichicago.org/online-science/
Twitter: @msichicago
The online science page lets visitors access videos, games, podcasts about science, and how-to demonstrations, like how to build an electric motor.
National Hellenic Museum
www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalHellenicMuseum
Twitter: @Hellenicmuseum
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/NatlHellenicMuseum
The YouTube page lets viewers access lectures and virtually walk through the museum.
