The iconic London museum opened this week its new extension, designed to accommodate its growing collection in an airy space of brutalist architecture. The museum aims to democratize itself and depart from the image of a traditional museum. It is in the early 2010's that the Tate invested in a major online strategy to facilitate public understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary British art. It now provides a rich digital content that induces a certain democratization and modernization of the museum.
A large digital presence, especially on social networks
The solution to reach new target is to increase the museum visibility on social networks and extend the experience of visitors to the digital domain.
In its strategy of seducing the under 35, Tate maintains an active presence on many social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Google+ and Tumblr. This allows it to step up its mediation and provides more proximity with the public, in a sector sometimes known for its coldness and its difficult access. Very present online, Tate teams have decided to adopt a numerical approach in all areas of the institution.
The use of new technologies in the context of mediation and visitor experience
Besides a massive presence on the Internet and on social networks, Tate offers technology initiatives to enrich the experience of visitors.
In this context the Tate offers visitors performance with sound, light and film clips. They can admire a chronology of interactive modern art on a touch screen of 7 meters. Tate also revised its mobile application that now offers geolocation in the museum.
Since 2013, visitors can create a visual response to their experience in the gallery and immediately see their creation projected on a large interactive wall with the Drawing Bar. The museum also has a YouTube channel that offers a multitude of short films renewed each week, "Tate Shots".
An example of digital strategy in the world of modern and contemporary art
For all these innovations, the Tate has received many awards and its online strategy is often held as an example.
Tate received a BAFTA for technical innovation and price Museum and Heritage Award for Excellence, while interactive activities Connects Bloomberg proposed by the Tate Modern have already welcomed over 15 million visitors. Indeed, visitors are increasingly attached to the interactive dimension of exhibitions. Tate Modern, with its 4.7 million visitors in 2015 (mostly from Generation Y) therefore succeeds brilliantly its communication by placing well ahead of MoMA in terms of visits. Further proof that the digital does not contradict the art but is poised to revolutionize our relationship to culture.
Kenza Zidi