The museums of our youth evoke memories of stately, static places, old buildings housing even older objects. We peered through glass at solitary and disembodied artifacts, strolling quietly and politely, thinking a bit about what we observed. Once we had seen everything, we rarely returned. Even many of the museums that served as homes to traveling exhibits of modern art or natural history, and therefore changed several times each year, were little more than lifeless motels for look-don’t-touch tenants.

Around the world, however, museums have been changing – and creating more dynamic, interactive experiences. The next wave of new museums, conceived and created for the 21^st century, will change even more as they take full advantage of the new information technologies (IT) that have been transforming so many other aspects of the world and the way we experience it.

The Internet and other high-speed communication networks move enormous amounts of information around the globe, instantly and with little cost or effort. Computer processors have become so small, powerful and inexpensive that intelligence is being built into even the most mundane of everyday objects. And devices fueled by information are always up-to-date.

New IT has a light touch. We have reached a level of power and efficiency that IT can be nearly invisible and can perform its work as if by sorcery. A museum that takes full advantage of this can make IT visible in splashy ways, but also hide it away to support – and not distract from – its true purpose.

Therefore a next-wave museum is emerging as something radically different – highly interactive, vast, fresh, human, with global reach and pervasive magic.

-- Museum of Music Concept Paper, Aug. 2002