What The Metaverse Means for Cultural Institutions & Their Digital Presence

When Mark Zuckerburg announced in October 2021 that Facebook was rebranding itself as Meta, it created a buzz surrounding the long-awaited concept of the “metaverse.” Now, the metaverse, a virtual reality-like online platform, is starting to influence the world.
With companies already preparing, and even selling virtual clothing for avatars, some are wondering what role cultural institutions, such as museums, libraries and more, will play in this strange new world. In fact, in the metaverse, art itself may drastically change.

Museums and Galleries in the Metaverse

3D and 360° videos already allow for more life-like glimpses into famous sites around the world, including tours of The British Museum. In the metaverse, these tours might become more elaborate. Soon avatars from across the globe may connect and chat while touring the Louvre, the Library of Congress or the ruins of Pompei.

As Zuckerburg said, in the metaverse, “We’ll be able to feel present – like we’re right there with people no matter how far apart we actually are.” At the very least, this means that leaders at cultural institutions should prepare to expand their online presences to accommodate the increasing importance of virtual spaces.

However, the metaverse won’t just change how we view art. It’s likely to change art itself.

Art is Changing

Within the metaverse, art can and likely will be more fluid and interactive thanks to the possibilities that virtual reality presents. Art is and always has been morphing. After all, some of the greatest influencers of artistic movements, including Van Gough, Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet faced dismissive and resistant critics before eventually being embraced.

With that history in mind, cultural institutions should pay attention to the growing trends in digital art and online art sales.
For instance, non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are digital artforms that can sell for millions. In fact, on December 2, 2021, Pak’s “The Merge” sold for $91.8 million. In comparison, “The Starry Night,” an arguably priceless painting, has an estimated worth of around $100 million. Regardless of critics’ thoughts on these pieces’ contrasting worth or artistic merit, the perceived monetary value should at least give anyone looking to dismiss digital art reason to pause.

Members of the art community who are already embracing digital art forms and using their platforms to increase their online audiences will be most primed for success in the inevitable metaverse.

Reaching Online Audiences Now & In The Metaverse

Virtual reality and the metaverse present exciting ways to re-engage existing audiences and attract new ones that were formerly uninterested in visiting museums, libraries and similar organizations. The creators of the new Museum of Crypto Art are banking on this notion.

However, to be effective at reaching audiences online, cultural institutions and their leaders will need to build their virtual spaces with inclusivity and accessibility in mind. The sooner leaders start thinking about technologies and methods to engage them effectively, the better prepared they will be to accommodate and captivate their virtual audiences.

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