We live in a time when so much visual information is readily available on our thumbs. We can watch a video about the Mona Lisa on Youtube or go through an artist’s portfolio website on our phones. It makes the role of museums and galleries an interesting one. If so much art is viewable remotely, what’s the value of showing art in a physical location? From my perspective, I believe that viewing art in person is an irreplaceable experience. Computers may enhance it but not replicate it.

First of all, a photograph of an art object is not equal to the art itself. Art is not only about a painted surface or a block of clay on a pedestal. It’s also about the space surrounding it and the light shining on it. By going to a museum or gallery in person, we can look at a Da Vinci painting in its truest form and view it the same way the artist did when he first painted it. Modern technology like cameras and scanners inevitably produce minor discrepancies in color and lens distortion. What you see on a computer screen may not be 100% what the art object looks like in real life.

Moreover, art museums and galleries provide a space where the viewer can look at art without distraction. It’s usually a quiet white cube where the viewer focuses on the art and spend time intellectually analyzing and processing what he/she sees. However, a computer cannot guarantee the same level of engagement from the viewer compared to museums. The viewer can close the image of the art and quickly switch to his/her web browser or initiate another activity.

Finally, art museums and galleries play a significant role of preserving and archiving art. By buying tickets to visit these institutions, we help ensure that art history is well-documented and that all forms of expressions have a place to be appreciated. Art viewing may be free online, but it doesn’t generate the same type of social benefits.

In conclusion, despite the convenience of smart phones and computers, it is beneficial to see art in real life. It is a sensorial and intellectual experience that cannot be replicated by technology. Museums and galleries have an indispensable place in our culture and society. By supporting them, we’re also supporting artists making art and the art ecosystem.