LESSON 4: HOW DO I BEHAVE MYSELF IN A GALLERY?

Overview

Sometimes museums and galleries seem intimidating. Their intellectual looking façade can be too imposing that entering
it seem to demand a lot from us. The culture of gallery and museum visits are not common among us. We would rather
go to malls where our hunger for aesthetics could be relieved. However, we miss the opportunity of having an
experience that will feed both our souls and our hunger for our deepest longings. We are so used to fast and over-the
counter type of aesthetics that we seldom see the value of stopping and just looking at art—unlocking how deeply it is
intertwined with the human thought.

We have been learning about the language of art and even so of its technical aspects. We have also gone through
specific historical markers in art scene, which will only be effective if we get first-hand experience of seeing the artwork
and cultural artifacts. These tools can help us become well-equipped gallery and museum goers. Your next visit to the
museum does not have to be intimidating but rather hopefully enriching to your human experience and noble
learnings.

ACTIVITY
These are some common misbehaviors in a gallery.

Sometimes, there are no written guidelines that you can see posted in galleries. Gallery and museum visitors are
clueless as to how they should behave in such spaces. Let us try to answer the following questions as to why we should
not do such things in a museum?

1. Why do you think touching a painting is inappropriate? If you have just had a portrait of yours printed on photo
paper with its vibrant colors showing, would it be okay if other people touched it and left their fingerprints? Why?
There are good reasons why touching art is generally frowned upon. Dirt particles, body oils
and perspiration on our hands can stain or corrode art works, and damage to the surface
can be causedby poking, stroking or knocks.Our hands contain harmful oils that react to the
surface of sculpture, furniture, and paintings,
2. When visiting a galley, what do you think are the main pints of interest? What would taking selfies poses do to
art pieces on display?
point in history is one of the main goals of the art exhibition and one of the . Ultimately
associated with a larger institution, exhibitions can bear the .through telling a story and posing
questions that leave the viewer thinking, the exhibition. In chapter three, the Issues in Displaying
Cultures

3. Can you compare the environment of a gallery or museum to a theme park? Can you behave the same way
when you go to a theme park and an art institution? Why?

I believe that a museum is a place of discovery, and how people discover knowledge can be
done in a variety of ways. But since we are in the midst of an “edutainment”. Museums used
to simply house objects, but now they compete with the conceptual experiences theme
parkscan give
4. If you do laundry, often you will not hang the brightly colored clothes outside and under the sun for too long.
Hence, when you use flash to take photographs, how do you think it will affect the paintings?

A flash photograph can vary the appearance of a subject by controlling the intensity, position

and distribution of light coming from a flash. With ordinary ambient light photos, one can only

affect the appearance of a subject by changing exposure and depth of field

Sample photo inside an art gallery. Observe how the visitors maintain some
distance from the art works.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, you are expected to:

1. Learn and apply etiquettes when visiting a museum or galley

2. Have a good understanding of he functions of some art institutions
3. Develop a sensibility to the importance of artworks and artifacts and learn the reason why they are
being preserved.
Learning Experiences and self-Assessment Activities (SAA)

Museum and Galley Etiquettes

1. How you dress – It does not always have to be too formal. Some special events in galleries and museums like opening
receptions may be more special than regular days, hence people would usually dress in formal attire. However, on a
normal day museum or gallery visitors can just dress casually. Wear clothes which would show respect to such settings.
Quick facts:

Some terms used when mounting artwork:

Wall bound – the artwork is installed mainly on a wall and is applicable mostly, but not limited, to two-dimensional works.

Free standing – has no support underneath because the artwork can stand on its own.

On a pedestal – an attractively furnished rectangular prism type of wood is used to raise small and medium sized sculptures
to hip-level point of view.
2. Where should you eat – Some museums have cafes – the only areas where you can eat. In galleries, eating is only
appropriate during openings and cocktails are usually served. However, these are not supposed o be full meals; they are
just light snacks, so eat lightly and in the spaces designated for eating.
3. When taking photos – avoid using flash photography because the light could affect the vibrancy of a painting’s color.
Some paints are light-sensitive, and they also naturally fade over time. Do not spend up the fading process by using flash
when clicking your camera.
4. Selfies and funny poses – In museums, a lot of paintings and artifacts are deeply venerated for their depictions of
some of the most important paints and victories of a country or region. Hence, our behavior should also be properly
coordinated.
5. Talking and jesting – It is okay to talk and discuss some artworks, but if your voice is louder than normal, then it
distracts and disturb other gallery visitors.
6. Touching – Some contemporary art these days are meant to be touched, but most works are NOT. Our fingers have
sweat glands which can affect the chemical properties of a painting or sculpture’s surface. Human sweat can be acidic,
and this can have deteriorating effects on a work of art.
Knowing the National Museum of the Philippines
We are blessed to have an established institution that houses some of the most important national and even world
renowned cultural heritage. These treasures are more than what money can buy because they are records of both
history and human excellence. We will not always have a Luna living in our days, but art is very much alive on the walls
of our National Museum along with those other Filipino artists.
 Museum façade

Quick Facts:
What is the difference between a gallery and a museum?

Some people often interchange these two terms, especially if they are not immersed in a culture of going to art
exhibitions. However, it is easy to distinguish between a gallery and a museum.

Museums are institutions that display art which can also be considered as national treasures because of its
importance to a place’s history. Hence, a lot of artworks are usually old and are on display for exhibition’s sake.
Yes, they can be bought, and they have monetary value but very seldomly and only to a selected clientele.

On the other hand, a gallery holds regular exhibitions and is more commercial in nature. They aim to sell
artwork to collectors to earn a profit. Can galleries display non-sellable art? The answer is yes, but only
occasionally since they are privately only owned, hence they base their capital on the sales during their
shows.

The National Museum is a public space and is meant to be visited by us, the Filipino people. It was mandated in the year
1998 to acquire, document, preserve, exhibit, and foster scholarly studies and public appreciation of works of art, and
cultural, and historical artifacts representative of our unique cultural heritage and natural history. Here are some
important aspects of the museum that you must know.

• It has nineteen (19) regional branches throughout the archipelago comprising the national network. Check if
your local museum is part of it.
• The museum areas are in a complex: The National Art Gallery was formerly the Legislative building occupied by
the Senate and House of Representative (lower ground then functioned as National Library); the National
Museum of Anthropology (old finance building), and the newly-renovated National Museum of Natural History
(formerly the Department of Tourism building)
 National Museum of Anthropology

National Museum of Natural History Stairway style of museum •

Came to reality by virtue of the National Museum Act of 1998
This DNA-type helix structure is right at the center of the Museum of Natural History. Inside is a scenic elevator that takes you through
the entire height and breathtaking view of the building.