a16z Podcast

a16z Podcast: The Living Museum

Rachel Goslins, Sarah Lumbard, Adam Martin, and Hanne Winarsky

Posted May 29, 2017

Every industry (for-profit, non-profit, government, private-sector) has been touched by tech, with most trying to lead the charge in order to stay ahead. But museums and memorials, by definition, lag rather than lead there. How is that changing as visitors increasingly expect to be a part of a dialogue, not just a monologue limited to a single interpretation of events or objects in a room? How are tech tools — from VR/AR, RFID and beacons, and mobile apps to data, personalization, and prototyping — changing storytelling around exhibits, artifacts, and experiences… even going beyond the museum walls?   

In this episode of the a16z Podcast — recorded as part of our annual D.C. podcast road trip 2017 (in conjunction with the a16z Tech Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.) — Rachel Goslins, Director of the Arts and Industries Building at the Smithsonian; Sarah Lumbard, Digital Curator of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; and Adam Martin, Chief Digital Officer at the National Museum of African American Culture and History, in conversation with Hanne Tidnam, describe what happens as museums move from “cabinets of curiosities” to living spaces that are defined by interaction. 

More About This Podcast

The a16z Podcast discusses the most important ideas within technology with the people building it. Each episode aims to put listeners ahead of the curve, covering topics like AI, energy, genomics, space, and more.

Learn More