Minneapolis Institute of Arts

To provide museum visitors with learning opportunities about exchanges in populations, ideas, and materials, as they have been reflected in artwork, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts will create a large interactive map to be displayed in three areas of its permanent galleries. The map will feature artwork created along three historic trade routes: Asia, Europe and the Americas, chosen for broad audience appeal and because they lend themselves to content related to STEM learning for young children. By touching images of art, visitors will be able to display stories about scientific discoveries, the spread of religions, military conquests, and changing tastes in consumer goods. The map will also help museum goers seeking self-directed learning opportunities gain a deeper understanding of the role of art in shaping our global society. A summative evaluation will involve short gallery exit interviews with visitors and observations of behavior of visitors while engaging with the map.