Why do we love museum night so much? Eight experts analyze surprising phenomena

According to official statistics, More than 1.2 million people descended on Buenos Aires on Saturday night. Participate at least once museumhistoric building or cultural center. Funny and touching testimonies are collected on social networks. For example, at Teatro Colon, there is a photo of an elderly woman with tears in her eyes, grateful for visiting this theater for the first time. He shared it on his Instagram account Gabriela Ricardes, Minister of Culture of Buenos Aires. I can’t help but be moved by the simplicity of his words.

Buenos Aires will recover, museum nightwhich has recreated the bustling nightlife of the past, earning it the nickname “The City That Never Sleeps.” It’s very different from other large events. What happens on Museum Night? It doesn’t happen at the International Book Fair, or at arteBA, or at festivals held throughout the year. As the director of the National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA) says, Andres Dupratin response to the query clarion“A magical and popular night.”

Minister Ricardes looks back on this. This is an example of what we can do together: public sector, private sector, independent spaces, community. This is an unprecedented cultural phenomenon due to its scope and participatory nature.. The level of civic appropriation, the way in which we own and live our culture, is something unique that sets our city apart and gives us international appeal as a true cultural capital. ”

Also, National Culture Secretary Leonardo Chiferitoured the space managed by his area. He looked at the permanent collection, talked to people, and in the last audience report sent by the secretariat at 10 p.m., more than 170,000 people visited the National Museum, according to data on Saturday. No doubt, that number will increase even further in the remaining hours, thanks to the National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA) and the Museum of Decorative Arts (MAD). The National Museum hosted 270 activities, including recitals and dances.

Chiferi then said: “We develop cultural spaces, Thousands of people were able to enjoy the history, art, music and dance that define us.“Officials patrolled all national spaces based in Buenos Aires.

Deputy Minister of National Heritage; Liliana Barreraadded: “People enjoy our country’s art and history. Many people set foot in Congress, Manzana de las Luces, Bellas Artes, and Sarmiento for the first time. This is our opportunity to invite you to all our museums. ”

And since it is about “Magical Night”We wanted to draw on different opinions to understand what makes our annual cultural event such a joyful community experience, without conflict or disruption, without hours of waiting in queues, and by talking with neighbors from different neighborhoods and even with citizens who come to Buenos Aires from other districts.

For people in charge of culture diana saigThe former director of the Recoleta Cultural Center (which this year saw an explosion in audience numbers with Marta Minujin’s installation featuring 24,000 packages of spaghetti) recalled:it’s a community experience. People buy slogans, for example CyberMonday. There is always a need to go under an umbrella like a shelter.

As for the museum, there are good points. Undocumented citizens will also be given the opportunity to expand their knowledge. On museum night, I saw people deciding whether to go to the planetarium or the Museum of Decorative Arts. That means you have a huge range of choices. They may even ask others how many museums they have visited. ”

Sayegh added: The policy of attracting the public is a topic that is not often talked about, so it’s great to see that people are starting to pay more attention to museums. The enormity of this growth year on year over the course of a managerial career is astounding. The reason is more imprecise, as free is appealing, but it’s worth noting that Museum Night audiences typically don’t visit museums for the rest of the year.

for him Andrés Duprat, art director; Someone who saw the overflowing line of people on Saturday night said, “Some people might think that museum night is the worst time to visit a museum. You have to wait in line forever, and when you finally get in, the people behind you rush you so you can see the art right away and keep moving. It’s a magically beautiful and ever-popular night.. You will meet unexpected people and the atmosphere will be fun, supportive and relaxed. ”

Duprat describes the event as “an invitation to leave the emergency, the daily routine, the daily obligations, and, in unprecedented times, to stroll and tour the city’s cultural institutions. This event allows us to quietly walk from museum to museum at night and talk about what we have just seen, an exercise that is rarely possible in the daily hustle and bustle. It is a wonderful phenomenon that combines cities, people, art and culture, spring and night.”.

For people in charge of culture Gabriela Jurevicius“Every museum night, Buenos Aires has transformed into a great cultural scene where institutions and communities coexist.academic and popular. What is most interesting is that the distance between heritage sites and streets, between museums and neighborhoods, between sacred art and spontaneous acts, disappears overnight. “This natural coexistence between different universes gives cities a special vitality and transforms them into true celebrations of shared culture.”

Jurevicius understands that:Another reason for our success is our very broad and cross-cutting offer, reaching audiences of all ages, interests and backgrounds.. In the same day, culture reaches all regions, multiplies with diverse activities and becomes accessible to thousands of people. ”

And his perspective is interesting. Culture is born to meet peopledisrupting hierarchies and creating new forms of participation. The number of people who make this crowding phenomenon possible is remarkable, working tirelessly from the day before until early Sunday morning.

For further insight, we consulted two museum directors in Buenos Aires. Delfina Helguera (from the Larreta Museum in Belgrano) and Teresa Riccardi (from the Sivori Museum in Palermo). Both were frequent Saturday night visits.

Mr. Riccardi shared that he organized an exhibition to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Antonio Berni’s birth and created a 3D optical map that can be used by visually impaired people. “It was a great experience. There were a lot of people because it was an Andres Paredes exhibition. There was normality. I think it’s important to emphasize that it’s a family gas plan. There are also parks, like the Sivori Museum, so people can enjoy walking more. This is also a collective plan for many people who do not go to museums and visit places that are new to many. ”

He also emphasized music as an element of the gathering. “There were also many recitals. The public waited in line for up to four hours at the planetarium. “Music also moves people.”

Delfina Helguera, from Larreta, emphasized: People are taking advantage of free museums and transportation offerings. Neighbors also walked to our hotel. The visitors included people with children, strollers, elderly people with canes, and people from other regions who had never set foot in a museum before. Most people have no idea what they will find. And a high percentage already know that there will be a show. We strive to ensure that the public knows something about the museum and that we preserve information in case they ever want to return. We organized guided tours every 15 minutes and held flamenco shows. It’s amazing how grateful people are.”.

National Culture Secretary Leonardo Chiferi said:All of our museums and cultural centers are free and open access all year round And they usually have better attendance. However, it is already part of the popular folklore that many special programs are added to this evening, and works kept in reserve are exhibited. I’m sure it will bring great excitement to people. ”

Buenos Aires Minister of Culture Gabriela Ricardes offers words of pride (for those of us who live in Buenos Aires): We all hope the night goes well. And when that happens, this city shows itself to be unique, diverse, and generous.. We live in a city that is constantly vibrating. Vibrant, creative and contemporary. And we have a people who love their heritage, enjoy cultural experiences, and are curious. So what we’re doing is doing everything we can to do that with great awareness. This means allowing both the smallest and largest spaces to exist and encouraging new spaces to join. ”

Ricardes points out: The most important thing is to “reevaluate it as a collective experience.”. And when I say collectives, I’m not just talking about the people out on the streets having fun, but I’m also talking about each institution, each space, each neighborhood that decides to open its doors. That back and forth gives meaning. ”

Another line is worth “before”. Detailed information, accessible tours, and free transportationBecause, ultimately, if citizens are to be the protagonists of that magical night, a collective experience must be facilitated. The idea, as the Minister explains, is to open more doors and add more voices. This year, many institutions participated, making it a very relevant edition.

Each institution, each museum, each historic building has the same transversal value for one night only. None is more important than the other. It’s about living a community experience that emphasizes the importance of culture not as an expense, but as an investment and enriching experience.