Personal Experience Essay Sample: Visit to Tech Museum of Innovation

Today museums are trying to attract as many visitors as possible as they need the income to maintain their current level of support as government budgets are shrinking and priority is being given to other sectors such as public health and safety instead of arts and culture. Hence, museums are trying to ensure that they give customers the best experience as they are in competition with other museums and other leisure activities (Falk & Dierking, 2000). My experience in the museum is a mixture of interesting and monotony. I have visited different museums, as I like to go to the museum once I visit a new city. The experience in most museums is the same they offer the guests a glimpse into the history of that city by exhibiting relics found around the world. I visit museums because I like to learn the history of the different places I travel to and also because I am eager to see something new and interesting that I have never seen before (Falk, 2009).

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My most memorable museum experience was when I visited Tech Museum. It was a hot sunny day when I went to visit the Tech Museum of Innovation with my family and friend. I was looking forward to having a splendid time with my family and friend (Rand J. , 2000). The Tech Museum is a big mango-colored building located in San Jose. The museum has different theme galleries. The first gallery we went to was the communication gallery. This gallery enables visitors to experience how communication technology has brought the world together.

The next gallery we went to was the exploration gallery. Here, we were able to experience the magnitude of an earthquake on a shake table that holds up to ten people at once. We also took pictures from this experience which was quite fascinating. There was also a jet pack chair resembling a NASA manned maneuvering unit. By use of compressed air, guests were able to experience what astronauts go through in space as they floated and navigated their way around in an enclosed arena. There was also a view from space stand where guests could view the earth as seen from space.

We also went to the body metrics gallery where guests were able to explore their body metrics. A maximum of six people at a time can sit and watch a visual representation of their breathing and heart rate. The goal is to breathe more calmly hence you get to watch squiggly lines turn into a perfect harmony circle and sync up with the circles of the others. Next, we went to the socio robots gallery where visitors get to build their own robots. This was so much fun as you work as a team to create a robot of your own.

The Innovation gallery explores the intersection of art and technology. It showcases an amazing range of Silicon Valley innovation and creativity. We got to experience technology such as reface, social circles, and re-actable. Reface allows guests to combine images in ways that are often funny and sometimes strange. Re-actable allows guests to experiment with musical instruments and create music. Social circle promotes social encounters through playful interaction (Simon, 2010). Other galleries that we got to visit were the cyber detective gallery, the Tech award gallery, and Tech studio. Moreover, the Tech Museum has an IMAX Dome Theatre which serves cold beverages and popcorn and guests get to watch educative as well as entertaining films (Rand, 2000).

We had such a fun time in the museum that we did not want to leave. Unlike other museums, the Tech Museum in San Jose is quite interactive and enables customers to feel at home as there are no strict rules like keeping quiet and you get to play social games and interact with other visitors (Simon, 2010). The instructors are also very friendly and make the experience quite lively (Weaver, 2000).

Works Cited

Falk, J. H. (2009). Identity and the museum visitor experience. Walnut Creek, California: Left Coast Press. Print.

Falk, J. H., & Dierking, L. D. (2000). Learning from museums : visitor experiences and the making of meaning. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press. Print.

Rand, J. (2000). Visitors' Bill of Rights. Curator: The Museum Journal , 7-14. Print.

Simon, N. (2010). The participatory museum. Santa Cruz, Calif: Museum 2.0. Print.

Weaver, S. (2000). Creating great visitor experiences : a guide for museums, parks, zoos, gardens, & libraries. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press. Print.