In COVID-19 times, museums move to social media Moncton Times & Transcript (Print Edition) W. A. Clarke

section MayA 7 • 4:00 AM page A8

Not long ago, Bill Hicks, the Museum’s chief executive officer, posted some unusual pictures on his Facebook page. They showed laser scans being conducted to gain new information about some of the countless fossils in the museum’s collection.

That’s only one example of the ways that the province’s museums are dealing with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 situation.

Hicks explained the museum’s approach in simple terms.

“As a result of these challenging times we all find ourselves in, the will continue to adjust and be resilient as it has over the last 178 years. The future will demand new approaches to presenting New Brunswick’s natural and human history. The New Brunswick Museum will embrace these going forward as well as continuing to fulfil a leadership role within our greater museum community.”

Those words echo a request from the Association Heritage New Brunswick, which urged its members to explore the use of social media to keep in touch with people, to share their collections, and to become more involved in their communities, even though physical contact is out of the question.

Any number of museums have taken up the challenge.

I help look after the collections at the Restigouche Regional Museum in Dalhousie. I started posting a picture of an artifact on Facebook every day, asking people what they think it is.

The response has been encouraging. A lot of people who have never been through the doors are getting involved in the quiz, making comments and showing approval.

Hopefully, some of them will become guests when we open our doors again. A lot of people think that what they see when they visit is the entire collection. As with most museums, we exhibit only a small part at any given time. Facebook allows us to show people more of the treasures we hold.

The Albert County Museum in Hopewell Cape is doing something similar but at the same time, very different. It’s called “A Photo a Day 2020,” and presents just what it says. This project ties in with Albert County 175, a travelling exhibition that celebrates the county’s anniversary.

Janet Clouston, the museum’s executive director, said that they’re doing a lot more on- line things, including providing lessons that are suited to those home-schooling their children.

She said that their increased use of Twitter and Facebook have brought more traffic to the website. She hopes they’ll be able to open this summer, and anticipates an increase in local visitors, even if those from outside the province aren’t around.

At Le Fortin du Petit-Sault, a reconstructed blockhouse overlooking the junction of the Madawaska and Saint John rivers, they’re considering using a smartphone app to provide guided tours.

The Saint John Jewish Historical Museum is also posting historical photographs. Executive director Katherine Biggs-Craft said that they’ve received a lot of feedback as a result. This is particularly true of photos of groups of people. Sometimes, they’ll receive an email that lists the names of everyone in the photo. That helps fill in gaps in the museums records and allows them to tell better stories about the city’s rich Jewish heritage.

For pure entertainment, people should check out the Friends of Beaubears Island website. While they ponder this year’s possibilities, Dr. Shawn McCarthy is posting videos in which he portrays a variety of people from the Miramichi’s past. In some cases, he appears as more than one personality in a single clip, and he refuses to take himself too seriously.

Beaubears Island is a Parks historic site where, during the summer, costumed interpreters provide captivating tours. McCarthy, who’s both a employee and a volunteer with the Friends group, said he believes this increased on-line presence will lead to more interest in the site and increased visitation.

At the Musée Acadien at the Université de Moncton, they’ve put together an impressive array of online activities and features. Curator Jeanne-Mance Cormier said that some of these are modelled after on-site activities: colouring pages, scavenger hunts and other activities can be resources for those who are home-schooling during this quarantine period.

They’re finding ways to transfer programs they usually deliver in schools to the Internet.

All too many people think of museums as places where nothing changes. The truth is most museums are exploring some of the latest technologies as ways to improve their practices and services to the public. They’re not just focusing on the distant past. An example is the latest effort of the New Brunswick Museum. They’re asking people to write about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a contest and it’s open to children and adults. This means that at some point in the future, descendents of participants will be able to read about their ancestors’ actions during a particularly trying time.

Around the province, museums are adjusting to ensure that they continue to be vital resources for their communities, through good times and bad.

W. A. Clarke is the retired director of the Restigouche Regional Museum, where he still serves as a volunteer. He is also a former chair of Association Heritage New Brunswick’s communications and advocacy committee.