Last updated: January 14, 2023
Update: My museum visit strategy was featured in the New York Times! Read my interview here.
Here’s exactly how to visit a museum. Any museum.
It is an unconventional life philosophy you can apply everywhere. I filmed this during a recent visit to Mexico City.
This is already my most popular video to date on Facebook. Here is a link to the video on Facebook. I’m going to embed the YouTube video below, and also include a transcript.
Video Transcript
Look at this! I’m visiting Mexico City for the first time and today I’m at the National Museum of Anthropology.
I’m gonna show you the best way to visit a museum. My name is Nick Gray.
My company’s called Museum Hack and I personally have given hundreds of museum tours. I know that when people go to a museum they get tired and they forget the stuff that they see so I’m gonna give you my best strategy for how you can approach your next museum visit.
Tip One
Can I have a map please? Gracias! First, start with the map. You need it so you know what you’re getting into.
Tip Two
Next, just walk, don’t stop. I start at the beginning and go to the very end. Commit to walking the whole floor plan. So when you’re doing this you’re gonna feel like you’re missing things. That’s normal. Don’t worry, you’ll come back. Keep an eye out for stuff you like, but don’t stop walking. During this initial walk don’t read the texts.
Stop, look at these people. Don’t do that! Amateurs! This first lap should take you ten to thirty minutes. We’re building a mental model and then finished!
Tip Three
Now its time for a break. Step three. Sit down. Take a break. You have just seen so much stuff and walked a lot. You need to let your mind decompress a little bit. This is so important.
I recommend going to the restaurant or the cafe at the museum. I like to sit down and have a cup of tea, order some food, a lot of food. Maybe a lot, a lot of food! I like to eat. Museums have great cafes and this is where you can plan your strategy.
Build your own plan on how to reenter the museum. Your preparing for the final step.
Tip Four
So, when your ready. Finished my tea, now I’m ready to go back to the museum. This is the very last and final step. Go back and explore the museum at your own pace. Have the confidence to look closer, maybe even read the wall text. Find a funny statue and have a laugh. Spend some time with objects you like.
Museums were made for moments like this.
I started Museum Hack because I love museums and I think there’s a better way to do museum tours. Today were a collection of renegade tour guides that do museum tours at the best museums in the whole world.
Check us out at museumhack.com I make these videos for my friends. If you like this will you do me a favor? Please press the like button or share it right now. It encourages me to make more videos like this. Thank you for watching. Museums are AWESOME!
The End.
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