How the Musée d’Orsay is Using NFTs and Blockchain to Attract Visitors
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris faced a decline in visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic and sought new ways to attract audiences. In 2021, the museum’s new president, Christophe Leribault, tasked a team with exploring NFTs and blockchain technology to engage new and younger visitors. Now, after two years of exploration, the museum has partnered with the Tezos Foundation to bring blockchain-backed artworks and digital artists into conversation with its collections and exhibitions.
Blockchain-backed Artwork for “Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months” Exhibition
To kick off the partnership, the Musée d’Orsay will offer on-chain digital souvenirs to visitors of its upcoming exhibition, “Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months.” These souvenirs will include an augmented reality work depicting van Gogh’s final palette and an original digital artwork inspired by van Gogh and created by KERU, a French blockchain culture project. Both pieces will be minted on the Tezos blockchain and will offer holders gamified elements to win prizes such as lifetime passes to the museum.
Collaboration with Tezos Foundation and Future Initiatives
Over the next year, the Musée d’Orsay and the Tezos Foundation will collaborate on conferences and educational programs to expose the museum’s audience to emerging technologies like blockchain. Additionally, starting in early 2024, the museum plans to invite digital artists working on the blockchain to create NFT collections inspired by art pieces from its permanent collection. This initiative aligns with the museum’s history of collecting non-traditional artists.
Benefits of Embracing New Technologies
Despite rebounding to pre-pandemic levels of tourism, the Musée d’Orsay sees its foray into blockchain and NFTs as a way to stay relevant and engage with new generations. By embracing these technologies, the museum aims to represent itself differently and avoid becoming an outdated institution. The partnership with the Tezos Foundation provides an opportunity to experiment with crypto art and explore new ways of consuming and experiencing art.
Hot Take: The Musée d’Orsay’s Innovative Approach to Attracting Visitors
The Musée d’Orsay’s partnership with the Tezos Foundation marks an innovative approach to attract visitors by leveraging blockchain technology and NFTs. By offering blockchain-backed artworks and digital souvenirs, the museum aims to engage new and younger audiences who may have never visited before. This collaboration also allows the museum to stay connected to its historical roots of collecting non-traditional artists. As museums continue to adapt to changing times, embracing emerging technologies like blockchain can help them remain relevant in a digital age.
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