新科技發展日新月異,二十世紀後半電腦發明後,全球便進入資訊時代;本世紀初,數位科技不斷演進加上材料科學技術翻新,對博物館展示產生莫大的影響,明顯地表現在不同層面,如:自然光源的引入、電腦導覽系統的創新、多媒體的聲光效果等。對大眾而言,博物館展示已不再是靜態文物的陳列,而是一種參觀體驗,一種綜合各種感官刺激的經驗。然而,在傳統與現代科技之間,一直存在著一個備受矚目的議題:博物館展示將成為一種個人體驗?或是應該以文物為主?前者運用新科技手法,創造出所謂的「虛」,包括:虛擬實境、影音刺激、情境塑造等等;後者則是基於傳統的展示方式,呈現出博物館的「實」,主要是以物件為主、強調文物的真實與原創性。這樣的衝突從上世紀末開始,逐漸地被廣泛討論,甚至反映在博物館的定義上,「文物」(實)的存在與否,也備受爭議。本文希望藉由探討新世紀中博物館展示的趨勢,分析目前新科技發展對展示的影響,同時進一步剖析博物館展示中的「虛」與「實」,尋找兩者的平衡點與潛在性,最後提出對未來發展的建議。
The invention of the computer in the second half of the twentieth century and the advent of the digital information era have tremendously affected museum exhibitions. New technology has significantly influenced exhibits including the introduction of natural light or artificial illuminants, the improvement of computer-based navigation systems and the addition of audio and video effects to multimedia displays. Now museum exhibitions are not just static exhibits, but rather lively experiences meant to stimulate the senses. However, the balance between traditional and modern technology in museums and whether museum exhibitions should be a personal experience or focus more on cultural or historical objects are topics for debate. New technologies, including virtual reality, visual and audio stimulation and environmental simulation have created a so-called "virtual world". On the other hand, object-driven museum exhibitions focus on cultural and historical relics to show the “reality’’ of museum collections. The latter emphasizes the reality and authenticity of cultural and historical objects. This conflict, which began in the late twentieth century, has been widely discussed. Even the definition of a museum has been reflected on, as well as the need for cultural or historical collections with actual objects. Through discussion of the new trends in museum exhibitions, this paper attempts to analyze the impact of new technologies on exhibitions. It goes a step further to discuss both the "virtual" side and "reality" aspects of museum exhibitions with the purpose of finding a balance and providing some suggestions for future development.