Skip to main content

Weaving narratives in museum galleries - Thomas P. Campbell

9,818 Views

391 Questions Answered

TED Talk

Let’s Begin…

As the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Thomas P. Campbell thinks deeply about curating—not just selecting art objects, but placing them in a setting where the public can learn their stories. With glorious images, he shows how his curation philosophy works for displaying medieval tapestries—and for the over-the-top fashion/art of Alexander McQueen. (From The Design Studio session at TED2012, guest-curated by Chee Pearlman and David Rockwell.)

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Read Thomas P. Campbell's blog "Now at the Met." MetMedia is a great place to check out interactive exhibits, videos and social media from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Learn more about specific Met exhibits and collections described in the talk:
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
The Islamic Art Department and a video on its recent installation
The history of tapestries and the Met's publication "Tapestry in the Renaissance: Art and Magnificence"What is the role of a museum? Exhibitionist Journal asks What, if Anything, Is a Museum? in this article by exhibit developer Eugene Dillenburg. And Fiona Romeo, head of design and digital media at the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory, relates museum curation to stop-motion animation in "Once Upon a Museum."Does a museum have a place in the current world of technology and immediate access to images? In this short interview, Reynold Levy, president of Lincoln Center, talks to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Thomas P. Campbell and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Michael Govan about enhancing the visitor experience (and staying relevant) in a digital age, along with the modern fundraising landscape, corporate partnership, capital projects, and more.An iconic painting. An ancient manuscript. A cylinder with 2600 years of history. Learn about artifacts and images that have intrigued humans for centuries, and why we find them so alluring in the TED Playlist "Objects of Desire."

Next Section »

About TED Talk Lessons

TED Talk Lessons are created by TED-Ed using phenomenal TED Talks. Do you have an idea for a lesson? Create it now using any video from YouTube »

Meet The Creators

  • Speaker Thomas P. Campbell

More from The Artist's Palette