Museums Around the World Are Sending Each Other Flower Bouquets to Spread Joy on Social Media
From the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, cultural institutions around the world have closed their doors in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19. With art aficionados unable to visit, museums have developed innovative ways to share their inspiring collections and the joy they spark for viewers through in-depth virtual tours, audio guides, and their social media channels.
Last week, the hashtag #MuseumBouquet began popping up all across Twitter with galleries and museums sending colorful images of flowers depicted in paintings, drawings, renderings, sculpture, and photography to each other. The trend began as a collaboration between the New-York Historical Society and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden after Hilary-Morgan Watt, Digital Engagement Manager of Hirshhorn Museum, saw a friend share an “unboxing” video of flowers she received on social media.
Dear @americanart, we wanted to brighten your day with these apple blossoms by American painter Martin Johnson Heade.
🌷We hope this #MuseumBouquet makes you smile today! 😊 pic.twitter.com/d63vSZKWT5— New-York Historical Society (@NYHistory) March 24, 2020
“I was brainstorming how museums could do a version of that to send cheer online and add a bright spot to someone’s day,” explains Watt. She quickly reached out to her friend and former coworker Emily Haight, who thought of the name for the hashtag and helped put together a plan of action.
Thinking of you @agotoronto, and sending infinite blooms! 🌸🌼🌺#MuseumBouquet 💐
🎨: Yayoi Kusama pic.twitter.com/jXPE7qwWgA— Hirshhorn (@hirshhorn) March 24, 2020
"I saw people sharing lots of flowers on walks and soothing images from their personal and institutional social media accounts, and it just made sense," says Haight, Social Media Manager for the New-York Historical Society. "Everyone likes getting flowers — even if only virtually."
Hello to our lovely friends @hirshhorn, we hope this Tiffany lamp #MuseumBouquet shines bright in your feed today. We’re thinking of you! 💐 pic.twitter.com/6r9L7f3ukz
— New-York Historical Society (@NYHistory) March 24, 2020
From their institutions’ Twitter feeds, the duo tagged two fellow museums in tweets that featured snapshots of a cluster of apple blossoms painted by American artist Martin Johnson and floral overcoat by Yayoi Kusama with the hashtag #MuseumBouquet.
Soon after, over 300 institutions from 72 different countries followed suit and began tweeting photos of floral-themed artwork from their storied galleries. Scenes of botanicals depicted in styles ranging from romantic to contemporary have facilitated a sense of connection between museums and unbridled joy for those who wish to follow along.
Sending a #MuseumBouquet of roses to our friends @harvartmuseums and @ICAinBOSTON 🌹🌹🌹 We hope they brighten your day!
🎨: "Roses in a Glass Vase" (1890), Henri Fantin-Latour pic.twitter.com/sXVlTg99P2— Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (@mfaboston) March 24, 2020
Un peu de douceur pour traverser cette période trouble.🌹
Notre #MuseumBouquet est pour vous : @agotoronto, @mnbaq, @mcqorg, @macmtl, @ROMtoronto, @vmfa, @brooklynmuseum et @LACMA.
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Dorian FitzGerald, «Décors de table, soirée donnée par Oprah Winfrey pour Sidney Poitier», 2006. pic.twitter.com/Eu906pW4KN— MBAM (@mbamtl) March 30, 2020
“It’s been incredible and has far exceeded any expectations,” says Haight. “Scrolling through thousands of tweets with the hashtag, you find an overwhelming number of people who have said it's been so lovely to wake up to flowers in their feed.”
A post shared by Telfair Museums (@telfairmuseums) on Mar 29, 2020 at 12:44pm PDT
The trending hashtag has even picked up momentum on Instagram, with museums and art-lovers posting their favorite works to brighten people’s days and teach them a bit of art history.
A post shared by Everson Museum of Art (@eversonmuseum) on Mar 29, 2020 at 5:00pm PDT
“The campaign was intended to be purely about spreading joy and filling Twitter feeds with flowers for an hour or so,” says Watt. “I would never have guessed that one week later it would still be active!”
Sharing another virtual #MuseumBouquet to celebrate the beginning of April! Happy spring and don’t forget to take the time to stop and enjoy the blossoms 🌸
James Aponoich, “Rosamundi,” 2004, Oil on canvas, 26 x 22 in., Anonymous Gift pic.twitter.com/cZs2XCCkHg— New Britain Museum (@NBMAA) April 1, 2020
Haight adds, “It would not have made as much of an impact without the brilliant posts by all the participating museums and online audiences. It highlights that we’re all in this together.”
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