WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China, and WeChat Public is one of the features of WeChat that we use to effectively link to various museums around the world. For example, when we search for the British Museum (which has an official WeChat public account), we can see a brief description of the museum, a guide to visit, services and facilities, a map of the museum (some museums even have VR maps!). At the same time, we can see the exhibition information, exhibit descriptions, and users can scan the QR code on the exhibit nameplate to see the Chinese description. We can also purchase creative products through this platform. Through the WeChat public, people who have not been to the British Museum can also get to know it very well.
Next, let me introduce you to the WeChat public in detail, again, we will use the British Museum’s official account as an example.
First, when we use WeChat, search for the British Museum and click on its official account we will see the following layout. We can see three options: Articles, Videos, and Services. When users click on articles, they can see a series of articles about the museum’s special exhibitions, lectures, interviews, creative products, museum news, etc., helping users to keep up with the museum in real time.
Public Profile: A museum made for the world, and of the world, taking you on a journey through the wonders and treasures left behind by two million years of world history. From the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies to the sculptures of the Parthenon and the Proverbs, experience the splendor of human society at the British Museum.
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When users click on the videos, they can watch the content they are interested in, which includes detailed explanation of cultural relics, knowledge of cultural relics, promotion of special exhibitions, etc.
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Services is the option that contains the most content and can quickly bring the user closer to the museum by clicking on it. This option provides users with the following services:
1. About us: Introduction to the museum, visiting guide, service facilities and panorama of the museum.
2. Collection’s exhibition: exhibition information, collections and itinerary recommendations.
3. Information and cultural creation: the museum’s Weibo, museum’s products and events in the museum.
Among them, the most interesting for Chinese users is the museum’s creative products, where users can freely shop the British Museum’s genuine creative products.
Many museums around the world have set up official accounts on WeChat, such as the MoMA, the V&A, the Louvre and so on. In China, WeChat public has become the most convenient platform for users and visitors to learn about museums, realizing a real sense of “self-help in the palm of your hand”.
This article was written by Wanting Zhang, ICOM UK Website Project Intern.