Museums Association Conference 2014 - Twitter Awards

And so another Museums Association Conference closes and the museum world waits in anticipation for the announcement of the 3rd Annual Conference Twitter Awards. Wait no more - it is here. But first some reflections on the twitter performance of the delegates.

Twitter numbers seem to be down again from last year, why is this? I have decided that it is due to more than speaker ill discipline. Surely by now the MA has passed on my recommendation to all speakers to keep sentences to 100 characters or less? Perhaps audiences are listening to speakers and reflecting more on their content before tweeting. This is preferable to the soundbite sugar rush that has my twitter feed pinging manically during an interesting conference session. A more reflective and questioning approach to tweets is a trend I heartily endorse and long may this continue as it gives the Twitter Jury less to get through when judging day comes.

My own tweeting was also down this year, I think it was down to riveting sessions, serious subject matter (less suited to the Museum of Unreason perspective) and a sprained thumb sustained hitchhiking down the country to Cardiff.

Now for the awards.

Best Excited Conference Anticipation Tweet

"Looking at the guide the first #museums2014 session should really be 'how to be in more than one place at once'... Can't wait!"@juliafrancess

Somewhat apt for a conference at the home of Doctor Who


Best MA Conference of the Future Tweet

"The good thing re. going to conf on twitter is that you get to 'curate'(!) your own experience and get to all the right things! #museums2014 "@alexwoodall

MA take notice - this is the future

Best Comment on Crowded Conference Sessions Tweet

"Can't move in art and science of curation! Maybe it's a metaphor for a museum store.." @ArchaeoMuse

I hadn't thought that my being squeezed into the back of a session was actually the result of the MA's conference delegate aquisitions policy.

Best Acknowledged Session Irony Tweet

"In the #museums2014 happiness debate. @tonybutler1 and I are finding the questions - ironically- rather taxing" @e_chaplin

Next year a Museum Taxing session with happy questions?


Best Session Criticism Tweet

"Frustrated again #museums2014 surely we all know museums can support social justice. How can this be an argument/ discussion for conference? "@cladle

Beautifully brilliant and blistering - here here


Best Aren't Museums Wonderful Tweet

"Museums can cause wonder and thereby enable visitors to experience the world more intensely - Martyn Evans"@artfund

Thanks to the Art Fund amongst others for sharing this piece of inspiration from Martyn


Best Philosophy For Life Tweet

Beautiful signoff @martindaws at #museums2014 "Be bold. People love you. I know as an artist when u have passion, there is no other option" @NickPoole1

Don't give people an option - make them love you (I'll start with the newsagent tomorrow morning)


Best Conference Compliment Tweet

#museums2014 2 days 1 unbelievable key note speech and 1 unbelievable key note performance. In a decade the best conference I have attended.@1969DMS


Calm down dear It's only a conference


And to finish


Best Biggest Mystery of the Conference Tweet

"Why are there aubergines in the microwave @thecardiffstory"
@RebeccaA_MA

Suggestions wanted on a postcard please.

If you think there are better ones please let me know, otherwise congratulations to the winners and see you all next year in Birmingham where we can perhaps get together over a kipper tie.