With the coronavirus outbreak the need for digital and virtual art experiences has risen. Museums have been closed, instead virtual art tours and online exhibitions have been offered by many – including by us as part of our Art over Lunch series. But the impact of modern technologies on exhibitions and artworks did not just begin now. Interactive experiences have shaped museum visits for a long time. Online art programs already existed before the lockdown – although in a small number. The current restrictions and the challenges they bring have the potential to change how we visit museums and experience art forever.

How does digitalization influence exhibitions? What challenges does the pandemic hold for museums? How did the Museum Rietberg deal with the lockdown? And what will art tours look like in the future? Will virtual art replace classical exhibitions?

During this Art over Lunch Annette Bhagwati, director at the Museum Rietberg in Zurich since November 2019, and Sarah Kenderdine, professor of Digital Museology at the École polytechnique fédérale in Lausanne (EPFL), will explore how digitalization and modern technologies have changed museums and will continue to do so. The conversation will be moderated by Aurelia Rauch, Art Consultant at Bergos Berenberg.