The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Modern Art and the Ice Cream Museum. While these names are familiar, the latter may seem out of place. This is because the Ice Cream Museum is a part of a new trend called “Instagramable Museums.” These museums are not meant for viewing art; instead, they are meant to create art. They are set up in a way that lends itself to flattering angles and cute filters so that Instagram models and trendy teenagers can flock towards the colorful interior and quirky decor.

Instagram museums have had a recent spike in popularity. This may be due to social media’s ability to rapidly advertise and influence the opinion of the people. Museums deemed “Instagramable” can range from pop-up exhibits full of fun colors and artsy decor to traditional art museums that just so happen to provide photo-ops around every corner. In other words, some are created for fame and others are uncovered as aesthetic gems. The art department takes many trips to museums every year, including recent trips to the St. Petersburg Fine Arts Museum, Orlando Museum of Art, Dali Museum and the Dale Chihuly Museum, museums that have been verified “Instagramable.” Some art students however, prefer to enjoy the art in person rather than through a screen. 

“I don’t take pictures when I’m doing something that I enjoy,” senior, AP Art 3D and AP Drawing student Alysha Cirino said. “That field trip [to the Dale Chihuly Museum and the St. Petersburg Fine Arts Museum] is something I really enjoyed and really made me feel like it was somewhere I belong because there was so much art around.”

Instagram museums have gotten mixed reviews from the masses. Some critics feel that they are misusing the word “museum” and should be refined to mirror more traditional museums, or that art is meant for viewing, not photographing. However, many others believe that this trend is simply the evolution of museums into a more modern and age-appropriate phase. 

“A lot of new artists will find a way to integrate taking pictures with their work so you can post them on social media,” art teacher Ashley Buxton said. “Instagram is a huge venue to showcase your skills and when you use it in a positive way like that, I think you could gain a lot of followers especially because kids can’t travel all the time to go to museums so this is a great way for them to be able to do it at home.”

The only downside of Instagram museums is the natural traffic of crowds taking pictures in front of the most popular and photogenic exhibits. However, this can be overlooked if the pictures are taken in order to share the beauty of the art, not for the follows. 

“Many people take photos and stop me from seeing [an exhibit], but overall, they’re there to appreciate the art just as we are so it doesn’t bother me too much,” senior and AP 3D Art student Anna Cinq-Mars said. “I especially like seeing children there, it’s nice to see them excited over it all.”