Museums Launch #MuseumBouquet Virtual Flower Chain During Pandemic
On March 24, 2020, cultural institutions worldwide initiated a virtual "flower" exchange to foster cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The New-York Historical Society started the chain by sending an image of apple blossoms painted by Martin Johnson Heade to the Smithsonian Museum. This gesture sparked a widespread movement where over 300 museums participated, sharing paintings, photographs, and artworks online with messages of gratitude and empathy using the hashtag #MuseumBouquet. Major institutions like the National Portrait Gallery, the MET, and the Guggenheim joined the initiative, which aimed to maintain community spirit and deliver art virtually as physical exhibitions closed due to the crisis. The action exemplified the Israeli historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari's view that cooperation, not segregation, is the true antidote to the epidemic.
Key facts
- The virtual flower exchange began on March 24, 2020.
- Over 300 museums participated in the #MuseumBouquet initiative.
- The New-York Historical Society started the chain by sending an artwork to the Smithsonian Museum.
- The movement was inspired by Yuval Noah Harari's emphasis on cooperation during the pandemic.
- Artworks shared included paintings, photographs, and other forms of art.
- Messages of gratitude, empathy, and poems accompanied the shared images.
- Major institutions like the National Portrait Gallery, the MET, and the Guggenheim were involved.
- The initiative helped institutions stay active and deliver art virtually during exhibition closures.
Entities
Artists
- Yuval Noah Harari
- Martin Johnson Heade
- H. Lyman Saÿen
Institutions
- New-York Historical Society
- Smithsonian Museum
- Akron Art Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- MET
- Guggenheim
Locations
- New York
- United States