Video: Great Minds Series - LSBF interviews Natural History Museum Director Sir Michael Dixon

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The Director of London’s Natural History Museum, Sir Michael Dixon, has spoken out about the importance of the impact technology can have on visitor experience.

Speaking in the museum’s Darwin Centre as a part of London School of Business and Finance’s (LSBF) Great Minds series, Sir Michael explained that technology is important for both visitor interaction and the scientific happenings behind the scenes.

“In the days when we used printed labels, you were clearly limited by the physical space,” Sir Michael said. “Nowadays we use touch screens, so you can layer the information. People can explore what interpretation we provide about objects based on their own interests.”

“Five years ago we were worrying about what technology to put in our galleries. Nowadays everybody carries a smartphone, and instead of putting tech into the galleries, we should rely on people to bring their own smartphones. [Using smartphones] visitors can plot their own journey around the museum – customise their experience.”

LSBF Great Minds series

As well as offering programmes dedicated to fostering leadership skills, LSBF also endeavours to provide students with insight and inspiration through a number of innovative resources. One of these initiatives is the LSBF Great Minds Series: a collection of video interviews with leading business and political leaders promoting debate on education, employability, entrepreneurship and the economy.

The video series started in 2011 with a conversation with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, followed by an interview with former Education Secretary Lord Kenneth Baker. In 2012, entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of the Virgin Group said that universities worldwide should become hubs to boost entrepreneurship and inspire self-starters to develop their own businesses. In 2014, LSBF spoke to Will Butler-Adams from Brompton Bicycle, Guy Hayward-Cole from Nomura Bank International, with former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, entrepreneur and investor Deborah Meaden, Google UK sales director Kevin Mathers and BBC Worldwide CEO Tim Davie.

In 2015, LSBF hosted interviews with Andrew Miller, CEO of Guardian Media Group; Jill McDonald, CEO of McDonald's UK; Kevin Costello, CEO of Haymarket Group; Amy McPherson, CEO of Marriott Hotels Europe; veteran BAFTA-winning broadcaster Jon Snow; live chats with Kevin Ellis, Managing Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers; Guy Hands, Founder of Terra Firma and many others.