Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be needed because people can see historical objects and works of art by using a computer. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It is simply absurd to assert that with historical objects and works of art being able to be seen through a computer, public museums and art galleries will no longer be needed.

First of all, computers can never replace real public museums and art galleries. No matter how real and vivid computer images are, they are only images, not the historical objects and works of art that we see in real or even might be allowed to touch with our fingertips. For those who claim museums and galleries are no longer needed because they can see all they want to on a computer screen, I’d like to suggest that they marry a wife or husband in the computer rather than in real life!

In the second place, visiting real museums and art galleries is a rewarding experience in many respects. For one thing, it is a good exercise. While we are making the trip to a museum or art gallery and then strolling about on site, we get some exercise which does a lot of good to our health. For another thing, we can feast our eyes on all kinds of things there and experience the wonder, beauty and exquisite workmanship with our own eyes in an active way instead of in a passive manner by looking at what are being displayed to us by others on the screen. For yet another thing, we protect our eyesight by moving away from the computer screen and see the real objects on site.

It is true that computers have brought great conveniences to our life. At certain times, especially when it is temporarily impossible for us to visit museums and art galleries in person, we can get a rough picture of what are on display on site. However, what we see from a computer screen is, after all, not exactly the same as what we see and feel with our own eyes on site.

In conclusion, computers will never be able to replace real public museums and art galleries. Therefore, it is ridiculous to say that one does not need to go to museums and art galleries as historical objects and works of art can be appreciated on a computer screen.