MicroPasts and potential for Collections Online integration at the British Museum (original) (raw)
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Museum Object Lessons for the Digital Age by Haidy Geismar
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museum and society, 2009
This paper is concerned with online museum education, exploring the themes of user-centredness, digitization, authority and control. Taking as its starting point the shift of focus in museum policy from the collection to the user-learner, it suggests that this movement from object to subject -this 'de-centring' of the cultural institution -is further complicated by a fundamental change in the nature of the object, as a result of digitization programmes which transform material, 'possessible' artefacts into volatile amalgams of bits and bytes. The ability of users to take, manipulate, re-distribute and re-describe digital objects is, we suggest, a primary source of their educational value. It is also, however, a source of difficulty for institutions as they come to terms with the changing patterns of ownership, participation and knowledge production we are experiencing as we move further into the digital age.
Οnline Access to Digital Collections – Design and Use of Museum Databases, VSMM 2008
The creation of institutional websites is one of the most widespread information and communication technologies in the cultural sector. Expectations of web users, together with social and technological developments, have influenced an expanding trend among cultural organisations to offer wider inclusion and greater versatility in the presentation of collections and related information in their digital spaces. However, the effectiveness of these applications has not been systematically tested so far, nor has their use been examined with any in-depth research study, despite the increasing pressure on museums to provide online access to their collection catalogues. This paper will present the results of a research project which aims to address this gap. At the first stage of the research, museum websites from different countries were selected and analysed. After the identification of specific groups based on the type of web presentation, the research project focused on the museums that presented digital databases of their collection on their website, sending them a questionnaire on the design of the databases and of their use by virtual visitors. This paper will present mainly the results from these first two stages of the research and will place them in a broader discussion about the use of cultural information by different users in various contexts.
CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo, 2021
This review of literature investigates existing user research relating to the UK's Gallery, Library, Archive and Museum (GLAM) digital collections. Over the last 30 years, the number of online collections, and the number of online visitors using those collections, has increased significantly. Although the use of collections has been on the rise, whether it is meaningful in terms of audience engagement, understanding and appreciation is still questionable, particularly in relation to accurate user behavioural data. A proper understanding of who and how visitors use digital collections is critical for the success of the UK's galleries, libraries, archives and museums in the information age. This review looks at available work from 2015 to 2021 to compare ways in which users have been categorised, their behaviours and identify areas where further discussion is required. Within the date range; 2015-2021, there is limited material on what characterise user categories leading Rees and Vitale (2020) to state: "Actual profiles of potential audiences are thin on the ground" (2020, p. 9). While a range of work on digital audiences exist, in-depth empirical research does appear to have slowed since 2015. There has been a focus within the GLAM sector on quantitative reporting which lacks detail and nuance in terms of audience behaviours. This leads to a lack of richer and deeper understanding of digital users.
The paper examines the ways in which web-sites have been used as devices to present, contextualize, reflect, and document artwork. The goal is to discuss to what extent the medium (the technology) is affecting the means of production of web-sites dedicated to art exhibitions. The analysis will include a brief overview of a recently constructed micro-site that illustrates the theoretical study and serves as an example of a collaborative working process. The reflections presented here are the result of conversations and collaboration between a museum curator and a designer.
Museums on the Web: Exploring the past for the future
RESAW 2023: Exploring the Archived Web During a Highly Transformative Age, 2023
This panel sheds light on the histories of museums on the Web. The advent of online technologies has changed the way museums manage collections and access them, shape exhibitions, and build communities and participation. Aspects can be found in histories about museums and digital technologies (see for example Parry, 2007; 2009; Cameron, 2003; Cameron & Kenderdine, 2010; Bowen, 2010). However, scant attention has been given to how museums’ online presence has developed over time, from the mid-1990s to the present. This panel presents different perspectives in the history of museums on the Web. What can we learn from the pioneering virtual museums and online exhibitions? How did (information) architecture and museums websites develop over time? And how have online collections been built, circulated, and made accessible? Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, museums enhanced their digital activities and the importance of the Web to engage with audiences was felt throughout the sector. Furthermore, in today’s fast-changing digital landscape, museums are facing new challenges such as the rise of AI and the semantic Web. By engaging with the past, we can enhance our understanding of how museums are functioning today and offer new perspectives for future developments. Therefore, this panel explores the past, but with an eye on the future. This panel coincides with the release of a Double Special Issue “Museums on the Web” in the journal Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society (Taylor & Francis).