The digital transformation in museums has been progressing steadily, and not just since corona. The use of digital technologies poses challenges for the diverse areas of work in museums, but at the same time also creates completely new opportunities for communication and openness: knowledge can be bundled and communicated in a more targeted manner, previously inaccessible collection items can be experienced and scientific content can also be experienced online. Digital technologies are also playing an increasingly important role in restoration. We have launched an online survey for the first time and asked our community for their opinions: What will digital concepts and solutions for the preservation, restoration and communication of cultural assets look like in 2021? You can read the answer from Bascha Stabik, Senior Conservator at SRAL The conservation institute, Maastricht, here
The French organization Culturespaces shows digitized paintings in exhibitions. Here the masterpiece by Gustav Klimt. Photo: Culturespaces - Nuit de Chine
“Alongside many other activities, museums and their related institutions have a responsibility not only to research the ‘material’ or tangible aspects of their collections, but also to process and tell their stories for a wide audience. Also to differentiate themselves from the unmanageable wealth of information online and to be a fact-based and reliable source of information.
Digital formats such as interactive touchscreens within the museum exhibition, audio tours or telephone apps that combine various forms of common methods of digital imaging and virtual reality offer new and creative channels for conveying these stories. Innovative digital forms of presentation and communication can also be particularly suitable for drawing attention to previously underexposed topics or new relationships in the world’s cultural heritage – and for telling new stories.
Museum conservators can make an important contribution here. Digital formats could be used to communicate restoration work and object-related research, for example in museum exhibitions. This can be supplemented by special guided tours by conservators. In this way, visitors can learn about the material history of the object, its condition and restoration history. Visitors can develop a more complete picture of art and cultural objects and expand their general knowledge in this way.
In addition to expanding existing knowledge, digital formats can offer new target groups initial access to museum collections and exhibitions. In this sense, educational projects of museum conservation activities can make a major contribution to the understanding of art and cultural objects – far beyond the common, sometimes rudimentary art historical knowledge of the museum public. As a conservator, I find that the digital development within research practice, documentation and presentation contributes to making the results of our work more accessible to both professionals and non-professionals. It also promotes the transparency of our methods.
Of course, digitization also benefits the archiving and documentation of restoration measures. 2020 has shown us all how easy and accessible it is to participate in online lectures. Of course, the all-important social interaction is missing. This means that people (and employers) are more willing to attend a lecture, as the effort and costs associated with traveling and staying away are eliminated. Not to mention the significantly minimized negative impact on the climate and environment that such online meetings make possible. If this form of information exchange becomes even more professionalized, it could only lead to the ‘professional community’ growing even closer together.”
You can find more statements from our community in RESTAURO 2/2021.