[#musetech syllabus thread: week 3!] This week my "Museums and New Media" class explored online collections. We discussed how to publish *usable* collection information and explored openness as a value in museums.
"Digital Knowledgescapes: Cultural, Theoretical, Practical, and Usage Issues Facing Museum Collection Databases in a Digital Epoch" by Fiona Cameron and Helena Robinson (2007) problematizes traditional museum approaches to documentation in the digital age. …tpress.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.7551/m…
A good quote from Cameron and Robinson's piece to ponder. When we publish from collection management systems straight to the web, are we thinking through the implications of that choice? Are we creating supportive educational spaces online or...? 🤔 
Alex Pilcher's look at the @Tate's efforts to bring together artifact and archival documentation pushes us to think through how museums can make online experiences more like an afternoon diving into serendipity on a cozy bookstore couch. tate.org.uk/context-commen…
Much has changed on the Tate's website since 2013 and we spent some time exploring the rich and varied content one might experience if you "parachuted in from Google" to this Barbara Hepworth page: tate.org.uk/art/artists/da…
We also talked about how @cooperhewitt manages to talk to its users like a human would, making metadata approachable through narrative formats, emoji timelines, and invitations to explore by color. (This probably my favorite online collection website!) collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/183784…
provides a neat summary of the benefits, opportunities, risks, and fears related to online openness in museums nytimes.com/2015/11/01/art…
I love @mtchl's "Generous Interfaces for Digital Cultural Collections," which I religiously share with anyone who dares to show interest in improving online interfaces for searching and exploring collections. Bookmark this one from @DHQuarterly! digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/9/1/00…
nicely summarizes the challenges of subdividing a massive and varied collection. Bonus: How @V_and_A deployed UX research (card sorting, tree tests, prototypes) to make good decisions with user input. vam.ac.uk/blog/digital-m…
We discussed the unfriendliness/unhelpfulness of the "tombstone" label from the perspective of a newbie museum visitor...and how museums fall into similar habits with their online collections.
I never teach a class or have a discussion about museums and digital without SOME reference to @elenustika. Here's her latest exploring visitor motivations at @metmuseum. Love how analytics and insights become user stories that drive design improvements. medium.com/@elenustika/ht…
I'm also always inspired by @shell7's work, which she shares generously while in progress. Her latest, translating "the ensemble" for @the_barnes online collection, demonstrates her knack for embracing what makes each institution she works for unique. medium.com/barnes-foundat…
Our special treat this week was guest speaker @peterdueker, who is responsible for the smashing success of NGA Images, an early adopter and promoter of open access in museums. images.nga.gov/en/page/openac…
That's all for week 3, folks! In next week's installment, we'll look at the topic of "Opening Up Collections and Exhibitions Online." Looking forward to discussing how museums are rethinking storytelling formats and empowering re-use of collections. Until next week...!
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