ArticlePDF Available

Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age

Authors:
Hamish Robertson at Queensland University of Technology
Hamish Robertson
Nick Nicholas at University of Technology Sydney
Nick Nicholas
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract

DEC 16 | 0 comments Hamish Robertson and Nick Nicholas argue that maps and mapping are increasingly central to the museum and its activities in a digital age. Maps have long been exhibits in and tools for museums. Historical maps are frequently works of art as well as science, information or even propaganda. Contemporary maps (such as those above which demonstrate the radically different distribution of people over 65 [on the left] to tourists [right] around Manchester, UK) are usually the product of digital technologies which collect and visualise data in software environments such as geographic information systems (GIS). This entire field is now commonly known as giscience because of the increasing interconnection between hardware, software and applications. Mapping and the modern museum So what do mapping technologies have to do with the modern museum? The answer is, actually quite a lot. Current spatial technologies include the types often seen on television programmes such as Time Team, with satellite imagery, civilian drones, aerial photogrammetry, ground penetrating radar (GPR), global positioning systems (GPS) and LiDAR (light detection and ranging). Recent large-scale applications of these technologies can be seen in the work being done in Cambodia at Angkor Wat, in new archaeological findings in the UK near Stonehenge or in the plans to LiDAR scan Machu Picchu in Peru. Spatial technologies have also been used for a variety of heritage activities such as cataloguing and indexing oral history materials, recording indigenous peoples' environments and histories, and increasingly to link qualitative research information to specific locations. Mapping your visitors Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age-MuseumsEtc Ltd
Content uploaded by Hamish Robertson
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Hamish Robertson on Dec 16, 2016
Content may be subject to copyright.
GBP
Home > Magazine > Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age
DEC 16 | 0 comme nts
Hamish Robertson and Nick Nicholas argue that maps and mapping are increasingly central to the
museum and its activities in a digital age.
Maps have long been exhibits in and tools for museums. Historical maps are frequently works of art as
well as science, information or even propaganda. Contemporary maps (such as those above which
demonstrate the radically different distribution of people over 65 [on the left] to tourists [right] around
Manchester, UK) are usually the product of digital technologies which collect and visualise data in
software environments such as geographic information systems (GIS). This entire field is now commonly
known as giscience because of the increasing interconnection between hardware, software and
applications.
Mapping and the modern museum
So what do mapping technologies have to do with the modern museum? The answer is, actually quite a lot.
Current spatial technologies include the types often seen on television programmes such as Time Team, with
satellite imagery, civilian drones, aerial photogrammetry, ground penetrating radar (GPR), global positioning
systems (GPS) and LiDAR (light detection and ranging). Recent large-scale applications of these technologies
can be seen in the work being done in Cambodia at Angkor Wat, in new archaeological findings in the UK near
Stonehenge or in the plans to LiDAR scan Machu Picchu in Peru. Spatial technologies have also been used for
a variety of heritage activities such as cataloguing and indexing oral history materials, recording indigenous
peoples’ environments and histories, and increasingly to link qualitative research information to specific
locations.
Mapping your visitors
Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age - MuseumsEtc Ltd
http://museumsetc.com/blogs/magazine/mapping-and-the-digital-age-...
1 of 3
12/16/2016 8:46 PM
← Previous
The same technologies can be applied to the work museums do with their visitors. If you want to know how big a
geographic catchment you have for visitors, you can collect and map their data in your own GIS package to
analyse demographic, locational and travel patterns. International and local visitors can easily be included in the
same system as well as segmenting visitors by their preferences, interests and activities. Museum members and
volunteers can be mapped to analyse possible travel patterns, modes of transport or time limits to their travel.
Donors can be mapped to see if they share similar socio-economic or related characteristics, or to locate where
people contribute the most to the museum – be that in time or financial terms. Once input into the GIS, all this
data and its analysis are fully digital, making it potentially accessible to different groups within the museum
(curators, exhibit staff, management, financial, marketing, visitor studies etc.) in order to support different
decision-making needs.
Knowing the who and where of these different contributors to the museum and its activities means the user can
also identify gaps and target them for additional promotional, research or engagement. Key visitor segments can
be mapped and estimated to manage promotional programmes or outreach activities, especially when funds are
limited and results need to maximised. If you do specific activities with community groups such as children, older
people or people with disabilities, you can map local cohorts of older people, retirement living facilities, schools
or disability organisations who might engage with your programmes.
As the sector grows, museums are facing funding challenges: many heritage institutions are either in competition
with each other for visitors’ time and money or having to cooperate to maximise value for themselves and partner
organisations. GIS and related spatial technologies can support these processes (how many people went to x or
y museums, how often and where did they come from, which people spent more money and where do they
live?).
Mapping interiors
A rapidly developing aspect of this field lies in using spatial technology to monitor peoples’ behaviour within
buildings or defined spaces. Where did they spend the most time? Which specific exhibits did they visit or not
visit? Does our layout and directional information support or hinder the visiting process? Are we seeing
anticipated or unanticipated behaviours?
Museums are rich and often complex spatial environments. One of the more obvious aspects of this is that their
displayed exhibits are only a fraction of their collections. Knowing what they have, who visits and where different
types of things are located are all important issues in sustaining the museum and its programmes. Museums
have always included maps as artefacts but the time is coming to integrate mapping more closely into both the
museum’s analogue and digital work. The map and mapping are, we propose, increasingly central to the
museum and its activities in this emerging digital age.
About the authors
Hamish Robertson is a geographer and the editor of The Caring Museum: New Models of Engagement with
Ageing (MuseumsEtc 2015). Nick Nicholas specialises in demography, geographic information systems and
spatial marketing strategies.
Name *
Email *
Comment
Tweet
Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age - MuseumsEtc Ltd
http://museumsetc.com/blogs/magazine/mapping-and-the-digital-age-...
2 of 3
12/16/2016 8:46 PM
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Want more of this? Subscribe to our newsletter for news, offers and fresh inspiration:
Mapping and Museums in the Digital Age - MuseumsEtc Ltd
http://museumsetc.com/blogs/magazine/mapping-and-the-digital-age-...
3 of 3
12/16/2016 8:46 PM

Supplementary resource (1)

Maps
Data
December 2016
Hamish Robertson
... Initially, the application of the 'mapping' concept to the museum sector has mainly constituted the basis for profiling studies on user groups and actual as well as potential 'publics'. Consistently, the use of spatial and GISs in museums has focused on supporting visit flow analyses [126,127], alongside objects' cataloguing and geo-referencing activities, in order to correlate the information produced by qualitative research to specific geographic positions [128]. ...
... The potential application field of mapping technologies is enormous; several studies underscore the different museum functions that the geographic and spatial information can support: on-site exhibits and engagement, marketing, management (logistics, disposal and displacement, storing and cataloguing of unexposed objects), research (provenance of findings, semantic relation among objects). The work by Boyd [161] and other later contributions [17,128] indicate interesting examples of potential uses of GISs in museums. Although these analyses are in some cases even relatively recent, these uses generally relate to the internal organization of museums or peer-to-peer networking and do not really address the surrounding territory, apart from more or less exhaustive maps of existing facilities within a given area, mainly for knowledge or tourist promotion purposes. ...
Museums and Territories: An Exploration of New Scopes for Mapping Technologies
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2025
In their evolution from conservation places of isolated resources to social spaces in service of communities, museums are increasingly called to express their representative character towards their originating territories. Furthermore, the museum’s mission has been gradually enriched with new, more complex functions towards local communities, through a call to actively confront with their contexts, a trend the recent pandemic events have only accelerated. Cultural heritage, with museums at the forefront, as an acknowledged driver of socioeconomic development, has manifold impacts on territories, which have been identified and investigated in the literature, often from a potential perspective. Given the strong territorial component of the museum heritage connection with its reference context, this study aims to investigate the contribution that mapping and GIS technologies, traditionally employed at the scale of single museum buildings, can offer in assessing the actual “living” presence of museums in the local socioeconomic and productive fabric, through the relationships with other reference entities in the territories and their outreach. Taking a sample with a marked nature of spatially ‘distributed’ heritage (archaeologic museums of the Puglia region, South Italy) as a case study, the article presents a mapped representation of a questionnaire-based survey of museums’ recent territorial relationships. The twofold outcomes of the study show, on the one hand, that the investigated sample still experiences criticalities in fully expressing and communicating its potentialities and values in the current scenario and, on the other hand, that mapping technologies can concretely contribute to the museum sector’s innovation by examining its territorial relationships, in line with the current conceptual evolution, also with possible implications on museums’ quality assessment.
View
... Enhancing global competitiveness requires not only high-quality cultural products but also effective international marketing strategies and brand building. (Johnson, R., 2021) ...
... At the same time, the study explores how online education platforms use technological innovations, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), to provide immersive learning experiences, and how these technologies affect the depth and breadth of cultural heritage. (Johnson, R., 2021) ...
Digital Transformation of the Cultural Industry: Challenges and Opportunities
Article
  • Dec 2024
This study delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by China’s cultural industry during its digital transformation. By integrating theoretical foundations, global trends, and specific case studies, this paper reveals the key roles of technological innovation, content innovation, market segmentation, policy support, and talent cultivation in promoting the digital transformation of the cultural industry. The research employs case study methods, selecting the digital music industry, online education and cultural heritage, and digital museums and exhibitions as cases, analyzing their successful elements and challenges in digital transformation. The results indicate that despite challenges such as rapid technological updates, complex copyright protection, market uncertainty, and talent shortages, the Chinese cultural industry can seize the opportunities brought by digitalization and achieve sustainable development through effective strategies and pathways. This study provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, industry practitioners, and academic researchers.
View
... with audiences (Parry, 2013). ICT contributed to the reshaping of the societal role of museums, by transforming cultural offerings, attracting new audiences, and facilitating inclusiveness (Akker & Legêne, 2016;Alexander et al., 2017;Bautista, 2014;Giannini & Bowen, 2019;Wang & Lin, 2018). ...
Transforming museum management through ICT adoption: an analysis of the Portuguese context during the COVID-19 pandemic Transforming museum management through ICT adoption: an analysis of the Portuguese context during the COVID-19 pandemic
Article
  • Apr 2024
  • J Herit Tourism
This study aims at analysing the development of digital co-creative strategies adopted by museums during the COVID-19 pandemic and the transformative potential of co-creative experiences with the help of digital tools to redefine the relationship between the museum and its audiences. This is exploratory research using online qualitative surveys applied to Portuguese museums during the COVID-19 pandemic for participation of virtual audiences for data collection and analysis. Results from this study contribute to managers' awareness of museum digital transformation around the world sharing similar contexts and that may want to develop the participatory approach with the support of digital technologies. Results show new avenues for the adoption and implementation of digital strategies in museum management. To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore the participatory museum framework combined with the development of digital strategies applied to museums following COVID-19.
View
... Consequently, in the post-pandemic era already upon us, more digital means and imaginative interactive modalities will undoubtedly permeate museum displays, interactions, education, and creative design. (McKenna, 2021;Parry, 2010). ...
Inheriting the intangible cultural heritage and embracing innovation: digital rubbing leads a new experience of audience interaction in museums
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Feb 2024
In the post-epidemic era, transforming museum life depends on adapting to the increasing digitization of museums and providing audiences with more meaningful, diverse interactive experiences. To achieve the above goal while inheriting and innovating cultural heritage, this paper first reviews relevant research, then selects Rubbing, a traditional Chinese craft that can replace the function of photography, and answers why to choose Rubbing and apply it to museums in digital form. Then, it analyzed the functions, cultural history, technical procedures, objects suitable for rubbing, and artistic forms of the Rubbing. Finally, the research team designed three ways to apply Digital Rubbing to museums and conducted a user survey. The results show that the three ways of applying Digital Rubbing to museum interaction are immersive, meaningful, interesting, creative, and artistic. They can activate the participation dynamics of museum audiences and potential audiences, making people's museum life more beautiful.
View
... Although traces of information technology have been observed throughout the organisational processes of cultural institutions since the 1960s [9], unprecedented opportunities for the publication of textual information stored within museum databases and collection management systems started to emerge with the advent of institutional websites. Such novel avenues for scholarly research and public exploration of archival material opened up the opportunities to transform institutional conventions and substantially alternate contemporary interactions with the past. ...
Digitisation of Historical Dress and Textile Collections: Facilitating Platforms for Accessibility, Preservation, and Research of Material Culture
Chapter
Full-text available
  • Jan 2024
By adopting new museological functions, surviving artefacts open up the possibility of illuminating complex interrelations between the lifecycle of humans and objects. Imbued with a unique and intimate material memory, historical textiles encapsulate evidence surrounding their conceptualisation, production, and consumption, as well as their distinct participation in the construction of social and cultural identities. Encouraged by conservation-related requirements and challenges posed by the traditional mechanics of storage and display, collections and archives have embraced a range of advanced technologies in order to strengthen their role as repositories of material information. The potentially unlimited virtual space of digital representations contributes to the specific goals of individual collections by enabling enhanced accessibility and widespread dissemination of content, thus allowing the values embedded within the physical structure of objects by both their makers and users to cross the barriers of institutional settings. Furthermore, considering the fragile nature of historical textiles and their susceptibility to deterioration, the development of digital collections lowers the risks of excessive handling while providing unprecedented opportunities for scholarly research and alternative pathways to artefact investigation. In order to address the diverse implications of the digitisation process, this paper will explore the relationship between physical and digital collections of dress and textile objects as material remnants of the past, the ability of digital representations to convey authentic cultural meaning and value, as well as the ongoing demand for the standardisation of data and its interoperability within the digital environment.
View
THE SOCIO-TECHNICAL SYSTEM FRAMEWORK FOR MAINTAINING THE SMART HERITAGE OF CHENGDU’S HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL VILLAGES
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2025
As the development of smart cities continues to advance, Smart Heritage has become an essential component of cultural preservation and inheritance. The cultural Heritage of Chengdu's historical and cultural villages possess significant cultural and social value and currently faces complex challenges in terms of conservation. Based on the actual situation of Chengdu's historical and cultural villages, employs qualitative research methodology, including semi-structured interviews with experts, to construct a socio-technical system framework supporting the implementation of smart Heritage in Chengdu's historical and cultural villages, aiming at effective management and conservation of Smart Heritage. The study first identifies the expertise areas and the number of experts involved. It is divided into three main parts: the socio-technical system's social, technological, and environmental dimensions. Based on the findings of this study, it is evident that the Smart Heritage of Chengdu's historical and cultural villages require interdisciplinary cooperation and coordination across various sectors. Additionally, there is a need for continually updated and improved technological support systems to adapt to changes in the era and demands. This framework is believed to provide valuable references and guidance for managing and conserving Smart Heritage in Chengdu's historical and cultural villages.
View
Museus e inclusão social a partir das tecnologias digitais
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2024
A inclusão social em museus refere-se aos esforços ativos feitos pelos museus para garantir que seus espaços, exposições, programas e recursos sejam acessíveis, acolhedores e relevantes para uma ampla gama de indivíduos e comunidades. Nessa perspectiva, as tecnologias digitais desempenham um papel crucial na promoção da inclusão social e da diversidade nos museus. Elas oferecem oportunidades para que os museus alcancem um público mais amplo, quebrem barreiras e criem experiências mais inclusivas. Diante do exposto, questiona-se qual é o papel das tecnologias digitais na promoção da inclusão social nos museus. Sendo assim, este artigo objetiva apresentar uma discussão sobre o papel das tecnologias digitais em ações de inclusão social em museus. Quanto aos procedimentos metodológicos, esta pesquisa é classificada como qualitativa e exploratória. Neste contexto, foi efetuado um levantamento bibliográfico e revisão de literatura de estudos sobre a temática de inclusão social em museus a partir de tecnologias digitais de modo a responder ao questionamento inicial e objetivo desta pesquisa. Conclui-se que, a partir de tecnologias digitais, os museus podem contribuir para a inclusão social criando espaços inclusivos, representando diversas vozes, engajando-se com as comunidades, promovendo educação e aprendizado, adotando abordagens colaborativas, ampliando e ressignificando narrativas, e defendendo a mudança e coesão social. Consequentemente, ao promover a acessibilidade, a representação e o envolvimento da comunidade, a partir de tecnologias digitais, os museus podem se tornar instituições inclusivas que promovem o diálogo, a compreensão e um sentimento de pertencimento para todos os visitantes e comunidades.
View
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRESENTATION OF MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: EXPERIENCE AND PROSPECTS APPLICATION IN MUSEUM PEDAGOGICS
Article
  • Nov 2024
The article explores the current state and prospects of using digital technologies in the presentation of museum collections for museum pedagogy. The author examines digitalization as a comprehensive process that encompasses various aspects of museum activities, including digitization of collections, creation of digital catalogs, analytical activities, educational programs, and digital marketing. The paper presents an analysis of international experience in implementing innovative technologies in museum practice, particularly the use of virtual and augmented reality, interactive exhibitions, and mobile applications. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the concept of digital presentation of museum collections and its impact on visitor interaction. Based on a survey of museum staff in the Ternopil region, the author assesses the current level of digitalization in regional museums. The research results show that museums are actively implementing basic digital tools such as websites and social networks but lag behind in the use of more complex technologies like virtual reality. The article highlights specific examples of successful application of digital technologies in Ternopil region museums, including the creation of virtual exhibitions and participation in international projects for digitizing cultural heritage. The author emphasizes the importance of developing digital competencies among museum staff and the need to create a clear digital strategy for each museum, in particular for interaction with education. Based on the analysis, the author proposes a series of recommendations for improving the digitalization process in the region's museums and use in education.. These recommendations include focusing on creating quality digital content, developing analytical tools to evaluate online presence effectiveness, gradually introducing interactive elements into exhibitions, and strengthening cooperation between museums to exchange experiences and resources. The study emphasizes that digitalization opens new opportunities for museums in presenting cultural heritage, expanding audiences, and creating a more engaging experience for visitors. At the same time, the author stresses the importance of a balanced approach that preserves traditional museum values while implementing innovative technologies.
View
View
Museums of Landscape. A Project for the Tuscia’s Archaeological Heritage
Article
  • Apr 2024
In recent decades, numerous initiatives have seen the aims of Italian architects and archaeologists converge on the necessity to found the country’s future on the basis of a renewal of cultural heritage that represents it. “Patrimonio al futuro” (Volpe, 2015), “Il nuovo dell’Italia è nel passato” (Carandini, 2012), “Architettura e patrimonio: progettare in un paese antico” (Franciosini and Casadei, 2015) are just some of the most recent publications that testify to this orientation. The contribution presents a proposal, winner of the first prize in an idea’s competition, focused on the valorisation of the Tuscia territory, that is an internal landscape of middle Italy, in which the archaeology-landscape dualism is the main structuring character. In this framework, the idea of “Museums of landscape” was born: going beyond the canonical concept that identifies the museum as a monumental building closed in itself, to give rise to a sort of an “exploded museum” in the territory. It is an accessible network where the archaeological areas are conceived as open-air exhibition rooms spread throughout the territory, in which archaeology and landscape intertwine to form a unified narrative, both physical and virtual, able to host different events in the new inclusive archaeological “rooms”. Keywords: architectural design, archaeological heritage, architecture for archaeology, museums of landscape, cultural landscape.
View
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.