Virtual collections

Comment by Stephen Thompson on October 27, 2010 at 3:53pm

I am working in the area of creating and interpreting a virtual online collection that displays significant objects related to migration. My project is 'Objects through Time' which stated out as a register for movable heritage and now has become more like a virtual Museum! I recently gave a paper titled 'Objects through Time' at the 2010 MA National Conference. Keep an eye out for the PowerPoint presentation and my paper on the MA National website. Here is Objects through Time www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/objectsthroughtime

Comment by Stephen Thompson on January 11, 2011 at 2:30pm

This BBC/ British Museum partnership is interesting. It would have been great if the collections/ objects could have been interpreted in some form of narrative history to make more sense of them.  Something about their significance would have been helpful too.

www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld

Comment by Shruti Gautam on January 24, 2011 at 4:27am

I am writing my Master's dissertation thesis on 'Museums in Cyberspace' . I wish to explore the advantages as well as the limitations of  virtual museums and online collections

Comment by Stephen Thompson on January 27, 2011 at 2:09pm

Hi Shruti- The way I see it is there is only advantages to online collections and virtual museums. I find that people from diverse locations can access collections and interpretation who would otherwise have no access to those places. Sure they can't see the actual object, but could they behind glass in a phyisical space? the glass display case is a screen too. Anyway most collections are on display for short amounts of time, if at all, and they are mostly in storage so people can't get to see them often there either. Then there is the added advantage that people can access documatation such as Statements of Significance which makes it clear what collections and museum are all about and why we collect.

I am looking to add social media to the MHC:PHM' Objects through Time' online museum so people can chat and ask questions of the Curator and the audience. Currently working this part out. It's amazing the nuggets of information that comes in randomly from the community about objects that would not have been accessible in the 'old' museum. So there is now 'two way' flow of information between the audience and the online museum and the curator. Neat!

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