Micro-augmentations: situated calibration of a novel non-tactile, peripheral museum technology

Micro-augmentations provide novel ways to interact directly with the past. This is a new concept that uses minimum stimulation to achieve maximum effects in spaces of cultural heritage. We experiment with new implicitly interactive and almost transparent museum technologies to create a holistic emotional visitor experience and solve a number of museum problems (i.e. misconceptions, intra-group communications, and visitor engagement). The paper presents the rationale for the design decisions, as well as the technical challenges faced during implementation. Audio micro-augmentations were firstly used at the UCL Grant Museum of Zoology. Initial user testing data from the system's calibration phase at that museum revealed the entertaining and learning potential of the application, together with issues for future development

Museums in the making - emerging modalities in East African independent museums

This research focuses on emerging independent museums in Kenya and Uganda, established since the 2000s, and the particular ways in which they are conceptualised in their east African context. It considers how museum-makers adapt and re-interpret the idea of a museum, reconfiguring the museum as a continuous process of translation that is fluid and changeable. While incorporating characteristics of ‘museumness’, such as the museum as knowledge repository, as a social technology and as a political entity, the independent museums are made up of several modalities at any point in time. They function as more than physical spaces and collections of material culture through the involvement of communities, the emphasis on larger cultural narratives and the utilisation of the museum as a vehicle for ethnic identity and visibility. The thesis further investigates the ways in which east African independent museums are shaped by their relationships with national and international heritage actors. These larger networks of NGOs, national authorities and global organisations, such as ICOM and UNESCO, influence the on-going translation of the museum concept through the dissemination of a pervasive heritage and development discourse. Local to global interactions take place in the inverted ‘zone of contact’, where independent museums, located in the periphery, engage with international organisations in the centre, impacting upon thinking on museum development, standards and professionalism. As part of these negotiations, museum-makers conceive of their independent museums as nexuses of a rich cultural past and a prosperous future as well as potential instruments for social, economic and political recognition in the present

Specters of Cape Town : heritage, memory, and restitution in contemporary South African art, architecture, and museum practice

Cape Town is home to a series of extreme disjunctive arrangements of wealth and poverty. Key to understanding the city is the deep inscription of historical injustice and its expression in contemporary forms of social injustice. In the paper that follows, we report on conversations with four indispensable commentators on the contemporary state of the city: artist Thania Petersen, architect and artist Ilze Wolff, museum practitioner Bonita Bennett, and heritage practitioner Calvyn Gilfellan. These conversations occur at a particular moment in South African life and being: in the aftermath of the Zuma presidency, in the aftermath of #RhodesMustFall, in the context of the perceived failure of the project of non-racialism, in the context of growing frustration over the intractability of historical inequality and the slow pace of change, and amid a heated national debate around the ANC government’s draft land expropriation bill. A common set of themes and preoccupations emerge: questions around race and religion; history, representation, and restitution; memory and forgetting; social justice and the abiding presence of historical injustice. Thinking inside and outside of the disciplines of art, architecture, and museum and heritage practice, these conversations present an accumulated body of wisdom and insight that might also be read as a transcript on the contemporary state of the city.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/yhso202021-09-07hj2021Historical and Heritage Studie

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThis study explores the ways in which ethnographic data might be represented within a hypertext; format. It begins with an analysis of the historical roots of the technology to determine key characteristics that differentiate it from other media. Three characteristics surface through this analysis: multilinearity, multivocality, and multimodality. The current study examines these characteristics from a more critical stance to determine what is possible in practice. To this end, three ethnographic hypertext;s are analyzed to determine strengths and weaknesses. From this analysis, a set of design implications emerge that provides a framework for a case study entitled The Congo Prototype. The Congo Prototype is built from an extensive study of a museum located in Belgium, The Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA), along with interviews with colonial veterans who served in the Congo up until Independence. This work offers the reader specific techniques that might be incorporated into future works, and at the same time, provides a stand alone ethnographic study of numerous narratives revolving around the Belgian Congo. In the final sections of this dissertation, several suggestions are outlined for future research. It is suggested that practitioners might consider database driven ethnographies as a means of creating a more dynamic reading experience; cross linked studies to achieve a higher degree of multivocality; and integration of a "play around" feature that would allow readers to determine the amount of data that could be viewed in support of specific claims. The study concludes with a brief discussion of some of the intractable issues that cannot be solved through technological means, such as the crisis of representation, the importance of being in the field, and the politics of web publishing

New Opportunities in Digital Archaeology: The Use of Low-Cost Photogrammetry for 3D Documentation of Archaeological Objects from Banks Island, NWT

This thesis investigates the use of low-cost three-dimensional (3D) modelling programs (Agisoft Photoscan and 123D Catch) to create and disseminate digital replicas of archaeological features and artifacts in the context of the Ikaahuk Archaeology Project, a community-based archaeology project on Banks Island, Northwest Territories. It aims to 1) assess the benefits and challenges of low-cost photogrammetry for in-situ documentation of hunter-gatherer archaeological features; 2) determine the usefulness of low-cost photogrammetry for replicating small-scale artifacts in comparison to 3D scanning methods; and 3) explore how Internet media can be used to disseminate 3D models. This thesis demonstrates that low-cost methods of 3D modelling are sufficiently able to replicate many types of archaeological objects, and are accessible due to their low cost, ease of use, and compatibility with online dissemination. As a result low-cost 3D modelling has a promising future in archaeological documentation, conservation, and engagement with non-specialist audiences

Rethinking Change

UIDB/00417/2020 UIDP/00417/2020No seguimento da Conferência Internacional sobre Arte, Museus e Culturas Digitais (Abril 2021), este e-book pretende aprofundar a discussão sobre o conceito de mudança, geralmente associado à relação entre cultura e tecnologia. Através dos contributos de 32 autores, de 12 países, questiona-se não só a forma como o digital tem motivado novas práticas artísticas e curatoriais, mas também o inverso, observando como propostas críticas e criativas no campo da arte e dos museus têm aberto vias alternativas para o desenvolvimento tecnológico. Assumindo a diversidade de perspectivas sobre o tema, de leituras retrospectivas à análise de questões e projectos recentes, o livro estrutura-se em torno de sete capítulos e um ensaio visual, evidenciando os territórios de colaboração e cruzamento entre diferentes áreas de conhecimento científico. Disponível em acesso aberto, esta publicação resulta de um projecto colaborativo promovido pelo Instituto de História da Arte, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa e pelo maat – Museu de Arte, Arquitectura e Tecnologia. Instituição parceira: Instituto Superior Técnico. Mecenas: Fundação Millennium bcp. Media partner: revista Umbigo. Following the International Conference on Art, Museums and Digital Cultures (April 2021), this e-book seeks to extend the discussion on the concept of change that is usually associated with the relationship between culture and technology. Through the contributions of 32 authors from 12 countries, the book not only questions how digital media have inspired new artistic and curatorial practices, but also how, conversely, critical and creative proposals in the fields of art and museums have opened up alternative paths to technological development. Acknowledging the different approaches to the topic, ranging from retrospective readings to the analysis of recent issues and projects, the book is divided into seven sections and a visual essay, highlighting collaborative territories and the crossovers between different areas of scientific knowledge. Available in open access, this publication is the result of a collaborative project promoted by the Institute of Art History of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, NOVA University of Lisbon and maat – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. Partner institution: Instituto Superior Técnico. Sponsor: Millennium bcp Foundation. Media partner: Umbigo magazine.publishersversionpublishe

Curatorial insecurity : the impact of 3D scanning and printing on curatorial practice

This thesis is situated in the field of digital cultural heritage and uses 3D scanning and printing as both a method and a provocation to reveal the curatorial process while simultaneously examining how the technology affects museum practice from the perspective of the museum curator. 3D scanning and printing (henceforth 3DSP) has become a keen area of interest among museum practitioners and researchers. The ever-increasing accessibility of 3D technology opens up new possibilities for audiences and curators alike, with the potential to establish new structures of practice and engagement. Yet despite the growing interest in 3DSP, very little is known about how integration of 3DSP does and could affect museum practice and its traditional methods of working. This thesis will investigate how and why 3DSP is affecting the practices and traditions of the museum from the perspective of the curator, a member of staff who is arguably the first and primary engager with museum objects. The research undertaken for this study will focus on two museums, Museums Sheffield and The British Museum, to provide an account of how 3DSP affects curatorial practice when it is first introduced and an account of cases where 3DSP is already in operation. The reader is first introduced to the concept of the 3DSP and its surrounding literature in the contextual review. The chapter acknowledges that 3DSP is relatively new within the museum sector and that such a novelty impacts on the breadth and depth of heritage sector literature on 3DSP. The contextual review thus provides a background to museum discourse before discussing the changing role of the museum curator. The literature concerning 3DSP in the museum is positioned and examined as a tool for simultaneously frustrating and supporting the role of the museum and its curators. With the above arguments in mind, the thesis then moves on to discuss the methods and data used to examine 3DSP in the museum. Drawing on curatorial museum-based methods conducted over the past 3 years, this thesis details the perceived effect of 3DSP on museum practice and traditions. Daily tasks, such as planning exhibition concepts, accessioning and object research are reinterpreted as methods for this study, with the aim of understanding not only the role of the museum curator, but also how 3DSP impacts on the practice of museum curators. By situating 3DSP at the heart of this study and working with pre-existing 3DSP projects, this study provides real-world practice examples of how the integration of 3DSP affects the museum. At the centre of this thesis are three discussion chapters which examine the data gathered from an Acclimatisation Study and two curatorial residencies at Museums Sheffield and The British Museum. The chapters examine the curatorial positionality of 3DSP, where 3DSP sits with the museum structure and politics, and finally the digital implications of introducing 3DSP into the museum. Across all three chapters there is an attempt to position 3DSP within the wider narrative of digital cultural heritage, examining, for example, 3DSP’s effect on our current understanding of authenticity and authority. The first of the discussion chapters focuses on the curatorial intention and seeks to understand the perceived role and position of 3DSP in the museum. The chapter examines how participating curators from Museums Sheffield and The British Museum and their curatorial departments have responded to 3DSP and how their curatorial position could either work with or against the framework of the museum. In the second discussion chapter the focus is on where 3DSP objects sit within in the museum. The chapter reveals the changes, frustrations and enrichments 3DSP has brought to curatorial practice and makes comparisons with alternative replicas, which have formed part of museum practice for decades. The material and immaterial properties of 3DSP museum objects are discussed in the chapter and applied to how curators believe this impacts on the object’s sense of authenticity and authority. In the final discussion chapter, the focus is on the digital challenges and benefits of introducing 3DSP into the practices of the museum. The chapter explores how curators responded to the introduction of 3DSP and furthers discussions from the first chapter. Within this chapter are examinations of how 3DSP affects copyright law, debates concerning how to treat data points added by the scanning software, and data storage concerns. The conclusions, detailed in this thesis, reveal complex and shifting perceptions on the role and position of 3DSP within the museum that is interlinked with the museum’s practice and traditions. Preconceptions exist about the use of the replica and its potential frustration of 5 museums’ objects’ authenticity as well as the transformations of digital objects and their use beyond the collection

Teachers' reflections on museums, classrooms and technology

Utilizing an action research based methodology, this qualitative investigation explores the teaching opportunities offered through a project designed to integrate actual and on-line curriculum components into a visual arts program. The study involved 2 visual arts teachers, 1 from Montreal and 1 from Toronto, who guided their respective grade 11 visual arts classes through a project involving 2 main components. Phase 1, the "actual" component, involved conducting a field trip to the local museum/art gallery (the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery of Ontario), where the students were to view and select 1 art work from the museum's permanent collection towards which they felt a particular affinity. Back at school, the teachers assisted their students in the creation of their own art works, which were inspired by the pieces selected from the museum permanent collections. Once completed, phase 2, the introduction of technology, was introduced. This "on-line" component involved the creation of website links that contained an image of the student art work alongside an image of the museum piece which inspired it. These website links served as the vehicle through which an on-line exchange was conducted between the 2 grade 11 visual arts classes in Montreal and Toronto. Through the writing of journals, recorded observations using field notes, and interviews conducted at 3 strategic points in the study, data were collected on behalf of the teacher participants to examine the teaching opportunities experienced through engagement in such a project. After a data analysis, themes emerged under 2 overarching categories: (a) museum/gallery field trips and (b) on-line communication/technology. In each of these 2 categories, subthemes emerged that revealed the complexities of the integration of such a project. These subthemes revolved around such issues as the role of the administration, the role of the school board, museum commitment, student commitment, teacher colleagues, technical support/availability, and the school timetable. This document highlights the reality of implementing such a curriculum project into 2 grade 11 visual arts programs

Identity, belonging and cultural diversity in Australian museums

 Karen studied the ways that objects have mediated relationships between people from culturally diverse backgrounds in Australian history and society. She focused on the ways museums, through their collection and display of particular objects, have played a role in supporting processes of inclusion and exclusion in Australian society over time

A historical and conceptual analysis of the African Programme in Museum and Heritage Studies (APMHS)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhDIn 1998 the University of the Western Cape together with the University of Cape Town, and the Robben Island Museum introduced a Post-graduate Diploma in Museum and Heritage Studies. This programme was innovative in that not only did it bring together two universities in a programme where the inequalities of resources derived from their apartheid legacies was recognised, but it also formally incorporated an institution of public culture that was seeking to make a substantial imprint in the post-apartheid heritage sphere as part of its structure. In 2003 this programme attracted substantial funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and was rebranded as the African Program in Museum and Heritage Studies (APMHS). While this rebranding of the programme might seem to be innocently unproblematic and commendable as part of the effort at re-insertion of South Africa into Africa after the isolation of apartheid, an analysis of the concepts employed in the rebranding raises serious theoretical, conceptual, and disciplinary questions for heritage studies as an academic discipline and for its connections with other fields, especially the interdisciplinary study of Africa. What are the implications of a programme that brings together the concepts of 'African-Heritage-Studies'? Does the rebranding signify a major epistemological positioning in the study of Africa or has it chosen to ignore debates on the problematic of the conjunction of the concepts? This study address these issues through a historical and philosophical analysis of the programme, exploring how it was developed both in relation to ideas of heritage and heritage studies in Africa and, most importantly by re-locating it in debates on the changing meaning of 'Africa' in African studies.South Afric