1. eCult Observatory-
Paths towards Technologies
for Cultural Heritage
Margaretha Mazura, EMF
Congress Digital Collection Netherlands
Utrecht, 12 March 2015

2. Slides Content
- The eCult Observatory – short background
- Technology & Culture –do they fit together?
- Support for technology take-up
- Technology Strategy for Cultural Heritage
- Short guided tour through the eCultObservatory

3. www.ecultobservatory.eu

4. eCult Observatory
History:
24 Months of research and content compilation
Partners from Museum, Research and Technology areas
Methodology to bring technology providers and museums together:
eCult Dialogue Days  Presentations, Discussions, Facilitation
 Input from 400+ qualified stakeholders
Coaching of eCult Ambassadors = mediators  technology, strategy,
museology, social media  30+ qualified persons to support
decisions on technology strategies for cultural heritage
Vademecum = on-line, downloadable guide for the use of technology in
museums  for cultural heritage institutions and technology
providers
Success Stories = take-up of technology as showcases and best practice

5. Technology & Culture (1)
“Technology come from Mars, Culture from Venus”
OR
“The Beauty and the Beast”
BUT:
"There are no beasts when the beauty of technology and beauty of culture
come together, there is just magic!"
(Katerina Iatropoulou, EFG1914)

6. Technology & Culture (2)
“Technology is like a ship: It needs to have a
destination and a crew that knows how to
steer it into the right direction.”
Tomislav Šola, 3rd eCult Dialogue Day
Strategic Questions:
 Why do you want/need technology?
 For whom and for which purpose?
 How to implement it?
Be aware that “not one hat fits all”

7. Technology & Culture (3)
3 Arguments against technology that are not valid:
“If I put images of my collection on-line, nobody comes to visit the
museum any more”
“We do not need technology as we have the real objects”
“Visitors need to be trained on how to use the technology”
3 Arguments against technology that are valid:
“Technology is expensive”
“Technology needs especially skilled people”
“We cannot maintain the technology in-house nor can we make it
interoperable with our management system”

8. • Why should the Public Sector support Technologies for
Cultural Heritage? How can the public Sector do it?
– Most CH institutions are public
– Most CH institutions have a notorious lack of money
– To take advantage of economy of scales and (de facto) standardisation
• Examples: NIMOZ Centre of Excellence for digitisation, Poland
• Estonia’s Museums’ Portal MUIS
Support for Technology Take-up –
Public Sector

9. • If the Public Sector does not have enough funds available,
what are other ways to get to money?
– Sponsors, friends of museums, etc. = traditional ways, in particular for
permanent support (BUT: Beware of negative image of sponsor!)
– Crowd-Sourcing: new way for a specific goal, short termed
– European Funds including Structural and Regional Funds
Support for Technology Take-up –
Funding Sources
“Making money is Art”
Andy Warhol

10. • How can a museum/CH institution find out about a technology
suitable for its collection?
1. Be part of a network of museums or culture community to exchange
experiences (e.g. eCult Observatory)
2. Check out guides or best practices (e.g. Vademecum)
3. Get advice from experts, e.g. eCult Ambassadors: different expertise,
different nationalities
Support for Technology Take-up –
on-line and human resources

11. Technology Take-up –
examples (1)
CHESS tablet at
Acropolis Museum
…and at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Augmented Reality for a better user
Experience – CHESS project

12. Technology Take-up –
examples (2)
Mobile App – Cooltura of the TagCloud
Project, in use at the Alhambra, Granada
Augmented Reality “loupe”
developed by Waag Society
in the meSch project, tried out
in Sofia Historic Museum
More Success Stories of technology take-up in the on-line book

13. - Define the purpose of your technology use and
- Match it with the overall mission and vision
- Identify human resources (in-house, extern) and how to
engage them
- Identify technologies for your purpose
- Consult with human resources; inform yourself about already
established use cases
- Define process how to select technology provider
Technology Strategy (1)

14. - Prepare technology implementation plan
- Make a “Benefit Plan” (aka business plan) with SWOT
- Ensure good communication flows (staff, sponsors, technology
provider, if appropriate, users)
- Run internal and external trials
Technology Strategy (2)

15. - Define update and maintenance plan
- Market your new technology!
Technology Strategy (3)
= the ten steps for a successful implementation of technology

16. Get involved!
Become part of the eCult Community:
http://www.ecultobservatory.eu/content/join-us
Join us at our next eCult Dialogue Day on the occasion of EMYA,
Glasgow, 13 May 2015:
Consult our on-line tools for Technologies for
Cultural Heritage
ToolkitVademecum

17. eCult Observatory
Live tour through the eCult Observatory
www.ecultobservatory.eu

18. Thank you for your attention!
Bedankt voor uw aandacht!
Contact: Margaretha Mazura
Tel +32 2 2190305 mm[at]emfs.eu
SKYPE: mmazura