the structure of the virtual museum concepts and...

1

The structure of the Virtual Museum

Concepts and definitions

2


Before entering the technical detail of theVirtual Museum, it is advisable to remember:

- What is a Virtual Museum.

- Which is the structure .

3


VM concept

VM means a collection of digital resources within theartistic-cultural field accessible through computerizedtools.

The VM is traditionally considered to be one of theforms through which one tries to promote andintroduce innovations into interest for the works placedin the real museum.

4


Virtual Museum definition

Organized collection of digital resources within an artistic cultural field accessible through:

• computerized tools;• services as a whole which allow:

- preservation;- access; - research;- organization.

Maintenance of the collection.

5


Obviously the Virtual Museum can not be considered analternative to the real museum but it becomes aprecious tool to be partnered with traditionalinstitutions by performing their educational andexpository duties.

6


By considering the contents, a VM can be madeup of the digitization of paintings, drawings,images, photos of objects and/or works, videos,archeological sites and 3D reconstruction ofarchitectonical environments.

The VM is made up of both principal culturalheritage and also secondary representations ofcultural heritage and principal finds.

7


3D models:

• they increase the accessibility of works as they enable the exhibition of works that are not usually exhibited;

• they facilitate the collocation of every work in its historical, cultural and environmental context;

• they promote the real museum and increase the number of its potential visitors;

• They create a faithful record of digital copies.

8


This definition will regard both the informative systems accessible at a local level and resources organized to be accessible through the Internet.

In this last case we talk of the Web Museum or virtual museum.

9


3 typology of Web Museum:

• digital presentation of the real museum;

• virtual visit of a real museum (3D and use of panoramic360 pictures);

• websites cleared from museum institutions that offercloser thematic examination and the sharing of professionalknowledge.

10

Concepts and definitionsSome common characteristics from the content’s point of view

1- practical information regarding access, collocation, timetables and in loco services, often put togetherwith booking or distance purchasing services of access tickets;

2- information regarding the same museum, both from a historiography point of view and from theinstitutional one , and from the logistic and spatial (often equipped with maps and photos);

3 – information regarding permanent collections, generally set up from works and finds ’thematiccatalogues or from logistic catalogues linked with the maps in the museum (generally cataloguedescriptions, comments and explanations for every work are given);

4 – information regarding non-permanent exhibitions, usually having the same characteristics of thoseregarding collections, to which notes concerning the aims and the theoretical basis of the exhibition areadded, which can trace or summarize the contents of the printed catalogues;

5 – educational tools specifically thought for popular and educational aims, which help to understand awork or a find, or to carry out a closer examination (it is a question of resources often used in the museumswithin the technical scientific field, but much more rare in artistic fields);

6 – sections regarding merchandising activities, sometimes developed to the point of having electronicsystems of commerce.

11


From a technical point of view, directly connected to the typologies of thebrowsing interface, the majority of museum systems are based on standardweb technologies, with sized images. The surfing metaphors of the website,based on sensitive maps are wide spread; they are used to represent thetypology of the real museum.

Examples of more complex sites are not lacking, which use cataloguingsystems of the collections, based on databases and which experiment withvirtual reality solutions with VRML or photographic 3D visualization asQuickTime VR.

But then, the virtual museum must be imagined as a tool partnering thetraditional museum institution by performing their educational andexpositive duties, as well as a tool of promotion of the same museum.

12


The interactive and hypermedia nature of the Web issuitable for giving all users all context information whichfacilitate the historical comprehension of a find or awork.

At this level even a technology of virtual reconstruction,considered by experts to be of low level as the oneenabled by VRML, can be useful to give an idea of thereal environment, for example, where an archeologicalfind was ( the kind of information which is lost in most ofthe museum exhibition where finds are usually placedinside display cabinets or glass cases).

13


Briefly let’s list some new typologies and further methodologies tosupport the transmission from the traditional Museum, to the virtualmuseum:

• video feeds;• databases and online archives;• multimedia and interactive guides;• CD-ROMs;• DVD-ROMs;• multimedia terminals and work stations;• audio and video guides;• virtual museums.

14


Virtual Museum – Added value

• It stimulates and deepens knowledge of the work.

• It enables the creation of multimedia collections.

• It contextualizes the works.

• It gives the opportunity to work outside the referring territories.

• It enables a better safeguard of originals.

• It gives the opportunity of researching and analyzing.

• It enables the evaluation of works and/or finds otherwiseinaccessible.

15


To create the VM the three main steps are:

• creating a suitable web interface;

• inserting meta-data;

• database settlement.

16

Concepts and definitionsWhy then creating a virtual site

This is a question that many people could ask, especially in all the fields where the modernity ofthe tool is far from the antiquity of the content. The more immediate explanations can be foundbelow:

1. To Propose a new way to read the contents: themes discussed before through traditionalways are taken brought into new technologies;

2. To reach new public: a website can reach new categories of people, who are physically farfrom the museum or out from the usual target of the museum’s initiatives;

3. To help or to consolidate the visit: the website is meant as a tool to set the visit at themuseum itself, as it allows a better understanding of the importance of the exhibited objects andto plan a route according to one’s own desires;

4. To experiment the Virtual Museum: by experiencing the “virtual exhibitions” it is possibleto investigate the charming problem of the relation among the Museum, visitors, exhibited objectsand their representation. The experiments with the virtual museum will teach something about thecore nature of the real museum;

5. To entertain: personal pleasure is something that should not be forgotten when deciding to setup a new activity. The Web is fun: it allows us to use our imagination , to experiment manydifferent things and to develop a deep relation with one’s own public.

17

The structure of the Virtual Museum

Virtual Museum construction: SWOT analysis

18


Why use the “SWOT methodology”?

19


SWOT methodology of museum websites

SWOT analysis is a model used to obtain aparticular result (in this case the EuropeanVirtual Museum), so SWOT is fundamentalwhen trying to make a decision.

20


The simple tool of SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) has been chosen as a main road for a pilot project (F-MUSEUM - Form Multimedia System for a European Museum LLP-LDV/TOI/07/IT/016).

These tools offer a portrait of internal and external structures, of rules and relations, and invites us to take decisions aimed at reaching a strategic target by using a managerial, systematic framework.

21


The list of strengths and weaknesses paint the portrait of the existing situation,while opportunities and threats help understand what the museum could turninto in the future ( for example a prototype of virtual museum).

From a detailed analysis of the virtual museums in the Web, data has comeout, which makes us understand how a website of a virtual museum should becreated.

the SWOT analysis is made up of these criteria:

• Strengths• Weaknesses• Opportunities• Threats

22


What are the results of SWOT analysis?

The SWOT analysis on some museum’s websites haveturned up a range of reflections which justify the mainreason to create the F- Museum project, which has asmain goal of highlighting, especially from atechnological point of view, the museums in questionand their archeological finds.

23


The results generated by the SWOT analysis point out the “weaknesses”in all the analyzed websites, that is:

• Web structure roughly functional;

• no specific expertise in creating a particular pedagogical museum;

• insufficient computer functionalities (ITC);

• opportunity to surf the Website in just a few languages;

• the absence of skilled staff in running pedagogical themes and in thevirtual diffusion.

24


• Visibility on the website of a small part of the collections offinds in the museum.

• No experience in Virtual merchandising.

• Insufficient knowledge of the management of a VirtualMuseum.

• Tool shortage, as professional photographic laboratories.

• 3D image shortage.

• Absence of a connection among the inserted objects.

25


Let’s go into detail, what are the “Strengths”?

• Strong experience in the research area.

• Several experiences in projects related to digitalizing museum items and in creatingthe Museum web site.

• Collection partially digitalized.

• Several multimedia products available (CD, DVD).

• High number of visitors.

• Strong experience in the organization of exhibitions and cultural events.

• Huge and important collection.

26


Besides “filling up” partial or total ICT gaps that emerged thanks tothe SWOT analysis, it will be necessary to give a wide visibility toobjects and related museums.

An identity card of the finds in the museum, aimed at illustratingthese same finds, which will have to be fulfilled by partner museums.

There will be a reserved area where every partner museum will beable to insert new contributions and to give new updates oninformation regarding one’s own museum and the finds in it.

Every museum will have the opportunity to autonomously create aweb space within the project website F-MUSEUM, where it will beable to upload both objects and information regarding the samemuseum.

27


Let’s go into detail, what are the “Weaknesses”?

• Web presence externally controlled.

• No specific staff specialized in preparing specific pedagogic museum.

• Little internal ITC competences.

• No staff with specific skills in elaborating and communicating educational contents.

• A lot of Web sites available only in national language.

• No practical experience in the Virtual merchandising.

• Lack of tools as a professional photographic laboratory.

28


Let’s go into detail, what are the “Opportunities”?

• Good experience in cataloguing, copying and archiving whichcould easily be migrated to the virtual museum market.

• Much experience in archiving and cataloguing material whichcan help in migrating to a Virtual Museum.

• Some design and development competences which can help inmigrating to a Virtual Museum.

29


Let’s go into detail, what are the “Threats”?

• Technical competences of human resources to be improved.

• Not prepared for running and managing a Virtual Museum.

• Human resources with any ITC competences.

• No relevant experience in joint projects.

• Staff needing to be trained in ICTs.

Rome, 28 September 2015

THE VIRTUAL MUSEUM

DEFINITIONS AND ANALYSIS

Trust s.r.l. - Maurizio Semplice

Definitions

In general, a Virtual Museum is:

• a website focused on a Museum

• a cultural website, not necessarily linked to a real Museum

• a virtual tour of a real Museum (3D and 360° displays)

The aims of our project

The main goal of our project is to analyse and exceed the past

definitions of the VM and to work out both a theoretical and

practical synthesis, so as to realise a

network of thematic museums on line,

where each museum can contribute at the implementation of a

specific cultural theme, following the principles of the “social

group network”, within which each subject nourishes the

knowledge demand and direct the user towards different and new

thematic researches to which other content providers can

answer.


• to work out a synthesis of the most common definitions of VM

• to harmonize the existing definitions and experiences with a new project

• to realise a VM as “an on line network of thematic museums”

Developments 1/3

The VM is essentially a narrative model

since

It is not exclusively focused (and it might not be) on the preservation of works as the traditional model is (permanent

museum).

Developments 2/3

Further potentialities:

• to aggregate – ideally – similar and/or related works and objects that are geographically located in different places (also very far from each others);

• to re-create places that have been destroyed, are scattered or have never been realised.

Developments 3/3

….it all means that

It is possible to show works, following criteria different from the ones usually adopted by the permanent Museums.

Added value of the VM

• To create countless matchings and links “per theme”;

• To create and suggest different paths for close examinations (analysis/studies)

Synthesis

• The VM is a network system.

• It is a path supporting the individual knowledge, which benefits of the potentialities offered by a network system.

• Who enters a VM proceeds following the rules of that mental process working through the association of ideas.

F-MUSEUM Portal - Notes

Following are some information

concerning the architecture of the project Website and Portal


http://www.europeanvirtualmuseum.net

Home Page 1/2

Home Page 2/2

On the left side of the Home page is available a Menu articulated in 10 different sections:

1. Project

2. Products

3. Partner

4. News

5. Contact

6. E-courses

7. Credit

8. Press room

9. Newsletter/Brochure

10. Virtual Museum

AIMS OF F-MUSEUM PORTAL

VIRTUAL MUSEUM – GENERAL INFO

Our VM is a thematic collection of works of art coming

from different Museums located in 7 European countries

(RO, BG, IT, GR, AU, D, HU).

In fact, the portal includes both the artefacts collected in

the previous project and the ones related to the new

partnership.

For this reason our VM is also a network in itself.


The thematic collection and the Network are based on a

Content Management System which organises the

information that each partner uploads directly in the

system.

The Virtual Museum could not exist without this System

so, in a way, we can say that it is the main output of the

project, since it represents

the “meeting point” among training experience,

networking, communication and technology.


The System created offers the chance to users to visit the

VM choosing among the following different paths (research

criteria):

• chronology

• geographic zone

• objects

• museums

• routes

VM - Output of the search

In particular:

• Artefacts name

• Typology

• Chronology

• Museum of origin

• Period

• Description

• Object Preview (with zoom function)

For each piece of work is possible to read further detailed

information on the object

WHERE IS IT AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

(e.g. material, method of manufacture, decoration type, etc.)

STATE (preservation, restauration, completeness)

DIMENSIONS (lenght, hight, diameter, thickness, weight, widht)

PERIOD OF USE (e.g. epoque, culture, phase, etc.)

DISCOVERY (e.g. country, district, etc.)

DEEPENINGS

(e.g. morphology of the object, decoration, analogies, interpretation,

bibliography, etc.

Output: Object Identity Card

All the information above mentioned

constitute the object “Identity Card”

and can be read by users in the 3

partnership national languages (RO,

BG, IT) plus the related English

version.

Routes

Among the thematic paths (research criteria) available, we

have created a specific one called “routes”.

These routes are a sort of Hypertext implying stories

linked to the works of art, articulated in the following

different themes:

Routes• The river

• Trade, exchange

• The religious places

• Cultic objects, tools furniture, places

• Thermal baths, spring waters, scared waters, hilling waters, votive water offerings

• The hidden roots

• Fashions (cloths, jewelry. arts)

• Wine/tourism

• Start of agriculture/ancient tools, ethnographic, diet

• First houses models

• Metallurgy

• Ritual connected to the burn of old year, field burning

• How will build up a exhibition

• Signs/symbols

VM RESERVED AREA

The VM “back office” is

represented by the reserved

area accessible only by a

username and password .

It is the real working area

through which all information

and data are uploaded and

organised so as to allow users

to visualize them in the VM

portal.

Problems – Notes for partners

Problems related to the Identity Card

data entry (Virtual Museum)

OBJECT PROBLEMS SUGGESTIONS

Timing for the

works upload

To enter data referred to each voice

of the Identity Card, you have 10

minutes maximum of stand by (you

are on line but you are not working).

After this time the system will quit

and you will have to start again.

Do not enter data on line. Work on

a separate word file and use the

function “copy and paste “ to enter

data. Remind to use the function

“save” each time you have entered

a datum in each voice of the

Identity Card.

File extension Photos that have been uploaded by

the Manciano Museum are not

visible.

It is necessary that the file you

upload has the extension (e.g.

image 01.JPG).

1/2

60

F-MUSEUM: structure and referring typology of the portal

60

61

The F-Museum portal (LLP-LDV/TOI/07/IT/016- FORM-Multimedia system for a Europeanmuseum) is a space where users have thechance to learn how to create a virtual museumand to explore its different dissemination andscientific communication opportunities.

61

F-MUSEUM: structure and referring

typology of the portal

62

At the same time, it represents a “meeting andexchange point” available for a community(partner and beneficiary museums) involved inthe valorization of its own cultural heritagetowards different targets (scientific and notscientific ones), using a new modality (digital)aimed at fostering the transfer of knowledgeand, most of all, the valorization of culturalheritage through a channel having widecommunication and sharing potentialities.

62



63

Furthermore, the portal answers to some subordinate butstrategic goals, as the valorisation of activities aimed atdivulging the digital culture, that is, to focus and clarify allpotentialities of the information keys underlined in the projectmission and main goals. In particular:

•to promote the computer literacy and the “digitalinclusion”;•to disseminate this culture within a museum context;•to develop new didactic contents and new teachingmethods, using the digital technologies;•to promote innovation within museums context;•to foster the use of technologies among the culturaloperators and public, so as to make room for all activitiesdirectly linked to the project and to the partnershipinvolved, creating a sort of virtual community forinformation and learning (thematic Think Tank forcomputer literacy and digital inclusion).

63



64

By synthesis, the project for the creationof the F-Museum portal includes:

•Guidelines on the use of the Virtual Museum•How to create a Virtual Museum•Training to know the principles and the objectto be created (the Museum)•Creation of a Community to exchangeexperiences and working papers•Valorization of the digital information platform•Promotion of online working groups andexchange of information, data and ideas amongthe museum partners, through reserved areas.

64



65

The website we have implemented, represents an answer to ICTgaps (in terms of competences, knowledge and abilities) shownby the SWOT Analysis we have applied to Museum websites thatare project partner or project beneficiaries.

First, the goal to be achieved is the one of providing all partnerswith an opportunity to experiment and adopt innovative trainingpractices, technologically advanced. Furthermore, it will benecessary to give wide visibility to all archaeological findsavailable in each Museum, by an Identity Card, aimed atillustrating them, that will have to be filled in by the museumsthat are project partner. This will be made possible through areserved area, where each museum could upload newcontributions and update the information concerning itself andthe finds available.

Acting on the double dimension of the training intervention (thecourseware planned) and of the service (realisation of images,captions, guided surfing routes and content related to thecollections), the Model and the related outputs appear to becoherent with a transfer of innovation process.

65



66

Definitions

In general, a Virtual Museum is:

•a website focused on a Museum

•a cultural website, not necessarily linked to a real Museum

•a virtual tour of a real Museum (3D and 360°displays)

66



67


The main goal of our project is to analyse and exceedpast definitions of the VM and to work out both atheoretical and practical synthesis, so as to realise a

network of thematic museums on line,

where each museum can contribute to theimplementation of a specific cultural theme, followingthe principles of a “social group network”, within whicheach subject nourishes the knowledge demand anddirects the user towards different and new thematicresearches to which other content providers can answer.

67



68

to work out a synthesis of the most commondefinitions of VM

to harmonize the existing definitions andexperiences with a new project

to create a VM as “an on-line network ofthematic museums”

68



69

Developments 1/3

The VM is essentially a narrative model

since

It is not exclusively focused (and it might notbe) on the preservation of works as thetraditional model is (permanent museum).

69



70

Developments 2/3

Further potentialities:

to aggregate – ideally – similar and/or relatedworks and objects that are geographicallylocated in different places (also very far fromeach other);

to re-create places that have been destroyed,are scattered or have never been realized.

70



71

Developments 3/3

….it all means that

It is possible to show works, following criteria different from the ones usually adopted by

the permanent Museums.

71



72

Added value of the VM

•To create countless matching’s and links “pertheme”;

•To create and suggest different paths for closeexaminations (analysis/studies)

72



73

Synthesis

•The VM is a network system.

•It is a path supporting the individualknowledge, which benefits from thepotentialities offered by a network system.

•Who enters a VM proceeds following therules of that mental process working throughthe association of ideas.

73



74

F-MUSEUM Portal – Notes

The following is some information

concerning the architecture of the project Website and Portal

74



75


Our website is available at this address:

http://www.europeanvirtualmuseum.net

75



76

Home Page 1/2

76



77

Home Page 2/2

On the left hand side of the Home page is a Menu articulated in 10 different sections:

1. Project

2. Products

3. Partner

4. News

5. Contact

6. E-courses

7. Credit

8. Press room

9. Newsletter/Brochure

10. Virtual Museum77



78

AIMS OF F-MUSEUM PORTALFrom the project website homepage select “Virtual

Museum”

78



7979




Our VM is a thematic collection of works of artcoming from different Museums located in 7European countries (RO, BG, IT, GR, AU, D, HU).

In fact, the portal includes both the artefactscollected in the previous project and the onesrelated to the new partnership.

For this reason our VM is a network itself.

80


The thematic collection and the Network arebased on a Content Management System whichorganises the information that each partneruploads directly in the system.

The Virtual Museum could not exist without thisSystem so, in a way, we can say that it is the mainoutput of the project, since it represents the“meeting point” among training experience,networking, communication and technology.

80



81


The System created offers the chance to users to visit the VM choosing among the following different paths (research criteria):

• chronology• geographic zone (Area)• objects• museums• routes• itineraries

81



82


Chronology:

We can visualize among the following different paths:

40.000 - 20.000 bc

20.000 - 10.000 bc

10.000 - 7.000 bc

7.000 - 3.500 bc

3.500 - 2.000 bc

2.000 - 0 bc82



83


Geographic zone (Area):We can search objects among the following nations:

• Germany• Italy• Greece• Austria• Bulgaria• Romania

83



84


Objects:We can search objects among the followingcategories:• Human figurine• Animal figurine• Vessel/anaphora• Amulet• Tool• Weapon• Jwellery• Other

84



85

Museum:

We can search objects among:• Partner F-Museum• Beneficiary F-Museum• Museum from Museum Project

85



86

Routes:

We can search objects among:• Routes of F-Museum• Routes of Museum

86



87

The Routes arestructured in:- Description- Images that regardthe item (we have alsothe possibility toenlarge the images)

In the left menu wehave:- Deepening- The list of the objectlinked at this route

87



88

Itineraries:We can visualize some information that regardsTouristic-cultural Itineraries

88



89

VM - Output of the search

89



90

In particular:

• Artefact’s name• Typology• Chronology• Museum of origin• Period• Description• Object Preview (with zoom function)

For each piece of work is possible to read further detailedinformation on the object (click on “see more”)

90



91

Output: Object Identity Card

WHERE IT IS AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS(e.g. material, method of manufacture, decoration type, etc.)

STATE (preservation, restauration, completeness)

DIMENSIONS (length, height, diameter, thickness, weight, width)

PERIOD OF USE (e.g. epoque, culture, phase, etc.)

DISCOVERY (e.g. country, district, etc.)

DEEPENINGS (e.g. morphology of the object, decoration, analogies, interpretation, bibliography, etc. 91



92

All the information mentioned above constitutes theobject’s “Identity Card” and can be read by users in the 3partnership national languages (RO, BG, IT) plus the relatedEnglish version.

Then we have the possibility to visualize the object in 3D.Download the QuickTime free plug in if you cannot visualizethe object.

There are some functions:

•Click and drag to rotate (or buttons “CTRL” and “ALT” on thekeyboard)•Click on button “+” (or button “SHIFT” on the keyboard) toenlarge•Click on button “-” (or button “CTRL” on the keyboard) toreduce the image

92



93

Routes

Among the thematic paths(research criteria) available, wehave created a specific one called“routes”.

These routes are a sort of Hypertextimplying stories linked to the worksof art, articulated in the followingdifferent themes:

93

Unit 2 – F-MUSEUM: structure and referring


94

Routes

• The river• Trade, exchange• The religious places• Cultic objects, tools furniture, places• Thermal baths, spring waters, scared waters, hilling waters, votive

water offerings• The hidden roots• Fashion (cloths, jewelry. arts)• Wine/tourism• Start of agriculture/ancient tools, ethnographic, diet• First house models• Metallurgy• Ritual connected to the burning of the old year, field burning• How a exhibition will build up• Signs/symbols• Music• Sports and role games in prehistoric times

In addition by consulting some Routes it is possible to look at further thematic deepening's (“Deepening's”) 94



95

Routes

95



the structure of the virtual museum concepts and...

Documents