PhD | Keeping it Real? – Museums and Technology Use in the Digital Era

PhD-candidate: Frieda Russell | Supervisors: Rob van der Laarse and Patricia Lulof | the project is funded by the State Museum Nature and Man in Oldenburg

Digitisation has been one of the main issues driving the museum world for at least the past decade. However, the discussion often lacks a sincere reflection on the genesis of the institutional with the material object and its effects. Especially the history of technology adoption as an influencing factor in the valorisation of digitisation efforts is often overlooked. This represents a distinct lack of awareness for institutional historicity. The dissertation will provide a diachronic examination of the role of material culture in the handling of digitisation, including the institutional struggle with the perceived authenticity of digital heritage.

Image: Glass-Plate-for-Digitisation | Copyright: State Museum Nature and Man in Oldenburg