Contextualizing Museum Data: Digitization, Infrastructure and Digital Literacy

This ACDH lecture by Anne Luther examines the different contexts that need to be considered when working with digital material from museums. It discusses how digitization practices, institutional roles and technical infrastructures contribute to the diversity of museum data and the standards and structures used to manage it. The lecture also highlights the importance of field-specific digital literacy for critically understanding and working with such material. Digital Benin, which brings together information from museum collections worldwide, serves as a practical example.

Learning Outcomes

After watching this video, learners will be able to:

• explain how digitization practices and institutional contexts shape museum data
• describe the role of infrastructures in storing, managing and publishing cultural heritage data
• discuss why digital literacy is important for critically interpreting and working with digital museum collections

ACDH Lecture