Web 2.0 for small and volunteer museums

Web 2.0 for small and volunteer-run museums

Abstract

The demands of the “information age” have raised new questions for museums. It has been argued that museums need to move from being suppliers of information to providing usable knowledge and tools for visitors to explore their own ideas and reach their own conclusions which is especially relevant today as increasing access to technologies, such as the internet, ‘… have put the power of communication, information gathering, and analysis in the hands of the individuals of the world’ (Freedman, 2000, p.299). Freedman also argued that museums should become mediators of information and knowledge for a range of users to access on their terms, through their own choices, and within their own place and time.

However, this new world of two-way communication via Web 2.0 can be confusing and daunting, especially for small institutions with limited staff resource and even less money. This presentation introduces Web 2.0 and suggests strategies to engage with audiences online that are acheivable and practical for small, vounteer-run museums.

Background information

Here's some of the websites I consulted when presariong this talk: