Museums+Tech 2023 will be held at the Royal Academy of Arts on the 24th of November

A small number of Early Bird tickets are now available.

 

 

Corporate Membership

We’re relaunching Corporate Membership for 2023. Find our about our new options and prices. 

 

Future-proofing the digital museum

Most museums deal with objects which have survived centuries and from them we glean an understanding of the past – but what will survive from our current time for future generations, and what effect does our work have on that future for those generations?

We live in a digital age, where much of our work happens on computers, which can store lots of information – but how long does that data last for? Formats and methods of accessing digital data are always changing, entire platforms transform into something unrecognisable,  and preserving both the data and the means of access quickly becomes difficult. What can we do to ensure that what we create will last? 

We must also consider the impact our digital work has on the future. What is the sustainability of huge cloud storage facilities eating up electricity and raw materials? What about all the projectors and giant screens? How will the impact of incorporating processor intensive AI into our projects? And how can we mitigate the resulting physical waste?

Our 2023 conference seeks to discuss all aspects of future-proofing our work. We want to hear your varying situations and strategies across institutions, sharing best practices for digital futures, telling cautionary tales, and situating digital cultural heritage within the wider legacy and sustainability landscape.

The MCG’s Museums+Tech 2023 conference seeks proposals for presentations addressing these issues. It’s time to celebrate good work, and share ideas for helping museums and other cultural institutions do better. We’re open to suggestions, but topics might include:

Environmental future-proofing:

  • How does digital affect the carbon footprint of a museum?
  • What are you doing to be environmentally friendly in your digital work?
  • How do we measure the environmental impact of technology and digital displays?
  • How does sustainability affect your software and hardware choices?
  • What is your approach to recycling hardware?
  • To what extent can BYOD replace expensive tech?
  • How ethical are our supply chains for tech?

Project future-proofing:

  • What are the lifespans of your current digital tools, online experiences, or gallery interactives?
    • What will happen to all the snazzy VR and AR projects?
    • Are you trapped in legacy tools?
  • How are your internal and external systems connected to each other, and how sustainable are these connections?
  • What has been the impact of the changes to the social media landscape?
  • How have audience expectations of the digital changed, and how can we ensure we take these audiences with us on our future digital journeys?
  • Are you using digital to future-proof other parts of the museum?