The Museums Computer Group will be holding our annual UKMW conference at the Natural History Museum on Friday November 7 2014. The theme for UKMW14 is ‘Museums Beyond the Web’. Don’t miss out! Book now: http://ukmw14.eventbrite.co.uk/

What does ‘the web’ mean to those of us working with digital and museums today? Increasingly, our visitors’ online experiences are moving away from the humble browser (though perhaps email will always be with us). From simple mobile apps and games to the ‘internet of things’ and wearable technology, new forms are displacing the World Wide Web as our primary experience of being connected to the internet.

While new technologies offer ever-more different ways of being digital, digital disciplines are advancing rapidly. Is ‘experience’ the new core of digital for visitors? Is ‘service design’ a better way of looking at what we do than ‘web design’ or even ‘user experience’? And in our organisations, are all departments ‘digital departments’ now?

At the same time, many of the advances in museums technology in recent years, like Linked Open Data, are crucially dependent on an open and interoperable World Wide Web. Museums across the globe recently raised their voices to protest against threats to net neutrality: we know that the value of cultural heritage online can only thrive on an equal and open internet. What web freedoms do we need to preserve to benefit museums and our audiences?

UKMW14: Museums Beyond the Web will tackle these issues and more. Digital museum professionals and the museum-curious alike will find this day conference a useful, interesting and enriching experience.

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UKMW14 Call for Papers – now closed

The UKMW14 call for proposals closed at midnight (London time) on June 30. Proposals will be reviewed over July and we aim to let people know the results on August 1st. And don’t worry – we don’t ask for full papers to be submitted in advance.