New digital technologies and theatre

Abstract

Digital technologies and their uses within museum collections have until recently been explored primarily from a technical viewpoint. Increasingly, museum profes- sionals are moving beyond technologically-driven reasoning to entertain new ways of conceptualizing both collections and information. This is leading to knowledge models beyond those already imagined. This paper considers the synergy between theoretical ideas in the academy and the computer ontologies that have been brought to bear on collections information. Drawing on user research findings from the Themescaping Virtual Collections project and the work of leading literary and media theorists, the paper examines how user needs and digital technologies are reformulating our understanding of museum collections and the relationships between museums and audiences.