The social and sociotechnical interactions of visitors at a digital museum exhibition. The Montreux Digital Heritage Lab

Abstract

In the 21st century museums are exploring digital opportunities. New types of activity have appeared alongside a new communication environment and new forms of art and exhibitions. In this article we analyze the changing nature of museum activity and study the dynamics and transformations related to the use of digital technologies. How do these technologies participate in the social and sociotechnical interactions taking place in museums? What are the effects of new technologies on these settings? To explore these questions, we conducted a field study of the "Montreux Jazz Heritage Lab II" project. This permanent exhibition space of a patrimonial archive was never organized according to classical museum standards and thus vividly demonstrates the dynamics of the changes taking place today in museum and patrimonial projects adopting a digital development path. Our ethnographic observations focused on different project-related aspects: museum attendance, visitor behaviour, interaction between visitors and with staff, technical problems and communication processes. This work has provided quantitative and qualitative data allowing us to explore social and sociotechnical interactivity in a museum space and the participation of digital technologies in museum visits. The devices used in the lab studied showcase processes for individualizing/socializing the visitor experience.