Digital heritage as collaborative process: Fostering partnerships, engagement and inclusivity in museums

Abstract

This paper examines the process of collaboration and community engagement in developing and applying digital heritage resources. Drawing on experiences building partnerships between a university’s anthropology undergraduate program and a provincial museum to teach community-engaged applied digital heritage, the authors present this case study to evaluate models, barriers and benefits of collaboration today. The process of co-creating digital applications in heritage environments were transformative for not only students but also professional archaeologists and communities, highlighting the meaningful engagement and understandings that are developed through collaborative making. However, it also highlighted the challenges facing these types of collaborations, including academic and heritage structures, digital preservation/management, and ethics and inclusivity in digitization projects.