ABSTRACT
How can museums build digital capabilities and foster a culture that drives digital change? Helping museum leaders navigate new terrain calls for collaboration and knowledge exchange. Can this be supported by a guide to digital transformation for the cultural heritage sector in Europe? What should this guide be built on? We explore what digital transformation means for museums and what it can look like in their work with collections. We illustrate the different paths that individuals and organisations are taking, and explore the vital role that networks and communities of practice play in building digital confidence and capacity, and in nurturing change.
We hear from cultural heritage and technology practitioners from the UK and Europe, whose work is derived from a range of academic, cultural, and technological projects. Our examples relate to the real-life personal experiences of individuals and organisations at different stages of their digital skill-building and capacity. The authors represent independent, non-profit organisations – Culture24 (since 2023, known as The Audience Agency) and the Europeana Foundation – with wide networks and expertise in supporting digital transformation and evaluating impact. Pooling our knowledge and expertise, we identify successful approaches that others can draw upon for inspiration in their digital transformation.
