MUSEUM COMMUNICATION SURVEY
http://www.cineca.it/projects/aiace/museum.htm

CHANGING IN MUSEUM COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES SURVEY
DOCUMENTATION, PRESENTATION, PROMOTION AND DISSEMINATION IN THE DIGITAL ERA

The AIACE International Association of Computing in Archaeology and the CINECA VISIT Visual Information Laboratory, both involved in the development of the European Project MOSAIC (Museum Over States And vIrtual Culture, Ten Telecom/Cultural Heritage EU Program), are carrying out a study on new technology mediated museum communication experiences.
The generation and dissemination of information and knowledge on heritage is becoming one of the major issues of museum and cultural organization. Moreover two important changes occur in the museum communication procedures. The first one regards the integration of computer based multimedia applications into traditional museum activities, both as a communication tool, interpreting museum artifacts and collections and providing a broader range of information enhancing visitor experience; and as a documentation tool, building integrated museum databases that record information needed from museum professionals to perform the museum's tasks. The second one regards the opportunity for museums to disseminate information and knowledge on a scale that never before possible making it accessible through Internet or the World Wide Web. The museum presence on the Web is significantly increased over the years. The impressive number of virtual museum poses today into questions not only the total museum communication experience, strictly related to its mission and tasks, but also requires a redefinition of what the museum experience and conception itself actually means.
The study attempts to capture the reality of this complex and changing phenomenon in order to identify its characteristics providing a better understanding of what is involved in the museum communication processes. Moreover the study aims to verify if it has been actually realized the reorganization of museum communication strategies by using multiple media, both traditional and innovative, to disseminate information and knowledge on heritage.
An analysis of the way museum communicates with its public can be a useful discovery of its communication processes, which, in turn, can inform future strategies of many museums in order to meet their cultural mandate. Finally the study will contribute to a necessary redefinition of what museum is and how can it fulfill its tasks.
The study is conducted on a sample of 500 web museums divided in museum typologies and geographical areas. Two distinct methodologies are employed: a direct analysis of museums official Web site which takes into consideration the quantity and the quality of information accessible, the graphical representation and the components structure such as metaphors and interfaces. The second is a survey conducted by using a questionnaire addressed to museums professionals (Directors, Curators, Collection Managers, Chiefs, etc.) focused on museum communication experience with traditional media, interactive multimedia, www sites and merchandising. The questionnaire aims to evaluate correspondences/differences between real and virtual museums and to complete the information achieved from the direct analysis. The questionnaire is made up of both multiple choice and open-ended questions.
The findings of the survey will contribute to both the MOSAIC Project's main goal, and the creation of a new on line cultural observatory addressed to museum and museum professionals. The first aims to develop a Trans European framework to access to museums and galleries and to improve cultural heritage visibility to disseminate knowledge and cultural interchange among nations. The second will include a full list of museum sites whom will take part (participate) in the survey, and will provide a wide range of information and documentation resources (courses, conferences and meetings, other projects, publications, mailing lists, etc.) strictly connected to museums relevant topics.

We invite you to visit our survey at
MUSEUM COMMUNICATION SURVEY
http://www.cineca.it/projects/aiace/museum.htm
and we would appreciate if you would take a couple of minutes to answer it.

If you wish to be informed on the study results please provide us with your name and your e-mail address where we can reach you at the end of the survey page. This information will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used to respond to your comments. We would you please return completed questionnaire as soon as possible.
AIACE and CINECA VISIT thank you again for taking time to read this message and your support of this project.


MUSEUM COMMUNICATION SURVEY
http://www.cineca.it/projects/aiace/museum.htm