Artefacts, Archives, and Documentation in the Relational Museum provides
the first interdisciplinary study of the digital documentation of
artefacts and archives in contemporary museums, while also exploring the
implications of polyphonic, relational thinking on collections
documentation.
Drawing on case studies from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the
United States, the book provides a critical examination of the history
of collections management and documentation since the introduction of
computers to museums in the 1960s, demonstrating how technology has
contributed to the disconnection of distributed collections knowledge.
Jones also highlights how separate documentation systems have developed,
managed by distinct, increasingly professionalised staff, impacting our
ability to understand and use what we find in museums and their
ever-expanding online collections. Exploring this legacy allows us to
rethink current practice, focusing less on individual objects and more
on the rich stories and interconnected resources that lie at the heart
of the contemporary, plural, participatory 'relational museum.'
Artefacts, Archives, and Documentation in the Relational Museum is
essential reading for those who wish to better understand the
institutional silos found in museums, and the changes required to make
museum knowledge more accessible. The book is a particularly important
addition to the fields of museum studies, archival science, information
management, and the history of cultural heritage technologies.
