This document discusses new professions and skills needed for museum professionals in light of changing experiences of culture and rapid technological advances. It notes that museum audiences now use technology extensively and expect museums to engage with them through technology. Museum professionals therefore need skills in areas like public engagement strategies, online learning, participatory collection use, and digital strategy rather than just tools training. They must prepare collections for online access and reuse, tell stories with objects, and involve the public more in museum processes. Technology is transforming many museum functions, so professionals need strategic planning skills instead of just software proficiency. Portuguese museums in particular have been slow to change and need to prepare professionals for these new realities.

1. New Professions for New
Experiences of Culture
Alexandre Matos
alexandrematos@mac.com
4 April - Lisboa, Portugal

2. Alexandre Matos
• B.A. in History;
• M.A and Ph.D in Museology;
• Sistemas do Futuro - Head of Research
and training;
• Adjunct professor - Museum Studies
department - Porto University;
• Worked at Aveiro Museum;
• Coordinator www.museusportugal.org;
• blogger since 2004 (www.mouseion.pt);
• father of two treasures and “benfiquista”
in spare times…

3. Change is
happening
the museum sector faces,
like never before, a set of
changes that occur at the
speed of light and are of
extraordinary importance for
its future

4. Collections People

5. Collections People
Technology

6. Public
the public is more aware of museums, increasingly
demanding, participatory…
© http://uncatalogedmuseum.blogspot.pt/2013_12_01_archive.html

7. Collections
Collections matter (as usual) and they are the main point
of differentiation from other cultural institutions
© http://westmuse.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/maximizing-collections-access/

8. Technology
It is everywhere
More importantly, we use it everywhere…
© http://wallpaperswide.com/matrix_world_map-wallpapers.html

9. Technology transforms…
• Use of collections
• Conservation
• Image
• Research
• Transport
• Storage
• Display
• Education
• Visitors Services
• Audience engagement
• Audience surveys and
studies
• Administration
• Exhibitions
• Store

10. because…
museum audiences use technology, a change must occur within the
museum and their professionals
Met Connections - http://www.metmuseum.org/connections/

11. Portugal
Museums
Low level of technology use
and proficiency.
Museum professionals are well
trained with tools, but the
bigger picture (concepts) is
often forgotten.
Museums are not prepared for
this type of change!

12. Virtual versus physical
This is still an issue for many museums and professionals: “I can’t
publish everything online, because it will decrease onsite visitors!”

13. Change is also
happening
here…
but at a slow pace that is not
compatible with the warp
speed of cultural and
technological changes that
are happening right now!

14. So how museum
professionals can prepare
themselves to this change?
This means new job opportunities? This means new professional
profiles in museums? What (new) skills they must include?

15. Tools versus Concepts
• Ask for plan and strategy thinking instead of use of Microsoft Project;
• Ask for data standards knowledge instead of database management proficiency;
• Ask for collections policies instead of specific training in museum collection
information systems;
• Ask for experience in managing projects instead of good knowledge in Word and
Excel;
• Ask for public engagement strategies instead of traditional education skills;
• Ask for social media strategy instead of proficiency in social media tools and
applications;
• Ask for a vision on mobile platforms instead of good knowledge in app code;
• Don’t forget that collections and visitors are a central concern for museums and
their professionals should be able to cope with both (in different ways of course!)

16. Collections
• Museum professionals should be able to:
• plan exhibitions for and with their audience;
• tell stories about objects;
• create information about objects that can be published
everywhere and reused in different channels;
• give context instead of technical information;
• use new technology and methodologies in collections care;
• seek for more reliable and less expensive ways to care and use
objects.

17. People
• Museum professionals should be able to:
• create and participate in public engagement
strategies;
• learn with their online audiences;
• make them a vital part of the organisation digital
strategy;
• promote their participation in the museum process
(use, research, care, etc.);

18. – The Met’s Plans for Virtual Expansion, by Randy Kennedy: New York Times (2011-02-11)!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/arts/design/12campbell.html?
“But in two wide-ranging interviews over the last month Mr.
Campbell said that he did not see it that way and that he
viewed the museum’s next frontier to be less physical than
philosophical and virtual: a change in the Met’s tone and
public face, making it a more open and understandable
museum, largely by thoroughly rethinking the way it uses
technology.”

19. © Cleveland Museum of Art - wall-size screen with all objects on display
© Cleveland Museum of Art - ArtLens App

20. Further reading
• Museum Knowledge Workers for the 21st Century
- http://www.pro.rcip-chin.gc.ca/carrefour-du-
savoir-knowledge-exchange/travailleurs_savoir-
knowledge_workers/table_matieres-
table_content-eng.jsp
• Museums and the Web - http://
www.museumsandtheweb.com

21. Thanks!
Alexandre Matos
alexandrematos@mac.com