Museums around the world are innovating new ways to connect with their audience. Multimedia elements are commonly found alongside museum exhibits to better inform the audience and enable engagement to enhance their experience with the collection. The Digital Society research cluster of CityUHK’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) fosters interdisciplinary research to look into the impact of the digital age and the potential use of new technological development to advance our society. CityUHK’s CLASS Digital Society cluster and Department of English (EN) co-hosted an online seminar titled “Museums, Visitors, and Data” on 14 May 2024, featuring speakers including Professor Marina BONDI from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and DPhil student Mr Reynold K W TSANG from the University of Oxford.
Photo 1: Professor Marina Bondi’s research emphasised the importance of creating communicative resources that cater specifically to children and teenagers, ensuring that museums remain relevant and engaging for future citizens.
The seminar was chaired by Professor Esterina NERVINO, Assistant Professor of EN. Professor TSUI Lik-hang, Assistant Professor of CityUHK’s Department of Chinese and History (CAH) and the cluster convenor, gave the audience an introduction to the research cluster and its activities. Professor Marina Bondi then began her talk on “Museum Discourse Websites for Future Citizens”. She highlighted the transformative role of websites and their discourse in enhancing the accessibility of art and cultural heritage. Her talk primarily focused on how contemporary museums utilise digital platforms to engage with the public, especially the younger generations.
Following Professor Bondi, Reynold Tsang, who is now also a Visiting Fellow at CAH, presented his intriguing research titled “The Silent Visitors: Exploring Asian Presence in Colonial Museums through Attendance Records”. His study sheds light on the origin and development of museums in British East and Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on modern Chinese history and Hong Kong history.
Photo 2: Reynold Tsang’s lecture shared a case study from 1923 about a unique marketing event of the Raffles Museum in Singapore. The public was invited to guess the attendance figure on Lunar New Year’s Day, thereby integrating cultural engagement with commercial promotion.
After Tsang’s presentation, the conversation shifted to the historical context of racial classifications in colonial-era museums and their impact on society. The role of funding sources in shaping museum operations and development was also discussed. Moreover, the participants explored how museums act as public spaces during cultural festivals, serving diverse communities. This part of the discussion highlighted museums’ role as platforms for cultural and social interactions, reflecting multi-faceted understanding of their impact on society.
The seminar attracted the attention of nearly 100 participants, highlighting its relevance and impact in the field. Both presentations illustrated the potential of digital innovations to revolutionise the way cultural heritage is preserved, presented, and perceived in museums. The discussions highlighted the necessity of integrating perspectives from both the humanities and social sciences to fully grasp the implications of digital transformations on cultural institutions.
Visit CLASS Research webpage to learn more about CLASS Digital Society cluster’s activities.
