A New Method for the Digital Activation of Museum Collections: the Andalusia Collection at the Aga Khan Museum
Abstract
The digital activation of museum collections often replicates traditional data repository systems. It also often relies on ad-hoc methods such as 360 VR tours and videos. These conventional approaches reduce meaningful engagement with collections. To overcome this limitation, museums require a new digital interface model to show the vast network of collections through various media. This study introduces “Crooms,” a novel methodology for digitally activating museum collections. Crooms is grounded in the concepts of cultural networks, multimodality, and playfulness. They enable the extraction, contextualization, and design of the data embedded in collections through five main components: an interactive map, a room of wonders, an animation, a colouring book, and a prospectus. The “Crooms” methodology offers several advantages: It uncovers and highlights the cultural connections and narratives embedded in objects, offering a rich array of metadata to be activated. It also enhances the UX and UI design of digital collections, improving the online presentation of artifacts by contextualizing them within digital environments. These efforts elevate visitor interest and engagement with historical content, support informal online education, and advance storytelling in digital heritage contexts. Furthermore, “Crooms” contributes to the standardization of digital activation processes while allowing for flexibility, enabling the model and data to shape the interface and narrative while leaving aesthetic decisions to designers and artists. This dissertation employs the al-Andalus collection at the Aga Khan Museum as a case study to illustrate the practical application of the “Crooms” methodology while exploring its benefits, potential biases, and areas for further enhancement.