Following an introduction to the topic by Henry McGhie, who is a museum consultant supporting museums to make a positive impact on society, a panel on the museum’s role in sustainable development and the current crisis started. NEMO Secretary General Julia Pagel joined the panel on behalf of NEMO and got to present key findings from NEMO’s report on COVID-19’s impact on museums. She accounted for the importance of culture during the pandemic, the resilience of the museum sector and its staff as well as the importance of digital museum offers.
Watch the recording of the conference.
Julia Pagel also pushed for the need to invest in digital solutions for cultural heritage and pointed towards the growing innovation gap between digital technology and culture. There’s a need of more effective transformation strategies for museums.
Considering the new reality for museums, digital offers will remain important beyond the immediate crisis. Museums should consider new metrics of success than visitor numbers. A broader assessment framework could for instance include the digital extensions, which accommodates qualitative factors in the framework and reflect museums’ social and educational potential.
More information about the conference.
