About the project

CONTACT is an interdisciplinary design and research project into museums and digital cultural heritage. The project investigates the ways in which ICTs are impacting the organizational and communicative practices of museums in their work of engaging audiences, particularly young people.

The project is based at InterMedia, University of Oslo. CONTACT has three core cases:

a) EXHIBNET: Exhibition Communication and Information Networks,
b) ARCHAEONET: Open Archaeology Networks, and
c) TRANGO: Transformation in Cultural Heritage NGOs.

In CONTACT we research communicative practices related to art and digital cultural heritage in different museum contexts. CONTACT has the following objectives: 1) Investigate innovative ICT-based communication practices within museums that are related to mediating art and culture to the public, particularly young people. 2) Explore design approaches and services that support communication and meaning making within various types of museums and cultural heritage organizations and with the public. 3) Develop perspectives on transformations of communication practices in museums and cultural heritage institutions related to digital media and technologies.

 

Analytical frames: Sociocultural theory, social semiotics, discourse analysis, participatory design, contemporary museal theories (e.g. visitor studies)

Methods: Case based analysis, prototyping, cultural probes, collaborative and participatory design and research methods. Ethnographic and interaction analysis.

Deliverables: Three main cases are at the core of this project. AHO contributes with critical research inputs and publications as well as a focus on the online mediation of research.

Duration: 2009-2013.

Funding: Research Council of Norway, VERDIKT programme (research track).

Publications:

Exhibitions:

Events: