Thanks Tony, that's really interesting. I might pay a visit to the Museum.
Regards,
James
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Tony Crockford
Sent: 24 January 2008 18:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: OFF-LIST: Re: Using a CMS in an orientation gallery/knowledge
zone
On 24 Jan 2008, at 15:54, James S wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> I'm working on developing a new IT system for a museum on the South
> coast.
>
> We are looking at using a content management system (specifically
> Plone) as
> an intranet and 'knowledge zone' in the orientation gallery for
> visitors.
> For example; vistors can search for articles, videos, or pictures
> about the
> Museum and its collections.
>
> I was wondering if any other museums have tried to use a CMS in this
> way for
> visitors. If so, what problems did they find, and more importantly,
> was it
> successful?
The Black Country Living Museum has had an Intranet based multi-
terminal system in its exhibition halls for several years. (since 2000
IIRC)
The initial CMS was based on MS Access, generating a flat-file web of
html pages, indexed and searched by Ht:dig, which was configured to
give tightly targetted results - reducing the mass of information was
one of the goals.
That was more recently upgraded to a PHP/MySQL bespoke Content
Management System that handles multiple format digital assets and
multiple interpretations at several learning levels. The Museum team
have been scanning and writing interpretations from multiple locations
on their network and the publicly accessible intranet site is rebuilt
and re-indexed at will (separation of the CMS database and the
Searcheable Web ensures robustness and security)
The same system will be used to enhance their Workers Institute
exhibition later this year and that will include live web cam, and
virtual floor-plan tours of some of the inaccessible parts of the
building. (a different front end for the web will be created, but the
data is maintained by a single CMS)
If you'd like to know more about how visitors use the system I'd be
happy to discuss off-list, I can also offer suggestions for Kiosk lock
down and ensuring minimum hackability - you'd be amazed at how
ingenious a party of school-children can be, when it comes to seeing
if they can hack the computers...
Also happy to discuss our CMS if you'd be interested in that.
Thanks
Tony
--
Development Director
Xebit Ltd.
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