In-gallery support

Moderator: Véronique Marino, L'INIS, Canada

1. The Use of Information and Communication Technologies for the Conservation and Dissemination of Museum Collections: an Opportunity for Africa
Christian Nana Tchuisseu, Musée camerounais de la Blackitude & the Fo Nab Ngo Foundation, Cameroon

The techniques and procedures of data conservation are improving at the speed of technological progress, specifically in the field of information and communication techniques (ICT). Owing to new technological applications that are proving to be valuable tools for cultural professionals, the conservation of data, knowledge and models is being carried out on a wider scale within often limited areas, with maximum efficiency. The gradual use of ICT has thus profoundly transformed the cultural industries. It is only through the full adoption of these light, reliable and accessible applications that Africa will succeed in reducing the digital gulf that separates it from the other continents, and become a full participant in the global processes of exchange, dissemination and conservation of artworks. Focusing on Cameroon and other central African countries, this paper will deal with the digital management of museum collections (conservation and protection), as well as the digital dissemination of our heritage via the Internet. (presentation in French)

2. Explora and Wave on the Lachine Canal
Katy Tari, Orange Kiwi, Canada

Explora is a GPS-based tour launched for the first time at various Parks Canada sites in 2008, playable on a PDA (personal digital assistant). In 2011, the Lachine Canal national historic site launched Explora in an iPhone Windows mobile app. This application represents an innovative way to reach a wired public, be they history and heritage enthusiasts or simply curious to discover the canal’s industrial past. This program offers the possibility of discovering, through seven tours, the historical, sociological, economic and cultural evolution of the site. To these itineraries, we added the experimental project Wave, a podcast created with the Audiotopie artist collective, which offers a sound-and-music tour of the Lachine Canal playable on an MP3 player or PDA. (presentation in French)

3. How to Combine Scientific Requirements and Innovation in Cultural Projects
Christophe Courtin, Castle of the Dukes of Britanny, France

When a museum designs an innovative device, it has to deal with seemingly contradictory elements: scientific precision, cultural mediation, public accessibility and upgradeability. Taking into account these different parameters, the Musée d’histoire de Nantes launched a project based on a model of the Nantes harbour made for the 1900 World Fair. It set up a multidisciplinary program in research and development in conjunction with the Centre François Viète d’histoire des sciences et des techniques (Université de Nantes) and the École Centrale de Nantes (engineering school). What resulted was a multi-touch/multi-user device that allows visitors to consult documents and instructions pertaining to the model. The program is based on four principles: dynamic content; 3D models; advanced-level research on information access; and painstaking, documented methodology, the link between the real object and the screens. (presentation in French)