Museums and Web 2.0: Some Thoughts about Authority, Communication, Participation and Trust

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Author(s): Werner Schweibenz (University of Konstanz, Germany)
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 15
Source title: Handbook of Research on Technologies and Cultural Heritage: Applications and Environments
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Georgios Styliaras (University of Ioannina, Greece), Dimitrios Koukopoulos (University of Ioannina, Greece)and Fotis Lazarinis (University of Ioannina, Greece)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-044-0.ch001

Keywords: Human Aspects of Technology / Information Science Reference / Social Sciences & Humanities

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Abstract

Many museums want to use Web 2.0 applications or feel the pressure to do so. In doing so, they might encounter a significant problem as Web 2.0 is based on the notion of radical trust and unrestricted, equal participation, two concepts that are contrary to the museum’s traditional concepts of authority, communication and participation. Until recently, museums presumed control of their content. The crucial question is how much control of its content the museum can afford to lose, since they depend on their reputation for expertise and trustworthiness. The paper analyses the role of authority, its influence on traditional and future museum communication and its effects on participation and trust. The challenge for museums is to find a way to cede authority and control over content without losing status as trustworthy institutions and to open up for social media and user participation in order to attract new audiences and maintain existing ones.

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Museums and Web 2.0: Some Thoughts about Authority, Communication, Participation and Trust

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