Digital preservation and dissemination of ancient lithic technology with modern micro-CT

Flaked stone tools were first made and used by early humans from at least 2.6 mya. By analysing temporal, geographical and species-specific variations in tool morphology scientists attempt to understand the evolution of cognition, culture and human behaviour. However, the dispersal of artefact collections around the globe in a large number of institutions makes direct study and comparison of the artefacts problematic, and therefore dependant on published drawings and photographs. The present study aims to determine whether CT could be used to create computerised (“virtual”) artefacts, and data shared with scientists and the public. In particular this study assesses whether CT would be cost effective and capture the fine surface topology created by the knapping process. Scanning could cost as little as €2 per flake. It was found that micro-CT could produce accurate high-resolution “virtual” artefacts that resolve features greater than 50 μm. Importantly, it was possible to visualise the key features of percussion, which distinguish intentionally made flakes from natural breakage. Furthermore, it was possible to recreate missing flakes (or parts thereof) from refitted groups of material by visualising void spaces. Hence it is possible to obtain a better understanding of the knapping process and obtain a glimpse of the flakes that were actually used as tools. The virtual flint artefacts are completely interactive and can be manipulated, viewed, measured and analysed as though they were in the hand and more useful to researchers than 2D drawings or photographs. The models are only 20 MB in size and can easily be distributed online, widening access to collections and access to physical specimens could be replaced with rapid stereotypes (3D prints). In addition, micro-CT imaging technology may give rise to new online “Virtual Museums” where digital data are shared widely and freely around the world, but the original material is conserved in mint condition, only to be removed for new or improved non-destructive imaging techniques.     

中美纪念馆设计中表现的民俗文化比较——以中国人民抗日战争纪念馆和美国亚利桑那纪念馆为例

本文以纪念馆作为广泛意义上的公共艺术为研究对象,通过中国人民抗日战争纪念馆和美国亚利桑那纪念馆两个在中国和美国富有代表性的纪念馆案例,来分析研究两国的民俗文化在其中的反映与比较。主要通过建造的历史背景、建筑形式、陈列设计、纪念形式和参观方式等方面对中美两国的民俗文化做了分析和对比。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sotto Voce:</Emphasis> Facilitating Social Learning in a Historic House

This study examines visitors’ use of two different electronic guidebook prototypes, the second an iteration of the first, that were developed to support social interaction between companions as they tour a historic house. Three studies were conducted in which paired visitors’ social interactions were video- and audio-recorded for analysis. Using conversation analysis, the data from the use of prototype 1 and prototype 2 were compared. It was found that audio delivery methods were consequential to the ways in which visitors structurally organized their social activity. Further, the availability of structural opportunities for social interaction between visitors has implications for the ways in which the learning process occurs in museum settings.

博物馆导向系统中字体应用研究——以武汉博物馆为例

随着各地区博物馆免费开放,参观人数的增多,导向系统在其中发挥着举足轻重的作用。笔者考察了湖北省内几大博物馆,针对武汉博物馆导向系统进行了详细的分析,着重研究导向系统中字体形态与信息传播的关系,设计出具体的改良方案,试图探究出适用于该类博物馆的导向信息字体形态。     

博物馆照明设计的问题

博物馆是社会文明进步的标志之一,对于知识的传播和学习具有重要意义。照明设计对博物馆展示效果起着至关重要的作用,在满足参观者清晰、真实、舒适地观赏展品的同时,最大限度地避免光照对展品的损伤。然而近年来,我国博物馆普遍采取低照度点状人工光源照明,影响了观赏的实际效果,不利于博物馆功能的正常发挥。文章旨在分析这一现象所存在的问题,并结合国内外博物馆的案例,对博物馆照明设计提出合理的建议。     

The journey as concept for digital museum design

Abstract

This article discusses The Journey as a metaphor for design and development of the app Kunstporten (Art gate) for mobile and iPod. The goal of the project was to go beyond traditional mobile guides and support young visitors' various and contiguous experiences with art. The project involved seven Norwegian art museums over the period 2012–2013. The article focuses on the choices and challenges we as museum professionals met during the design of the app. It reports on how the dialogic concept of museum communication, integrated in the metaphor of The Journey, was shaped and adjusted in the design, planning and development of modules, multimedia content and procedural structure that may support art experience as a journey. The article describes considerations undertaken by museum practitioners in processes of creating museum communication that goes across multiple mediational platforms.     

Designing infrastructures for creative engagement

Abstract

As museums extend their scope beyond traditional exhibition spaces and into everyday practices and institutions, it is necessary to develop suitable conceptualisations of how technology can be understood and designed. To this end, I propose the concept of infrastructures, as both social and material, as a useful frame for discussing important challenges and opportunities in terms of designing for audience engagement. I further argue that when designing infrastructures, an important challenge is to develop the social aspects of infrastructures in terms of creating, maintaining and developing relationships between organisations and communities. I argue that this is as much an object of design as technical interactive systems and discuss the relational work undertaken in this activity. The ideas of infrastructure and relational work is illustrated through a case describing the design of a system for cultural heritage engagement for Danevirke museum covering issues relating to the Danish minority in northern Germany.     

法国凡尔赛宫和中国北京故宫的建筑美学比较

通过比较法国凡尔赛宫和中国北京故宫在空间布局、建筑体制、建筑材料与结构、建筑装饰与色彩的不同点,从宏观到微观对比两国的宫殿建筑,分析中法文化的异同,试图找出东西方文化的区别.长久以来,作为东西方宫殿建筑史上的杰出代表,中国的北京故宫和法国的凡尔赛宫一直被认为是世界上两个伟大文化的窗口.不同的文化对“美”的追求也不尽相同...     

数字博物馆应用研究

本文参考借鉴了国内外一些著名博物馆智能化和信息化系统所采用的技术，从应用研究的角度出发，论述数字博物馆的体系结构和元数据组织方案，以及数字博物馆应用开发中的某些关键技术，立足构建数字博物馆开发环境，形成商品化的数字博物馆软件产品。研究成果已经成功应用于上海博物馆、上海市文物管理委员会信息化建设中，通过研究成果的进一步产业化，可应用于全国3000多文博单位，以期为中国乃至国际的数字博物馆工程建设提供有益的帮助。     

博物馆专题展示空间中叙事性设计方法研究

目的研究专题博物馆展示陈列设计中运用叙事学原理展开形式设计的方法和策略。方法以文学领域的叙事理论为基础,综合实地调研、文献资料、实例分析等研究方法,对国内外博物馆展示空间的叙事方式进行对比,来探索博物馆专题展示空间中叙事思维方式、叙事元素构成以及叙事语汇的表达。结论专题博物馆展示陈列中不仅要关注整体的叙事结构,叙述节奏,还应当注重展示空间的条件,发挥空间的优势,内容与环境相协调。在主体内容的展示陈列上应当关注它与背景的关系,重视视觉界面的综合陈述作用。发挥叙述节点上语言元素的积极作用,合理安排场景、道具、装置、图形与符号,从而改进和完善博物馆的社会教育功能,使其更好地可持续发展。