Website: Historic Scotland collections database
Historic Scotland has published 400 objects from its 35,000-strong collection in a digital gallery that allows people to search by theme, date, type or where it is housed.
The chosen objects, which represent the start of the digitisation process, are an eclectic mix; highlights include a nit comb (above) from the 1400s that was given as a love token, a basket used by women collect to peats in the Western Isles and a rare portrait of the young James VI by Adrian Vanson.
The collections are arranged into a number of categories, such as archaeology, social history and maritime. The objects themselves are presented in quite an academic and traditional museum way – the information supplied includes dimensions and accession number, and although there are captions, it is quite a soulless experience.
The photographs used to illustrate objects vary in quality, with many looking dull and uninviting on my desktop browser. Visitors to the site can select objects and add them to a shortlist. It’s almost a nice feature, although I have no idea what the point of this is other than as a way to save objects of interest.
Strangely, once you add an object to your shortlist, the objects on view in your chosen category suddenly change.
It’s fantastic that these objects can be seen for the first time outside the properties in which they reside, but it is also a shame that the site doesn’t currently do them justice or show them in the most exciting light to visitors.
Website: Waterloo 200
Next month marks the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo, and museums and heritage sites in the UK and beyond are involved in a comprehensive programme of events, re-enactments and exhibitions exploring this key historical moment.
Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the National Army Museum in London and Culture 24 have launched a website, Waterloo200 – www.nam.ac.uk/waterloo200 – that brings together information of all this activity as well as education resources, a timeline and contextual information.
The highlight of the site is 200 Objects of Waterloo, an online gallery of objects from museums and collections across Europe.
The objects aren’t categorised, but visitors can search by theme or search term. There are high-quality photographs of each object, and many also have multiple images offering different perspectives and details.
The text is interesting and accessible. For example, it explains that an artificial leg made for Lord Uxbridge replaced his amputated limb – which later became a tourist attraction.
Alongside many of the objects are educational resources, a list of related meta-tags and objects, and information about where to find the object, including a Google map. RA
Website: Royal Pavilion & Museums Brighton & Hove
Previously, online information about museums on Brighton & Hove City Council’s website was sparse and underwhelming. Now, the service has the opportunity to sell itself to visitors with this dedicated website.
The homepage features images of five sites in lieu of a navigation bar, plus the option to “discover”. Beneath that is a stunning image from the Royal Pavilion and, as you scroll further, the equivalent for the other venues. Its stream-lined look directs people to the information they want.
If you follow the link to Brighton Museum, the landing page is a bit busier. It has a navigation bar covering visiting, hire, shop and so on.
Each site has a video introduction, which features sub-titles and a BSL interpreter. (There is also a video transcript.) Under “discover”, people can explore the collections by venue, theme or type.
There are a few nice images and contextual information, plus links to resources, such as a story of a Brighton brewer burnt to death in a barrel (I’m not sure why this is under “decorative art”).
The site, which is optimised for mobile and tablet use, gives Brighton’s museums a platform to show off their wares for the first time. Hopefully, its success will encourage more councils to follow suit. RA
Historic Scotland has published 400 objects from its 35,000-strong collection in a digital gallery that allows people to search by theme, date, type or where it is housed.
The chosen objects, which represent the start of the digitisation process, are an eclectic mix; highlights include a nit comb (above) from the 1400s that was given as a love token, a basket used by women collect to peats in the Western Isles and a rare portrait of the young James VI by Adrian Vanson.
The collections are arranged into a number of categories, such as archaeology, social history and maritime. The objects themselves are presented in quite an academic and traditional museum way – the information supplied includes dimensions and accession number, and although there are captions, it is quite a soulless experience.
The photographs used to illustrate objects vary in quality, with many looking dull and uninviting on my desktop browser. Visitors to the site can select objects and add them to a shortlist. It’s almost a nice feature, although I have no idea what the point of this is other than as a way to save objects of interest.
Strangely, once you add an object to your shortlist, the objects on view in your chosen category suddenly change.
It’s fantastic that these objects can be seen for the first time outside the properties in which they reside, but it is also a shame that the site doesn’t currently do them justice or show them in the most exciting light to visitors.
Website: Waterloo 200
Next month marks the bicentenary of the battle of Waterloo, and museums and heritage sites in the UK and beyond are involved in a comprehensive programme of events, re-enactments and exhibitions exploring this key historical moment.
Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the National Army Museum in London and Culture 24 have launched a website, Waterloo200 – www.nam.ac.uk/waterloo200 – that brings together information of all this activity as well as education resources, a timeline and contextual information.
The highlight of the site is 200 Objects of Waterloo, an online gallery of objects from museums and collections across Europe.
The objects aren’t categorised, but visitors can search by theme or search term. There are high-quality photographs of each object, and many also have multiple images offering different perspectives and details.
The text is interesting and accessible. For example, it explains that an artificial leg made for Lord Uxbridge replaced his amputated limb – which later became a tourist attraction.
Alongside many of the objects are educational resources, a list of related meta-tags and objects, and information about where to find the object, including a Google map. RA
Website: Royal Pavilion & Museums Brighton & Hove
Previously, online information about museums on Brighton & Hove City Council’s website was sparse and underwhelming. Now, the service has the opportunity to sell itself to visitors with this dedicated website.
The homepage features images of five sites in lieu of a navigation bar, plus the option to “discover”. Beneath that is a stunning image from the Royal Pavilion and, as you scroll further, the equivalent for the other venues. Its stream-lined look directs people to the information they want.
If you follow the link to Brighton Museum, the landing page is a bit busier. It has a navigation bar covering visiting, hire, shop and so on.
Each site has a video introduction, which features sub-titles and a BSL interpreter. (There is also a video transcript.) Under “discover”, people can explore the collections by venue, theme or type.
There are a few nice images and contextual information, plus links to resources, such as a story of a Brighton brewer burnt to death in a barrel (I’m not sure why this is under “decorative art”).
The site, which is optimised for mobile and tablet use, gives Brighton’s museums a platform to show off their wares for the first time. Hopefully, its success will encourage more councils to follow suit. RA
