Vignettes of Computer-based Museum Interactive and Games Software through the Years

Abstract

Museumshave used computers to develop exhibition interactives and games over the years. This paper provides early case study examples and historical context. During the 1980s, computer-based displays in museum exhibitions were largely standalone. In the 1990s, the availability of the web allowed networked interactivity. In the 2000s, access via smartphones became increasingly widespread, enabling mobile access from personal devices. As well as the early examples, the paper provides an overview of more recent developments. Online gaming, including serious games with the purpose of not just entertainment, but educational and cultural, has increased in prevalence. Preservation and access to these digital resources have their own unique issues, and these are reflected in the paper, especially for early examples.

The Arts and Computational Culture: A landscape view

“…Computer-based games have proved increasingly important for educational purposes (Miller et al 2006;Boiano et al 2022). These are becoming more and more online and immersive with multiplayer possibilities.…”

Recent Progress with the Computer Arts Archive

“…The conservation of digital art and displays is increasingly important for long-term access and exhibition of such artifacts, with respect to both museums (Boiano et al 2022;Falcão & Ensom 2019) and archives. Sometimes this can be achieved by rebuilding artworks (Clark & Carroll 2022).…”