Ποιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do

WP 3 Use of the new media by museums

Intention of the HERMES Project is to show that protection of cultural heritage can best be done by including promotion of cultural heritage by use of the new media by museums - case studies in Weimar, Krakow and Volos

In the application, where the intentions of the HERMES project are being explained, there appears already the crucial reference to ‘space’: space for identity seeking processes, space for exhibiting cultural heritage and space for an inter-exchange of ideas about the ancient, recent and present past. As a matter of fact this ‘present past’ or a present hardly experienced already fading fast in the background means there is a need to keep up with changes while not forgetting what did occur and happen. As platforms of communication about these rapid transitions, museums offer here another entry into the world of learning and of experiencing. By using new media and extending the visit to museums to use afterwards websites as references, museums open up really a path to deepening knowledge and experiences about man and his world.

“The intention of the HERMES project is to promote and to support sustainable regional development by innovative interactions of cultural heritage and the new electronic media. In particular, the project aims to upgrade regional identity by improving the perception of heritage with the help of new media tools and to maintain historical sites by new uses. While doing so, cultural and media institutions from 8 CADSES states will be working together based on partnership. Already during the project development, media enterprises have been involved as well. That’s how HERMES helps to prepare concrete large-scale investments in an attractive growth sector.

All HERMES activities are based on a completely new approach of interaction between urban, cultural and media spaces which will become very important in regard to future strategies of spatial development in the entire CADSES territory. Furthermore, the project concretely effects both the economic development and the preservation of cultural heritage sites in the regions involved.

With the project the following main activities will be carried out:

Since museums technology, and specifically the one linked to new media, allows the introduction of ‘virtual reality’ with almost unknown dimensions of possibilities to extend man’s imagination, the ability to analyse and deconstruct fleeting images or sense impressions is altered greatly. Therefore space created by these museums becomes the most important concept for purpose of development based on the integration of cultural heritage into contemporary and modern settings using new technologies, new media and other communication tools to further identity building processes.

New institutional structure: innovative network of museums

Aside from creating within HERMES a cultural heritage network of Internet Radios, the new museums created in conjunction with the HERMES initiative indicate another type of institutional structure. In due course of the project, Volos shall propose to the HERMES partners the creation of an innovative network between museums. This proposals follows upon what was already conceived within CIED by Prof. Maurizio Carta from the university of Palermo.

The prospects of having in future an “innovative network” and active link between museums will have to be examined in due course of the project’s life time. Definitely the city of Volos with its intention to create three new museums besides the already existing archaeological one indicates a massive intervention is being prepared in the cultural landscape of that city aiming to regain its original regional importance. Volos shall create a museum for industrial heritage, a history of the city and a special museum focusing on the Myth and Experiences associated with the Argonauts. This will include navigation and travel experiences into the Black Sea: a new dimension for Europe.

Towards an European innovative museums network:

This can be seen asentrypoint into anInnovative Network of Museums in Europe in cooperation with already existing networks and organisations.

Objectives, outcomes and long term impact

HERMES follows broadly speaking three main objectives in anticipation of what outcomes shall be realized by the project expected to have a long term impact upon the CADSES space.

“Continuation of the discussion about the role of culture as an active factor of regional development as started in 1996 by the Article 10 – ERDF pilot projects; promotion of a substantial understanding of politicians, planners and actors in cultural fields concerning the important role can play cultural heritage in regional development strategies as well as a more integrated perception of urban-rural, cultural and media spaces; stronger considera­tion of these factors in regional development programs at regional, national and EU level”.

“Strengthening the recognition for common European Heritage Roots as reference for an common European identity; intensifying the consciousness and introducing new uses of the respective regional heritage as cultural-economical motivation for ‚active staying’; better protection of the corresponding cultural artefacts and heritage sites. “

“Pushing forward the sustainable long-term development of the participating less favoured regions through exemplary pilot projects; preparing of large scale investments by encouraging the settlement of media enterprises on heritage sites, above all in Middle and South Eastern European states.”

Concrete results

Within HERMES following concrete results have been named:

Re-development of heritage sites including new uses and multi-media presentations:

Set-up of a CADSES-wide Internet-Heritage-Radio:

Working out common European Heritage Roots:

CADSES-wide open offers for education, qualification and capacity building:

Creation of sustainable HERMES network (1 long-term network)

Within museums new job perspectives arise out of following combination of factors:

Over and beyond that it is expected that the interrelationship between museum and local/regional population shall alter as museums start becoming vocal institutions leading public opinion and interest to deal with very specific issues that mark continuity and discontinuity between then and now. This means that

Target groups, beneficiaries

The HERMES project altogether has in view following target groups and beneficiaries:

Within the project a more refined examination of target groups can substantiate the success and sustainability of these museum projects. A distinction has to be made between local and foreign visitors whereby both categories indicate the inherent danger of one time visitors e.g. once people feel they have seen it all, they are not expected to return to the museum for a long time unless some other activities unfold there and also a changing program keeps the curiosity and interest alive. A sample test of mental maps people have of their city will indicate to what extend museums is on their mind daily or merely under extraordinary circumstances. If visitors come, what sites of cultural heritage, if at all, will the local residents recommend to their guests to see?

Modern museums will have to examine very carefully their target groups and who shall be the beneficiaries. Especially if there are a number of cultural houses (theatres, galleries, art cafes) the range of experiences offered by museums must address all generations and visitors alike whether now from abroad or just around the corner.

Expected impacts

HERMES in the application has made very explicit what impacts the project shall have in spatial terms. There is a cultural strategy entailed insofar as ‘multiplier effects’ are counted upon to take things further:

Clearly the most important impact shall be once large investments are made to set up and to promote special museum. The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao would be such a case. This means HERMES links promotion of cultural heritage to tourism and thereby to sustainable development. It will have to be monitored and evaluated if that proves to be valid for the praxis in the regions where the HERMES project is being implemented.

Outputs and deliverables

Within HERMES the linkages between museums, Internet Cafes and Internet Radio will become a definite output as a result of further going interactions between these different spheres of dissemination of experiences and qualifications. For instance, the multi media design for the Wieland museum foresees three levels of sophistication that any visitor can go through by choice and at the end of which the complexity of factors will be brought together at that particular level of reflection and in depth understanding of the historical figure Wieland. This is clearly stated in the application of HERMES, for:

“In accordance to the logical internal framework, the outputs and deliverables of the HERMES project are realised in close interaction: Feasibility studies form the basis of the envisaged pilot projects. The outputs of the pilot projects in will form accordance with the basic prerequisites the materials for dissemination and generalisation as well as for the educational and qualification offers.”

Within this framework some pilot projects are being strived for.

“Type III pilot projects will improve the presentation of museums and historical sites by new multimedia installations

In addition, there will be converted the Szymbark castle near Krakow into a museum type of cultural centre. This part of the HERMES project shall be initiated by the Malopolsak Culture Institute.

Work package 3

HERMES is sub-divided into 5 work packages, the third one dealing with museums and the introduction of new technology or new media as a way to present and to promote cultural heritage. It is foreseen that most of these sites shall be equipped with Internet Cafes.

Realisation of innovative pilot projects in outstanding European heritage sites (focus: use of the electronic media): - exemplary restoration, new media and tourist uses as well as attraction of SME’s to heritage sites in Weimar/DE (Wielandgut Ossmannstedt, Media house former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school), in Volos/GR (former brick factory Tsalapatas), in Dobbiaco/IT (former Grandhotel) and in Krakow/PL (Szymbark heritage complex) - exemplary use of electronic forms for presentation and documentation in heritage sites: multimedia installations for museums in Weimar/DE (new concept of Wieland Museum Ossmannstedt), in Volos/GR (Virtual Museum for Argonauts, New Design for Museums of Tsalapatas, History of the City and Argonauts) and in Sofia/BG (multi-media presentation of UNESCO world cultural heritage National Museum Boyana-church) - set-up of exemplary Heritage-Internet-Cafés in historical sites in Weimar/DE, Dobbiaco/IT and Volos/GR
Coordination Dr. Hatto Fischer, DEMEKAV Volos/GR

Milestones

Milestones in the implementation process are as follows:

No.
WP
No.
Milestone
month of completionDescription of milestoneDeliverables
3 3.1 12/2003 - restoration of media house / former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school in Weimar/DE (preparatory phase) - restoration of Wieland estate Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE (first phase) - media and tourist use of for­mer Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT - architectural planning, user concept, business plan of media house / former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school in Weimar/DE - completion of first construction phase of Wieland estate Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE - annual business plan 2004 of the Cultural Centre Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT
  3.2 06/2004 - restoration of media house / former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school in Weimar/DE (first phase of construction) - first planning for revitalisation of Szymbark heritage complex near Krakow/PL - completion of first construction phase of media house Wilhelm-Ernst-school Weimar/DE - basic concept for reconstruction of Szymbark heritage complex near Krakow/PL (conversion into regional cultural and media centre)
  3.3 09/2004 - establishment of Heritage-Internet-Café at Wieland estate Ossmannstedt - establishment of Heritage-Internet-Café at Cultural Centre Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT - Heritage-Internet-Cafés in Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE and in the Cultural Centre Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT in operation
  3.4 12/2004 - restoration of Wieland estate Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE - final reconstruction of media house / former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school in Weimar/DE - producing a multimedia film for promoting the former brick factory Tsalapatas in Volos/GR - media and tourist use of Cultural Centre Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT - external completion of Wieland estate Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE - completion of media house / former Wilhelm-Ernst-high school in Weimar/DE - multimedia film - annual business plan 2005 of the Cultural Centre Grandhotel Dobbiaco/IT
  3.5 06/2005 - preparation of multimedia-presentation National Museum Boyana Church Sofia/BG - establishment of Multimedia Wieland Museum in Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE - establishing of mediaSME’s in the former Wilhelm-Ernst-school Weimar/DE - first extension phase in build-up of multimedia-presentation of National Museum Boyana Church Sofia/BG - multimedia-Wieland-Museum in Ossmannstedt near Weimar/DE in operation - 5 SME’s being settled there

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