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How do virtual museums depend on the collections and research of physical museums?
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Interior of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Most virtual museums are sponsored by institutional museums and are directly dependent upon their existing collections. Because virtual museums do not house actual objects, they lack the permanence and unique qualities of physical institutions. Instead, they function as digital repositories of images, sound files, and text documents derived from the physical holdings of museums.12
This dependency manifests in several ways:
- Promotion and Interpretation: Many virtual museums originate from a museum's website, serving as a medium to promote and interpret the institution's physical collection through online tours or virtual exhibitions.12
- Database Access: Administrative bodies and museums provide access to digital databases—such as the Joconde database—which contain information and records on important works of art held by physical institutions.12
- Research and Study: By digitizing these collections, virtual museums provide tools for comparative study and research. While they offer significant benefits for the selection and analysis of material, they often remain secondary to the original physical artifacts, which may be required for final, detailed study.12