IULM students survey Latin American museum digitalization during pandemic
A research initiative led by students from IULM University in Milan, under the guidance of Prof. Vincenzo Trione, focused on the impact of digitalization on cultural institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean during the Covid-19 pandemic. The journal ContArte showcases how museums and cultural organizations adapted. Between 2010 and 2018, internet usage in the region surged to 68%. According to UNESCO, there are 8,077 museums in Central and South America, with 99.9% closed temporarily. Of the 33 CELAC member nations, 18 adopted digital strategies, resulting in 226 online cultural events, accounting for 27.4% of the global total. The EU-LAC Museums project (2016–2020) included seven institutions and organized 135 workshops for 28,000 participants. The Museo LARCO in Lima started digital cataloging in 2001, while Brazil's Museo da Pessoa has been entirely virtual since 1997.
Key facts
- IULM University students conducted a study on Latin American and Caribbean museum digitalization during Covid-19.
- The magazine ContArte presents findings on how cultural institutions overcame pandemic restrictions.
- ECLAC reported internet usage in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 68% of the population in 2018, doubling since 2010.
- UNESCO states 8,077 museums exist in Central and South America, 99.9% of which closed temporarily due to Covid-19.
- 18 of 33 CELAC member states implemented digital good practices during the pandemic.
- The region hosted 226 online cultural activities (27.4% of the world total), the highest per territory globally.
- The EU-LAC Museums project (2016–2020) involved 7 institutions, 135 workshops, and 28,000 participants, creating a Virtual Museum.
- Museo LARCO in Lima began digital cataloging in 2001 with Fundación Telefónica and has had all collections online since 2007.
- Museo Amparo in Puebla ran Sala de Espera: Segunda Temporada during the pandemic, featuring 24 artists.
- Brazil's Museo da Pessoa is a fully virtual collaborative archive founded in 1991, digital since 1997, using Tecnologia Social de Memoria since 2009.
Entities
Artists
- Ramiro Martinez Estrada
Institutions
- IULM University of Milan
- UNESCO
- ECLAC
- CELAC
- ICOM
- EU-LAC Museums
- European Union
- Horizon2020
- Museo LARCO
- Fundación Telefónica
- Museo Amparo
- Museo da Pessoa
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Latin America
- Caribbean
- Lima
- Peru
- Puebla
- Mexico
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Central America
- South America