Nancy Proctor on Digital Transformation in Museums

Nancy Proctor, a leading expert in digital museums and former Head of New Media at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, was interviewed in Milan during the Meet the Media Guru conference. She argued that digital competence is now as essential as electricity for museums, forming a core part of organizational infrastructure. Proctor noted that digitizing collections online actually increases physical visits, contrary to earlier fears, and serves those unable to travel. She emphasized the need to create emotionally and intellectually engaging online experiences, citing gigapixel imaging from her work with the Google Cultural Institute as an example. Proctor predicted that the 'digital' suffix will disappear as digital skills become standard, just as typing skills are now assumed. She highlighted challenges in measuring social media impact, referencing work by Sebastian Chan, Jane Finnis (Let's Get Real), and Elena Villaespesa, and warned that without demonstrating impact, museums risk losing philanthropic support.