National Museum Wales on Digital Transformation Challenges

The National Museum Wales faces digital transformation challenges including cultural resistance, funding constraints, and the need for new competencies. The museum emphasizes integrating digital thinking from the start, not just adding technology. Key hurdles include financial limitations, staff resistance to change, and the gap between personal digital comfort and professional application. The museum invests in coaching, training at all levels (including the board), and pilot projects. Emerging roles focus on data analysis, business intelligence, and audience knowledge. Recruitment prioritizes problem-solving and visitor experience over specific platform skills. The museum advocates for strategic digitalization tied to clear outcomes, not blanket digitization. In the UK, funding for collection digitization remains scarce. The museum's approach involves cross-departmental collaboration, building digital confidence, and aligning digital investment with organizational values.