Rijksmuseum's Linda Volkers on Digital Sharing and Museum Future

In an interview with Artribune, Linda Volkers, Marketing Manager of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, discusses the museum's digital strategy and the future of museums. She emphasizes that the key challenge for museums is not just attracting audiences but sharing collections easily. The Rijksmuseum's Rijksstudio project, launched ten years ago, offers free online access to its collection without restrictions, inspired by platforms like Pinterest. Volkers argues that sharing is more important than possession, citing Airbnb and Uber as examples. The museum allows photography inside, recognizing that visitors will take selfies anyway. She stresses the need for museums to hire digital-savvy staff, including senior digital managers and content producers, and to encourage curators to develop digital skills. The Rijksmuseum holds weekly editorial meetings across departments and leverages internal talent, such as a colleague who manages Instagram due to her photography skills. Volkers notes that the museum's success stems from a mindset of sharing, not just financial resources. She advocates for museums to look beyond their sector for innovation, drawing from her own background in digital agencies and finance. The interview was conducted by Symbola and Melting Pro.