Abstract

Museums adopted the Web early, building on their experience with videodisc and CD-ROM publications in the 1980s and early 1990s. From the first, they introduced experimental features including visitor feedback, three-dimensional (3D) walk-throughs, and deep coverage targeted at niche audiences. Only with the maturation of the genre did they routinely have basic hours and location information for visitors as part of their sites. Consistently, museum use of the Web has been programmatically driven, emphasizing exhibitions and events, rather than collections databases and privileging browsing over site-searching (though supporting search engines). Over the next years, museums will increase the amount of location-based content delivery and aim content at cell phones, pdas, and similar devices being carried by their potential audiences.