AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

The museum is in a moment of transition. The digital revolution has disrupted the archetype of the 20th-century museum. We are- moving from a place of tradition and contemplation into an active space, driven by experience and both in-person and virtual connectivity. This transition is driven by cultural changes in the present day which are increasingly mediated by technologies with the ability to engage human senses in different ways, therefore creating new connections” (Sherring 2020).

In response to these cultural and societal shifts, the future impact and relevance of 21st century museum will be played out across both the physical and digital landscape. Our crucial role as cultural stewards “to define, describe and prolong the existence of cultural material” (Wain and Sherring 2021) therefore also needs to change – in response to and anticipation of – these societal shifts.

Since early 2022 the National Museum of Australia has been undertaking the Changeable Collections Project, which identifies both the thinking and activities required to acquire, manage, and make accessible changeable and digital collections. The long-term goal of this program is to develop and implement a philosophical approach that applies to all NMA objects and will support new ways to collect, manage, preserve, activate and provide access to the Museum’s collections.

Changeable heritage is defined as "an object that is dynamic, variable and relational, where change is inherent to its ongoing meaning, value and significance". Changeable heritage is defined by the necessity of an object to adapt, evolve, and transform its tangible and intangible states over time as an intrinsic part of its survival and continuity.

The concept of Changeable heritage contrasts with the notion of static or fixed cultural heritage objects, which remains unchanged and preserved in an original form or preferred authentic state. Recognising the changeable nature of cultural heritage is crucial for ongoing preservation and activation within a museum environment. This approach acknowledges that culture is not something static and unchanging, but rather a vibrant and adaptive force that is reflected in the continual evolution and expression of the cultural heritage objects in our care. By viewing NMA objects through a lens of change we will enhance our understanding, management, and care of collections by ensuring that our collections can develop, evolve and remain significant as time, contexts and audiences change. These re-evaluations inform new decision-making paradigms and provide theoretical underpinnings for approaches that permit change in the material of the object to preserve authenticity in the experience of the object. Authenticity can be seen to lie not in keeping things the same, but in understanding how and why things have changed.

“There will always be new objects which enter into our collective heritage space and present previously unanticipated challenges. As the museum continues to explore the dichotomy between physical and virtual spaces, it is imperative that our ability to develop new practices for new materials is not stagnated by the traditional principles of significance, value and change” (Sherring 2020).

Asti Sherring (2020) Divergent conservation: cultural sector opportunities and challenges relating to the development of time-based art conservation in Australasia, AICCM, Bulletin, 41:1, 69-82 https://doi.org/10.1080/10344233.2020.1809907

Alison Wain & Asti Sherring (2021) Changeability, Variability, and Malleability: Sharing Perspectives on the Role of Change in Time-based Art and Utilitarian Machinery Conservation, Studies in Conservation, 66:8, 449-462, DOI: 10.1080/00393630.2020.1860672 https://doi.org/10.1080/00393630.2020.1860672