The Digital Lab is a digital engagement project that seeks to increase the visibility and accessibility of the world cultures collections at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) in Cambridge. It recognises that digital platforms and methodologies can support reaching new audiences, diversifying voices, and incorporating decolonial practice within museum galleries, the reserve collections, and beyond. It seeks to use digital tools to achieve these goals whilst also exploring new ways of working with collections.
We are constantly thinking about new and appropriate outputs to deliver these aims, but at present our outputs include a research-focussed blog and a space for digitally born exhibitions as well as digital versions of past and present exhibitions at MAA. Each output explores wider themes, narratives, histories, issues, and debates through the lives and stories of particular objects and collections in MAA’s care. We have identified a few themes (e.g., Object Diasporas, Substances of Wellbeing and Intoxication, Making and Mending, etc.) with which to explore the collections, but we are not limited to them, and are open to suggestions for new and different ones.
We have recently upgraded our platform and would like to use this opportunity to invite all those affiliated with the Department of Social Anthropology, and with an interested in the collections in MAA’s care to get involved. You will be able to find more information on the project and its themes as well as existing blog posts and exhibitions on the Digital Lab platform. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with ideas; we would love to hear from you!