Highlands and Islands museums go digital with chance to upload collections to app

By Lauren Robertson

October 4 2022, 11:26 am

Jim Dunn photographing Wick Heritage Museum's gansey. Image: Highland Thread.

Museums across the Highlands and Islands have the chance to go global, and digital, by uploading their collections to an app.

Five museums across the region will be selected to share their collections, which can range from 100 to 1,000 objects, with audiences across the world.

XpoNorth Digital has partnered with Smartify, the world’s most downloaded museum app with over 3 million history-loving users.

Each successful museum will have their venue listed on the app and their collections digitised along with a five minute video telling their story, a multi-media tour and an e-shop.

‘Could be transformational’

Nicola Henderson, specialist advisor for heritage at XpoNorth believes the platform would help Highlands and Islands museums push beyond the geographical limits of the region.

Strathnaver Museum in Thurso. Image: Strathnaver Museum.

She said: “Helping Highland museums to get on the platform and tell their stories to a targeted audience of this size could be transformational.

“The Smartify platform gives museums the tools they need to build new experiences within their buildings for their physical visitors, while also helping them to reach out to new audiences.

“It will help to drive engagement with their collections and stories, while offering opportunities to generate revenue from a global audience.”

How to apply

All museums based in the Highlands and Islands are welcome to put themselves forward and will be given technical support if they are successful.

Smartify’s head of global partnerships, Christopher Bazley, said: “Smartify’s commitment to making world-class digital engagement affordable and accessible to as many museums as possible is part of our DNA.

Inside The Highlander’s Museum at Fort George. Image: The Highlander’s Museum.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the Highlands and Islands and its globally significant cultural heritage, we are delighted, honoured and excited to have the opportunity of working with XpoNorth on this important project.”

Any museums interested in being considered for the opportunity needs to apply by December 2. They can attend an information session on October 19 or November 16 ahead of doing so.