5 innovative companies to build the museums of the future

From digital guides to educational video games, to intelligent systems for monitoring the deterioration of works of art: companies and startups work on the culture of tomorrow

The diplodocus dinosaur skeleton that welcomes visitors to the National History Museum in London (photo by just-pics from Pixabay) One in ten museums in the world is at risk of being closed permanently, about a third will have to reduce their staff and 80% will have to downsize their programs. These are some of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world of culture, highlighted by a recent research by the International council of museums, the main international organization that represents museums. In the United States, for example, the Metropolitan of New York has already left 20% of its staff at home and the Museum of Arts in Philadelphia expects a 23% cut.

How digital innovation can help Italian museums to face the long wave of the effects of the coronavirus? The Politecnico Observatory tested the ground in May, drawing a not encouraging picture: 51% of museums do not have wifi, 51% do not use professionals with digital skills and only 24% of cultural institutions has a strategic plan for digital innovation.

Although in the last two years 83% of museums have invested in digital services on site, focusing on visiting support (48%) and cataloging (46%), 86% of ticket sales still derive from direct sales on the spot. Only 23% have an e-ticketing system. What's more: audio guides (32%), qr code (31%) and interactive installations (28%) are still the most popular tools to support the visit. Just 5% use creative tools such as video games, for example, to engage potential visitors.