Sing-Da Huang*｜Secretary General, Taiwan Museum Association, Taipei City, Taiwan｜dadasamhuang@gmail.com
Deng-Teng Shih｜Associate Professor, Department and Graduate Institute of Visual Communication Design, China University of Technology, Taipei City, Taiwan｜shih0907@gmail.com
*Corresponding author
▌Abstract
This study examines the application of digital technologies in museum exhibitions, exploring how such innovations reshape modes of service delivery for contemporary audiences while prompting reflection on the defining characteristics of museums’ digital transformation. Using the National Taiwan Museum as the primary case, this research analyzes initiatives such as digital collections, immersive circular-screen theaters, online panoramic tours, and virtual museums, focusing on the three dimensions of authenticity, agency, and intervention.
Drawing on both literature review and in-depth interviews, the study investigates the implications of digitization for core museum functions, including collection, exhibition, and education, as well as the ways it transforms audience engagement. The findings reveal that while digitization may reduce the perceived authenticity of direct encounters with artifacts, it greatly enhances the accessibility, agency, and interactivity of collections, facilitates cross-cultural understanding and learning, and extends participation beyond physical and temporal constraints.
Through the intervention of digital technology, museums are enabled to engage in decentralized modes of communication, echoing postmodern perspectives on interdisciplinarity and diversity. The study recommends that museums adopt forward-looking digital strategies, strengthen institutional digital competencies, and establish effective digital management frameworks in order to adapt to social change and provide audiences with rich, meaningful, and diverse experiences.
Keywords: Digitization, Decentralization, Authenticity, Agency, Intervention