Information in a Museum should or should not be made public?
MUSEUM’S PUBLIC WEBSITE INFORMATION
A museum is a permanent institution open to the public that conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits a collection of artifacts and other objects of cultural, artistic, historical, scientific value and natural environment for study, education, and enjoyment without the aim of making a profit. Therefore the information put up on a museum’s website should be critically analyzed and assessed whether it is fit for the public and does not break the rights of other individuals or communities.
Information can be classified into public information and restricted information. The information that can be uploaded to an open website includes those that would help advance educational goals and promote public awareness of the value of museum collections. The information posted should be well-founded, precise, and should give the necessary considerations to the represented community and beliefs. Published data from scientists and researchers can also be made public on the museum’s website as long as it does not compromise the standards of the institution.
The information that should not be put on a public website includes those that touch on ongoing living traditions, ceremonial life, and that of sacred belief or significance. The people involved should have a say on whether their current and traditional practices should be put on a public website. Other things include mummies and human remains. Faces and pictures of people who are currently alive should also be avoided. Materials of questionable origin or that which lack provenance should not be posted because they may condone or contribute to the illicit trade in cultural property.