Transforming museum collection management: how visual search is shaping heritage preservation

VisualSearch was developed on this very principle. It enables users to search their own photo and film collections based solely on images. Unlike other solutions, VisualSearch is a closed search index, ensuring that none of the services from large tech companies are used, thereby mitigating the risks of unwanted usage of proprietary material.

Our guest today, Michiel Monté, is a thoughtleader and visionary in the field of visual search, leveraging cutting-edge technology to bring historical treasures to the attention of a global audience. In an era where digital transformation is revolutionizing every industry, the heritage and museum sector is no exception. With a solid foundation in business economics and computer science from the University of Amsterdam, his journey began in the early 1990s in Canada. Upon his return to the Netherlands, he seized the opportunities of the swiftly expanding internet.

For the past two decades, his focus has been on the heritage sector, where his expertise in strategy and collection access has driven significant advancements. The gamechanger for him was one particularly notable assignment with the War Graves Foundation. Under his leadership, the foundation evolved from merely managing war graves to becoming a digital knowledge center, preserving and sharing the poignant histories and motivations of young war victims. His innovative approach in making images and documentation digitally accessible has been instrumental in enhancing the foundation's mission and reach.

Today, he continues to push the boundaries of what's possible with Visual Search technology, helping corporations, museums and heritage institutions navigate their digital transformation. His software solutions are not just about preservation but also about creating dynamic, interactive experiences that connect the past with the present in meaningful ways.

Let's delve into the future of digital collections and digital archives seen through the visionary eyes and focus of Michiel Monté.

A lot is happening in the museum industry. Can you share some insights on the current trends and challenges?

The current trends and challenges in the museum and heritage sector are primarily related to the increasing digitization of the world. There's a growing demand for digital access to collections. This involves digitizing objects, artifacts, archives, images, and other items from the collection, but also managing the digital collection – which is often more time-consuming.

In addition, strengthening and deepening connections with users and creators is an important trend. Museums are increasingly seeking ways to actively engage with their audience and artists, involving them in the museum experience. This can be achieved through interactive exhibitions, participatory projects, and the use of social media to reach a broader and more diverse audience.

Taking advantage of the opportunities and possibilities of new technologies also plays a significant role. Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) offer new ways to present exhibitions and provide visitors with an immersive experience. These technologies can help tell stories in an innovative and engaging manner.

Finally, reinforcing knowledge development and sharing knowledge about digitization is crucial. This means that museums must invest in training and education for their staff to develop the skills needed for managing and presenting digital collections. Sharing best practices and collaborating with other institutions can help address the challenges of digitization more effectively.

How crucial is visual search technology for digital collection management? What advantages does it offer in managing digital assets?

Managing digital assets proves to be a challenging task for museums, archives, heritage institutions, and many other companies due to the large number of objects, images, and films they manage. This is where a tool like VisualSearch is highly suitable to assist them. VisualSearch allows for easier and faster finding of the sought-after image without using keywords. This is a significant advantage over traditional search methods since not everyone describes the same image with the same keywords or descriptions. It significantly improves collection management by also making unrecorded collections visible, enabling easy deduplication, and allowing better context to be added.

A great example of this was a photo report made of speed cameras. In this report, the speed cameras were captured in action, and specific speed cameras were photographed in a studio. Photos were taken from different angles, but they were not properly described or linked when added to the digital environment, causing the entire photo report to be lost. By using VisualSearch, they could find the entire collection in no time.

VisualSearch allows for easier and faster finding of the sought-after image – without using keywords.

Another example is from a well-known museum in the Netherlands, where an image appeared twice in the collection. In one case, the photo was described with the keywords “Woman drinking tea in garden,” which accurately described the scene. The second image was described with the keywords “Queen Wilhelmina in London,” which was also entirely correct. The photos were not found simultaneously using keywords. VisualSearch found these images effortlessly because it does not rely on keywords but only on the composition of the image.

We're integrating Datamachine's visual search capabilities with WoodWing Assets. What are the potential benefits of this integration?

Managing digital collections and documentation is a labor-intensive task that many organizations grapple with. This challenge is compounded by the need to make not only objects but also all supporting information digitally accessible. VisualSearch enables making unrecorded collections visible, allowing hidden or poorly documented items to be easily identified. Additionally, the system supports deduplication, which helps keeping the database clean and organized.

One of the most powerful features of VisualSearch is its ability to search for similar images. This is particularly useful for identifying series or objects that belong together, enhancing the cohesion of the collection. Furthermore, it aids in contextualizing and enriching objects by discovering relevant information and connections, increasing the value of the collection in the process.

Where has Datamachine VisualSearch significantly improved management and discovery of digital assets in museums?

An example where VisualSearch is highly beneficial is in the process of receiving new items at museums. When a museum receives new objects, it is essential to check if these items are already part of the collection to avoid accepting duplicates. Often, it is not known whether an object is already in the collection, as registrars are not familiar with all items and have limited search capabilities. By using VisualSearch, a photo of the 'new' object can be taken and uploaded, allowing for a quick check to see if the item is already in the collection. This saves a significant amount of search time and prevents the duplication of objects in the collection.

My advice to companies that are hesitant to adopt new technologies like VisualSearch is simple: just do it!

Another useful application is in deduplicating photos and reducing the need to take new photos of objects that have already been photographed. For marketing campaigns, research, and exhibitions, photos of objects are frequently used. However, the correct photos are often not easily found, leading to the creation of new photos of the same object. In most cases, these photos already exist, resulting in a significant amount of redundancy in the datasets. VisualSearch helps in finding the correct photos, removing duplicate photos, and possibly revealing previously unknown material.

What's your vision on the future of digital asset management? How do you see technologies like AI and machine learning shaping this future?

The stories behind objects are becoming increasingly important, which means that the collaboration between documentation (stories) and objects (collection) must be well-linked and manageable. The ideal place for organizing and managing this efficiently is in a Digital Asset Management system. AI plays a crucial role in this. For example, the AI tool VisualSearch helps users explore and maintain digital assets. Additionally, AI chatbots can assist users by quickly finding, analyzing, and summarizing information.

A significant consideration is data ownership. With AI services from major tech companies, users often lose rights to the information they have provided. Consequently, many AI services are unsuitable for users working with sensitive information or trade secrets. This can be a reason for companies to avoid these services due to privacy concerns. One of the reasons we chose to develop our own software is that it does not rely on external parties and uses a closed index. In the museum world, it is understandable that people do not want to share their collections with third parties and want to retain ownership. Therefore, our solution provides a fully secure environment where data ownership is safeguarded.

What advice would you give to companies and museums that are hesitant to adopt new technologies such as VisualSearch?

My advice to companies and museums that are hesitant to adopt new technologies like VisualSearch is simple: just do it! It's a fantastic tool that will greatly assist you with your database and daily tasks. Give it a try. It's safe, and you'll find out that you'll get things done much faster.

How can they best prepare for and implement these innovations to enhance their operations and visitor experiences?

To be well-prepared and quickly implement new innovations, it is essential that all assets are digitized – so be sure to have well-organized digital asset management. However, in many companies and museums, most assets are not yet digitized because making these assets accessible is very time-consuming. With the help of new AI services, unlocking, retrieving, and managing digital assets becomes faster and easier. Additionally, visitors can find more information in the digital assets since more data is digitally accessible, and they can more easily search through the assets using AI tools like VisualSearch.

Interested to find out more about integrations for your digital asset management system? Read everything about DAM integrations and the options it provides!