This book will address a growing demand for expertise in creating digital/virtual exhibits in museums, particularly in a post-pandemic world where virtual accessibility has become part of our everyday lives. Museums are increasing access to collections through digitization efforts, opening new possibilities of curating and interpreting artworks that aren’t, or can’t be, displayed. Given this availability of digital means, coupled with visitors’ growing familiarity with online platforms, professionals will need to mesh theory with practice to develop intentional digital exhibits.

This book’s primary audience will be professionals working with or for museums of all kinds. This book will be for any museum professional who works with objects, be they art or historic, and wants to translate exhibitions to virtual and digital platforms. Given the collaborative nature of digital exhibition design, this book will be developed with many museum stakeholders in mind, such as students, artists, educators, board members and the communities surrounding the museum.f

What makes this book unique is its multi-vocal approach to developing digital exhibitions. This book intends to pair theoretical frameworks of digital and virtual environments with the practical implications of producing exhibits with national and international applications. These examples include contemporary case studies focusing on inclusivity and accessibility in digital/virtual exhibitions that go beyond static pages of high-resolution object reproductions and into interactive and responsive digital engagement. This book will be the first of its kind to focus on small- to mid-sized museums whose limited budgets and staff often control their ability to expand into the digital landscape. That focus will allow us to identify projects that are scalable, which will benefit museums of all sizes.

What makes this book unique is its multi-vocal approach to developing digital exhibitions. This book intends to pair theoretical frameworks of digital and virtual environments with the practical implications of producing exhibits with national and international applications. These examples include contemporary case studies focusing on inclusivity and accessibility in digital/virtual exhibitions that go beyond static pages of high-resolution object reproductions and into interactive and responsive digital engagement. This book will be the first of its kind to focus on small- to mid-sized museums whose limited budgets and staff often control their ability to expand into the digital landscape. That focus will allow us to identify projects that are scalable, which will benefit museums of all sizes.

We invite museum experts, practitioners, and scholars to contribute to this upcoming book project that illuminates the pathways for creating impactful virtual exhibitions for small to mid-sized museums. All museum specialties are accepted, including but not limited to: Art museums, contemporary art & non-collecting spaces, history & science museums, State and Local historic sites, and others. As museums around the world keep discovering virtual exhibitions, this guide will provide a platform for sharing innovative practices, theoretical frameworks, and in-depth case studies that highlight the digital transformation of exhibitions.

Explore digital exhibitions and their impact on virtual audience engagement. Analyze digital approaches with an emphasis on digital-first exhibiting strategies.

1500 - 2000 words

Present frameworks that focus on the virtualization of exhibitions and how they inform curatorial and design decisions. How do we get from ideas to exhibits?.

2000 - 2500 words

Share virtual exhibition and program examples, and discuss their developmental process and technological implementation. Share program ideas for deep visitor engagement with virtual objects and exhibits. How can others in similar museums with similar resources utilize these examples?

2000 - 2500 words

Reflect on the broader implications of the shift towards virtual exhibits for the museum field, including accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability.

2000 - 2500 words

Address methods and criteria for assessing the effectiveness of digital exhibitions.

1000 - 1500 words

Please specify which scope your chapter will address, an abstract no longer than 350 words, and a brief author biography of 30-50 words to createdigitalexhibits@gmail.com by July 1st, 2024.

2-3 figures or illustrations per chapter are encouraged. Figures will be black and white in the print edition and color in the e-book.

Abstract deadline: July 1st, 2024
Acceptance notification: July 31st, 2024
Full chapter submission: November 15th, 2024
Final chapter submission (with edits): February 28th, 2025
Revisions through Summer 2025, book published: Late Fall, 2025

All submissions will use the APA 7th edition formatting guidelines.

For questions and clarification, please contact the authors at createdigitalexhibits@gmail.com