TY - JOUR TI - Accessing art through technology DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3TB18TF PY - 2015 AB - The evolution of the Internet and the innovation of digital technology have provided a forum for sharing knowledge on a global scale, enabling museums to provide unprecedented access to humanity’s cultural heritage. Through online publishing of museum collections, works of art that have been inaccessible to all but a few are now discoverable by a worldwide audience. The virtual presentation of art has had a profound influence on both public and academic museums. The authoritative voice of the museum is being challenged by the voice of the public with the desire to democratize knowledge of a work of art through online channels. Presenting cultural heritage through digital technologies has challenged the museum’s ability to remain relevant as a physical location in a digital society. The transformation of the public’s relationship with art through technology is motivating museums to reconsider their mission and meet the demands of a growing online community. The challenges and opportunities presented in online access to art will be considered through the examination of six university art museums, with collections diverse in size and content and all at various stages of virtual access to their collections. A review of the mission and philosophy of each museum; the concepts of the museum’s authoritative voice, communal knowledge, and public democratization; the demand for interactive experiences and open access; the merging of teaching with works of art in the original form with further exploration through digital technologies; accessibility and findability; and ontologies and folksonomies will be addressed. A series of discussions with museum professionals facilitated comprehending how technology can augment the traditional learning methods and enhance the experience of viewing a work of art and its context that cannot be achieved in a gallery setting. Experiencing a work of art in a physical space is clearly superior to viewing its digital counterpart. However, if the work of art is physically and virtually inaccessible, it is essentially invisible to the public. Technological innovation has enabled museums to share art with the world. Museums are embracing the technology and accommodating their dual audiences – of student and global public - by transforming from a traditional environment to include the digital space and educating and engaging visitors across the globe through art. KW - Liberal Studies KW - Open access KW - College art museums KW - Art museums KW - Museums--Technological innovations LA - eng ER -