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The Free Belarus Museum has successfully completed a project dedicated to the digitisation and open access of its museum collections, marking an important step in the museum’s development as a modern cultural and research institution.
As part of the project, a careful selection of 200 museum artefacts documenting contemporary Belarusian history and the democratic resistance movement was carried out. All selected objects were digitised in line with professional standards and expert recommendations, and comprehensive metadata was prepared for each item.
The digital collection of 200 artefacts was published on the new website of the Free Belarus Museum and made available in three languages: Belarusian, Polish, and English. The collection was also transferred to the National Institute of Museums in Poland, enabling the inclusion of Belarusian heritage in an international professional context.
The project also included the acquisition of licences for 15 original photographs from 2020 by renowned Belarusian photographers. In addition, audio descriptions were prepared for selected digital objects, improving accessibility for visually impaired audiences.
An important component of the project was its educational programme. Instead of the planned five workshops, 10 educational workshops were organised, focusing on topics such as digitisation of museum and library collections, fundraising, the use of artificial intelligence, and modern platforms for public archives. The workshops, held both online and offline, were attended by at least 80 participants, with selected materials made publicly available.
The project also resulted in the development of a virtual tour, based on at least 30 digitised museum objects. The tour is accessible to visitors on-site using VR equipment, and an online version has been prepared for the museum’s website.
A broad communication campaign accompanied the project, resulting in 39 publications across the museum’s social media channels, independent Belarusian and Polish media, and partner platforms.
Additionally, a 12-minute bilingual video film was produced, presenting the project’s objectives, implementation stages, outcomes, and its significance for both the Free Belarus Museum and the Belarusian democratic movement as a whole.
The official presentation of the project results will take place on 22 January at the Free Belarus Museum.
