Tomoki Sakuta | Changes in the Digital Archive System in Museums and Art Museums—Deciphering 30 Years of Archives (Part 2)
This article analyzes the evolution of digital archive systems in Japanese museums and art museums from 1995 to 2025.Summary
This article traces the changes in the digital archive system for Japanese museums and art museums over the 30 years from 1995 (the start of artscape) to 2025. Initially, the role of these institutions shifted from collecting and preserving materials to publishing and utilizing information. The early period (1995-2005) saw visions like the G7 Electronic Museum concept and the establishment of the JDAA, though limited by internet speed and copyright hurdles. The networking and legal amendment phase (2005-2017) allowed digitization for preservation without permission via copyright law revisions, and the Museum Act added provisions for information provision, though digital archiving remained secondary. From 2018 onward, copyright law amendments (Article 47) and guideline agreements partially eased usage, and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the recognition of digital archives as primary value. Crucially, the comprehensive revision of the Museum Act in 2023 legally established digital archive creation and public release as a core duty, coinciding with the establishment of the National Center for Art Research (NCAR) and the launch of "SHŪZŌ" to create a national information linkage infrastructure. The author concludes that future challenges will involve reassessing standards for low-resolution thumbnails and establishing a fair compensation mechanism, especially concerning secondary use and AI learning.
(Source：artscape)