Smart Museums. Sul prossimo avvento della Internet of Things e del dialogo tra gli oggetti nei luoghi della cultura

Purpose of the paper: The paper wants to explore new technological frontiers applied to museum sector, starting from more established – in some ways already outdated – information and communication technologies (ICT) up to the foreshadowing of new possibilities of valorization for tangible and intangible museum heritage, thanks to the coming of the Internet of Things.

Methodology: Beyond literary review and beyond direct knowledge, the method of the research is inductive-predictive type; in particular, the method crossed available information about the most advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) with valorization needs of museums sector, in order to outline possible applications.

Findings: In this way, the paper gets to a possible application model of the Internet of Things in the museum field, with particular reference to the realization of an adaptive guidance system, which is able to harmoniously combine museum knowledges with visitors “experiential” knowledge.

Research limits: Research limits are in its theoretical-deductive-predictive nature, well before the support of an empirical test, through a process of experimentation.

Practical implications: As for managerial issues, the solutions outlined in the paper have important implications for museum lives in terms of strategies, product policies as well as several reflections on marketing actions and, last but not least, on financial aspects.

Originality of the paper: The paper is one of the first attempts to foreshadow the possible impact of the Internet of Things on museum management and launches a debate that could be central in the next future, in this as well as in other fields.

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