Archive and Archiving in the Digital Era: a new perspective for using Museums Archive

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Curator of collections at Graeco Roman Museum PhD research scholar in Museum and Heritage Studies, Tourism and Hotels Faculty, Helwan University

Abstract

Archival material has to be exhibited for a visitor who seeks to 
be given the means for an independent way to interpret the 
exhibition.
Exhibit of archival materials not only show what repository 
collects, preserves, and makes available to users, but also they 
have the potential to educate, communicate, and serve a variety 
of other functions. They can encourage people to study the past 
and to save and donate items of historical interest; teach them 
something about the nature of archival work; inform them of new 
acquisition; tell an interesting story; commemorate an important 
event and make a major contribution to scholarship. 
The material that any institution leaves behind e.g. – documents, 
photographs, objects or diaries – mostly just gather dust in the 
storage of institutions. They have been bequeathed to these 
institutions for safekeeping and to provide the researchers with 
valuable sources.
Our time is in need of new modes to relate to artifact. So, it 
seems imperative to also change the way exhibitions are made 
and archival material is included and treated.
Accordingly, this paper will examine how can archival material 
be presented in a way that it makes sense to and meets the needs 
of the visitor to allow for new perspectives in interpreting the 
artifact? The main target is to encourage museums to preserve 
their historically valuable records. The archivist should consider 
going out into the community to meet with local groups to talk 
about the history of the museum. The principal aim of archives 
is not only to acquire, professionally process and make available 
archival documents for public or private purposes, but also to 
carry out preservation and conservation in order to keep valuable 
information and heritage for an indefinite period.

Keywords