Data, information, statistics. For better or worse they are part and parcel of our world, gathered and used as an influence in decision making, or in defence of a decision made. The pandemic has probably been the most data rich epidemic in human history, and we are all familiar with how the reading of it altered throughout. The collection and use of data is itself not neutral, and can be used to fight causes. Our own museum world is awash with data, and that is increasingly becoming ‘joined up’ with moves such as ‘Towards a National Collection’. Collections of data in themselves can be regarded as collections in their own right, rather than data about something else.
With these perennial questions about data, combined with the increasing scrutiny of data and shift in how museums may identify themselves and their audiences after the pandemic, this year’s conference is calling to discuss our relationship with data. We want to talk about how our sector is using it, what insights it has brought to our work, and how to use it. We are interested in the collection and curation aspects, how it affects interpretation and communication.