Cuseum was excited to be at CultTech Summit 2024, which was held on November 5-6 in Vienna’s lively MuseumsQuartier and brought together visionaries from around the world to explore how technology is transforming the cultural sector. This year’s event saw more than 650 attendees and 70 speakers from over 35 countries, including leading innovators, museum professionals, artists, investors, and creatives, who came together for two days of thought-provoking panels and discussions.

The summit’s agenda spanned over 30 sessions with more than 40 speakers, featuring names like Gerfried Stocker, CEO of Ars Electronica, and Hazel Savage, VP of Music Intelligence at SoundCloud. With topics ranging from AI-powered audience engagement to the use of NFTs in art, the event served as a powerful reminder of how innovation is shaping the future of culture.

For us at Cuseum, the highlight was undoubtedly the panel discussion titled “Beyond the Exhibit: How CultTech is Transforming Today’s Museums.” Moderated by the dynamic Stephanie Meist, the panel featured our very own Brendan Ciecko, alongside two brilliant minds: Kristina Leipold of LAS Art Foundation and Martijn Van Schaik of Broken Egg. Together, they dove deep into the ways technology is redefining museums not only as institutions but as spaces of innovation, education, and community.

The Role of Digital Transformation in Museums

Kicking off the panel, Brendan set the tone by emphasizing the critical role digital transformation plays in the modern museum landscape.

“Museums must embrace digital transformation not as an option but as a fundamental component of their mission to engage and educate diverse audiences,” he stated.

Brendan elaborated on how technology and digital tools allow museums to expand beyond their physical boundaries, reaching audiences they might never have engaged otherwise.

Adding to this, Kristina Leipold highlighted how digital tools can elevate the visitor experience while constructing dialogue bridges between cultural institutions and the tech world.

“Technology gives us the ability to explore new ways of connecting with audiences while addressing pressing global challenges like biodiversity,” Kristina said.

Martijn Van Schaik offered a complementary perspective, discussing how museums can use technology to create immersive storytelling experiences. He shared examples from his agency’s work, including a restoration project where AR allowed donors to see the stones they had “sponsored” digitally highlighted in the physical space.

“Technology can deepen the sense of ownership and connection between visitors and cultural heritage, creating experiences that go far beyond the exhibit,” Martijn remarked.

Personalizing the Visitor Experience

Personalization was a recurring theme that Stephanie brought throughout the discussion, with all three speakers agreeing on its importance in fostering deeper connections between museums and their audiences. Brendan explained how data analytics and setting the right set of metrics can help museums tailor experiences to individual visitor preferences.

“Leveraging data responsibly allows museums to create meaningful interactions by providing personalized tours, exhibit recommendations, and targeted content,” he said.

"Museums used to pride themselves solely on the quality of their collections, preserving art, and scholarly pursuits. More recently, it has shifted more towards audience. But, it’s not just your attendance numbers. You need to look at outcomes, like educational impact or digital reach."

Kristina expanded on this idea by expressing how important the balancing of personalization with inclusivity was for her. She noted how LAS Art Foundation uses visitor feedback to continually improve upon their existing projects, ensuring that technological solutions remain accessible and impactful for their diverse audiences.

Martijn provided a factual and recent example, highlighting a project involving gamification in museums. He stated that by creating games that allow visitors to explore exhibits in a playful, interactive way, museums can appeal to younger audiences while maintaining educational value.

“We all have a playful side, and technology allows us to tap into that to create joyful and memorable experiences,” he said.

Technology as a Bridge, Not a Barrier

A key point of the discussion centered on the challenges of integrating technology without losing sight of a museum’s core mission. With regards to this, Brendan stressed that technology should act as a bridge, enhancing the connection between visitors and cultural heritage.

“It’s crucial for museums to approach digital integration thoughtfully, ensuring that technology serves as a tool to enhance storytelling rather than a distraction,” he remarked.

"Museums get bombarded with the next newfangled NFT or tokenized ‘this’…” pointing to the importance of having a “filtering process of what accommodates a need, what responds to what the world around you is telling you, and what truly serves your community building goals."

Kristina echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that effective mediation is key. She shared an example of how LAS Art Foundation incorporated live guides to help visitors navigate new technologies like NFTs and blockchain.

“Technology can be intimidating, but with the right guidance, it becomes an enabler for deeper engagement,” she said.

Martijn discussed the importance of starting small and scaling solutions incrementally. “Begin with a pilot project, gather feedback, and refine. Technology doesn’t have to be perfect on day one; it’s about learning and evolving,” he advised.

Museums as Laboratories for Innovation

A powerful takeaway from the session was the idea of museums as laboratories, spaces where innovation and experimentation thrive. Brendan framed his perspective about museums as being laboratories:

“One thing that I would challenge today's museums to think about is almost a measure of innovation; a measure of doing things differently annually and not just measuring the basic variables. Museums are not just museums; museums are laboratories. If they can find a way to incorporate and challenge themselves not to do things this year the way they did things last year, that’s where progress lies.”

Kristina reinforced this concept, explaining how LAS Art Foundation collaborates with scientists, technologists, and artists to create projects that address both cultural and ecological challenges. Her work illustrated how museums can become hubs of interdisciplinary exploration.

Martijn added a practical dimension, emphasizing the importance of partnerships.

“Museums don’t have to innovate alone. Collaborating with tech companies, startups and even other museums can lead to groundbreaking solutions,” he said.

Final Thoughts

The “Beyond the Exhibit” panel at CultTech Summit 2024 perfectly captured the transformative potential of technology in the museum world. For Cuseum, Brendan’s insights underscored how technology and digital-forward approaches can elevate visitor engagement, while Kristina and Martijn provided compelling examples of how museums are evolving to meet the needs of contemporary audiences.

At Cuseum, we’re proud to be a part of this ever-changing conversation and were thrilled to be invited to participate in a session focused on helping museums embrace technology and connect with audiences in meaningful ways.

As our CEO concluded, “The future of museums lies in their ability to integrate technology smoothly into their narratives, creating dynamic and interactive experiences that resonate with contemporary audiences.” It’s a sentiment we wholeheartedly believe in; and one that will continue to guide us as we partner with museums around the world.

Dive Deeper into the CultTech World

Interested in learning more about how technology is transforming museums and cultural spaces?

Visit Cuseum’s website to explore insights, case studies, reports and the latest trends in cultural technology field. Together we can positively shape the future of cultural engagement.