NORDICOM-INFORMATION 39 (2017) 1: 75-79

COMMENTARY

Niklas Nylund Media museums, research, and the preservation of the immaterial heritage

Museums are also doing research. When dealing with preservation measures concern- ing the media, museums have traditionally been interested in saving communication instruments and technology: radios, telegraphs, telephones, computers et cetera. As the media are increasingly influencing society as a whole, are media museums supposed to focus on material objects? Could the role of communication and messages gain a more central place in the museological preservation of the media? As the example of the Internet Museum shows, there are several directions to take.

In a process often labeled mediatization, the contemporary collecting. Contemporary col- media are occupying an increasingly central lecting was once a novel new way of looking at role in shaping societies (see e.g. Couldry & the museum work, where objects are replaced Hepp, 2013). At the same time, museums as with various preservation techniques, ranging media are increasingly moving from object- from ethnographic observation to photogra- centered displays to interactive experiences phy, audio and video to interviews in different in what has been described as a “crisis of the media (cf. Axelsson, 2014). Contemporary object”, a trend that is by some accounts th- collecting seems to perfectly meet the needs reatening the monumental “aura” of objects in of media museums struggling with disappear- museums (cf. Smith, 2006: 546-547; Henning, ing objects. 2006: 71). In relation to the media, contemporary col- The crisis of the object is nowhere as appar- lecting can take many forms, depending on ent as in the case of media museums. As the who is preserving and what is being preserved. focus of preservation is changing from object The Finnish Museum of Games in to message, from media technology to com- has been able to preserve contextualizing in- munication in the media, media museums are terviews with thirty prominent game design- in the midst of a shift from a material world to ers, dealing with the ways games are being and an immaterial one. have been made. Preserving messages (and other forms of Similarly, Rupriikki Media Museum has immaterial heritage) requires a new kind of interviewed fifteen people from various demo- paradigm. graphic groups about their social media usage, first in 2010 and later, in 2015, an update with the same persons. Contemporary collecting Sometimes collecting can be carried out Many media museums are increasingly inter- with the more active assistance from the com- ested in what has since the 1970s been called munity dealt with. The changing exhibition My Game History open at the Finnish Museum Niklas Nylund, Museum Curator at The Fin- of Games from January to March 2017, dealt nish Museum of Games and Rupriikki Media with thirteen students from the University of Museum, PhD student at the and their respective stories about Tampere. how they became gamers. The exhibition is

75 Nordicom-Information 39 (2017) 1 realized as a university course, aimed at stu- The above examples are just some interpre- dents from diverse disciplines. tations of the ways that media preservation Media preservation can take other forms, in an immaterial age can be dealt with. All also: the Media Museum in Odense is plan- of them deal with the preservation of com- ning to adopt a media-archeological approach munication and messages, not the physical (Huhtamo & Parikka, 2011) for researching objects that museums have traditionally been the ways the museum audience interacts with interested in. older media technologies like videocassette Although immaterial, they are still mu- recorders, double deck boomboxes and other seological objects, as they are on display in portable cassette players, as well as gaming exhibitions and in the focus of preservation computers such as Commodore 64. This ma- efforts by the museums. Thus, there also exists terialistic and retrospective turn aims at us- an ongoing negotiation regarding their value, ing the “dead media” in terms of extinct and a negotiation that includes the remembering forgotten media technologies to challenge the of some things about them and the forgetting established narratives of media history. of others (Vahtikari, 2013 & Badenoch, 2014).

Collaborative creation Re-negotiation of of collection the historical value As apparent, preservation work is not done in In this vein, it is important to admit that mu- a vacuum, but increasingly in cooperation with seums are places where, over time, museologi- different kinds of groups and communities. cal objects gain new meanings in an ongoing The Finnish Museum of Games, for exam- trialogue between a) the object, b) the way it is ple, has been planned with the support of uni- displayed and/or preserved and c) the recep- versites in Tampere and Turku. The objects on tion of the audience in reaction to it (Akker display have been chosen from the collections & Legêne, 2016: 7). of a hobbyist collector group and the private The ongoing re-negotiation process is pos- collections of numerous game designers, game sible for material, but also immaterial objects, journalists and the gaming community. Active and a serious reminder of the importance of cooperation has resulted in hundreds of object museums in the digital age. Museums are donations, research and collection work relat- about dialogue and trialogue: a place for re- ing to them, as well as a very representative contextualizing, re-evaluating and shaping collection of photographs about gaming in its our understanding of history – and a place for various forms. doing these things together.

References Media Couldry, Nick, & Hepp, Andreas (2013). Edi- Akker, Chiel Van Den & Legêne, Susan (2016). In- torial. Conceptualizing Mediatization: Contexts, troduction, in Akker, Chiel Van Den & Legêne, Traditions, Arguments. Communication Theory, Susan (eds.): Museums in a Digital Culture: How 23(3): 191–202. Art and Heritage Become Meaningful. Amsterdam: Henning, Michelle (2006). Museums, Media and Cul- Amsterdam University Press. tural Theory. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Educa- Axelsson, Bodil (2014). The Poetics and Politics of tion. the Swedish Model for Contemporary Collecting. Huhtamo, Erkki & Parikka, Jussi (eds.) (2011). Media Museum and Society, 12(1): 14–28. Archaeology: Approaches, Applications, and Implica- Badenoch, Alexander (2014). Translating objects, tions. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. transnationalizing collections: Inventing Europe Vahtikari, Tanja (2013). World Heritage Cities Between between museums and researchers. In P. Innocenti Permanence and Change: International Construc- (Eds.), Migrating Heritage: Experiences of Cultural tion of “Outstanding Universal Value” and Local Networks and Cultural Dialogue in Europe (pp. Perceptions at Old Rauma from the 1970s to the 39-52) (14 p.). Farnham: Ashgate. 2000s. PhD Dissertation. Tampere: Tampere Uni- versity Press.

76 Nordic media museums

The Danish Film Institute, Copenhagen Struer Museum, Struer http://www.dfi.dk http://www.struermuseum.dk

The Danish Film Institute (DFI) is Denmark's natio- Besides exhibitions about the culture life in and nal agency for film and cinema culture, operating around the town of Struer, the museum hosts a under the Ministry of Culture. The museum sup- section about the world famous consumer ele- ports the development, production and distribu- ctronics company B&O. At the B&O section you tion of films and run the national archives. The DFI can experience the history of a West Jutland Film House in the heart of Copenhagen provides business adventure, which has made B&O to an a meeting place for filmbuffs and filmmakers ali- international success. Follow the development ke with the Cinematheque and its three cinemas, of the world-famous design icons. Relive the his- a videotheque, restaurant and café, bookshop tory of radio and television, and experience how and a film lab for children, FILM-X. these medias have changed our daily lives.

Enigma, Copenhagen Päivälehti Museum, Helsinki http://www.enigma.dk http://www.paivalehdenmuseo.fi/en/

Museum of post, telecommunications and Presents the history of media, modern-day me- communication is Denmark's communications dia and the future of media as well as the free- museum. The museum holds Denmark's natio- dom of speech in and in other countries. nal collections of post and telecommunications The museum aims to promote the ability to in- and has the largest stamp collection as well as terpret the media and particularly, to encourage the country's main reference library in its field. children and adolescents to read. The museum is run by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation, a private, non-profit organization, which strives to Media Museum, Odense secure quality journalism and protect the free- http://museum.odense.dk dom of speech in Finland. The Media Museum focuses on the history of print and electronic media in Denmark. Through Media Museum Rupriikki, Tampere special exhibitions, basic exhibitions and new http://vapriikki.fi/ communication initiatives, you are given a vivid insight into the media and its development as A history museum devoted to mass communica- well as a critical introduction to the role of the me- tion. Located in Vapriikki Museum Centre, the mu- dia in society and the technology used, past and seum features a permanent exhibition about the present. The Media Museum does not provide a history of mass communication and networking. complete picture of Danish media history, but an The exhibition is built with the help of objects overview with the help of important points in its from Tampere Museums’ extensive collections, as history. This is done on the basis of research, rele- well as objects on loan from Sonera Historical Col- vant collection, registration and storage. lections. Rupriikki has worked extensively with preservation projects dealing with media usage, Ragnarock, Roskilde development and communities. http://museumragnarock.dk Radio and TV Museum Mastola, Lahti A museum on pop, rock and youth culture. Cen- http://www.lahdenmuseot.fi/museot/ tered around the music, the museum tells the story about the youth culture and the musical A museum that collects, researches and exhi- eras from the 1950’s onwards. Music has been bits artefacts and traditions connected with the speaker of the youth and has created the broadcasting. The main sets in the collection foundation for various political views, techno- are radio and TV receivers, broadcasting studio logies, linguistic trends, media and fashion. technology, items related to program produc-

77 Nordicom-Information 39 (2017) 1 tion, amateur radio and DX listening devices, up about 700 m2 and is the largest in Norway. domestic audio recording equipment, radio valves and telephone appliances. A fully reno- The Museum of Print, Sula vated museum opened in February 2017. http://www.sula.kommune.no/

The Finnish Postal Museum, Tampere The museum aims to be a lively museum whe- https://www.postimuseo.fi/en/ re the visitors can experience the work of book printing. During many years, Knut Øvregård Founded in 1926 and in 2014 the museum was running a printing office in Langevåg, and started a new era by moving from Helsinki to today the museum is located in his old premi- Tampere, founding a private museum foundati- ses. Old traditions are kept alive, and the mu- on networked with various partners. The colle- seum collection consists of printing presses ctions comprise a large number of objects and turned by hand, back from 1893 – and every- images as well as all stamps issued in Finland thing is still working. and various special philatelic items. The Mu- seum hosts Finland's only public library specia- The Tele Museum – Museum of the lising in postal history, where researchers has Norwegian Communication History, Oslo also access to extensive archives. The museum http://telemuseet.no/ arranges special exhibitions of numerous to- pics and interesting events. An independent, cultural historical, scientific ins- titution, organized as a foundation. The aim is to Filmmuseet i Oslo, Filmens hus shed light on the connection between telecom- http://www.nfi.no/filmkunnskap/filmmu- munication and social development in Norway. seet An important source of knowledge is the Mu- seum’s collections of telecommunication history A museum with a collection from Norwegian and the work of Telenor, the main funder of the and international cinematic history. The mu- museum. The museum also contributes with seum's own cinema displays historical films, photographs and objects from the collections to including the first films what where shown in other exhibitions around the country. Oslo in 1896, and new Norwegian short films. The origins of the film industry are document- Rockheim, Trondheim ed through authentic, optical toys and old film https://www.rockheim.no/ sets. The museum also houses costumes worn by major movie stars, themed exhibits with The national museum of popular music. Behind animation, advertising, Norwegian film cen- the scenes, Rockheim’s staff is engaged in ma- sorship and a quiz station, as well as some of naging and researching Norway’s pop and rock Norwegian cinema's most famous props and music, and in making it accessible to the pub- characters. lic. The visit to Rockheim begins in the specta- cular “Top Box”. From the main exhibit on the The Norwegian Radio and TV Museum, 6th floor you proceed down floor by floor. The Selbu music and stories are communicated by means http://norskradio-tv-museum.no/ of interactive exhibit technology and objects from the museum’s collections. The museum exhibits the history of the radio in Norway, from 1890 until 1980. The collections The Fjeld-Ljom Press Museum, Røros include pictures, music and radio program- http://www.fjeld-ljom.no/ mes. The focus lays on the radio production in Norway, and especially the bigger ones. Even Located in the former premises of the local news- though there was a period when Norway had paper Fjeld-Ljom. It is a museum where newspa- about 50 radio stations, Tandberg, Radionet- pers can still be made the old way, with lead ty- te, Salve Staubo and Edda Radiofabrikk were pes, clichés and hard work. The machines found always dominating the radio industry. These in the museum are authentic, and most of them are all widely presented in the museum, from are used in the production of the old local new- the first to the last machine. The facilities take spaper. Some of the machines in inherited by ot-

78 Nordic media museums her local newspapers. The machines operate fine gaming culture over the years. The collection and can be demonstrated at the museum. includes everything from the 1970’s “Space in- vaders” to the latest VR technology. Fotomuseet Preus museum, Horten http://www.preusmuseum.no/ The Swedish Broadcasting Museum, Motala Preus museum is Norway's National Museum http://www.motala.se/radiomuseum of Photography. Founded in 1995 when the Norwegian Government bought the collec- Located in the premises of the old transmit- tions that belonged to Preus Fotomuseum, a ter station from 1927. The Museum’s collec- private museum, the Norwegian State is now tion includes the original transmitter used to the owner of the museum. In May 2001 the send Sweden’s first radio call in 1927, with the museum moved into Magasin A at Karljohan- strength of 30 kW. The transmitter was replaced svern in Horten, about one hour’s drive from in 1935 by a much stronger one, which is also Oslo. The collections contain photographies, stored and available to view at the Museum. cameras and other technical equipment that shed light on the history of photography. The- The Post Museum, Stockholm re is a wide representation of the international http://www.postmuseum.se history of photography in the image collection. Preus museum's library holds international Situated in the oldest building of the Swedish standard. postal organization, dating back to the 17th century. The Museum opened in 1906 and is The Film Museum, Kristianstad owned by the Swedish postal service, PostNord. http://www.regionmuseet.se/filmmuseet.htm The collection of the Museum consists of many objects, books and journals, stamps, photo- Located in Kristianstad, where some of the graphs and archive documents of various kind. first Swedish films were produced in the early The philatelic collection for example, consist of 1900. The Museum is based in the old original almost 4 million stamps as well as original and film studios. The collections include pictures, printing proof for Swedish stamps. sounds, suits and objects from the fist decades of Swedish film productions. The Film Museum The Museum of Cinema and TV, Säter is one branch of the Regional Museum. http://biografmuseet.se

IT-ceum, Linköping Founded in 1989, the museum represents the http://www.datamuseet.se history of moving image in Sweden. The Mu- seum works in preserving historical objects Sweden’s only museum for computer-related from the last few years of silent films to the history. A collaboration between Linkoping birth of sound films, the breakthrough of TV, University and the municipality, the museum Video technic, mobile phones and cameras. opened in 2004. The museum aims to shed light on the past, present and future where The Swedish Music Hall of Fame, computers play or have played an important Stockholm role. The permanent exhibition Digital Dreams https://smhof.se focuses on Swedish computer development from the 1950 until today. A museum, opened in 2013 in Djurgården, on the Swedish popular music. One part of it Stockholm Museum of Video Games consists of the popular ABBA museum. The http://stockholmsspelmuseum.se exhibition Swedish Popular Music shows how Swedish popular music has evolved over time. Opened in 2016, the museum aims to exhibit Examples are shown of how music, media, te- the history of gaming and gaming culture in chnology and societal influence each other. Sweden. Through the different stations in the Museum the visitors can play the games and discover the consoles that shaped Swedish

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