Museums and intelligence
This article introduces the official annual theme for Network Museum in 2025: Museums and Intelligence. Before diving into the increasingly predictable topic of artificial intelligence in museum management—reserved for a dedicated monograph in the Tecnomusei section—the editorial team proposes a deeper reflection: What does it mean for a museum to be intelligent?
The initiative began in August 2024 with a survey exploring how museums perceive themselves and their publics. It emphasizes institutional introspection as a path to greater awareness of social roles, addressed topics, and internal dynamics—regardless of professional categories.
To support this inquiry, Network Museum is:
Continuing its survey series in the Numbers and Trends section
Distributing traceable questionnaires to museum professionals, categorized by role
Launching parallel research via Network Museum People to gather public perspectives
On the artificial intelligence front, the article outlines:
Surveys on awareness, application areas, and outcomes of AI technologies
Questions about how AI has influenced museum identity and operations
The formation of an informal consortium of research bodies, IT and educational companies, museums, and universities to experiment with AI in museum contexts
The article serves as a foundational threshold, inviting thoughtful participation and shared reflection on the evolving intelligence of museums.