THE USE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES BY MUSEUMS: COMMENTARY ON THE RESULTS OF AN AUDIENCE RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN SEVEN NATIONAL MUSEUMS IN PORTUGAL ; O USO DAS TECNOLOGIAS DIGITAIS PELOS MUSEUS: COMENTÁRIO AOS RESULTADOS GLOBAIS DE UM ESTUDO DE PÚBLICOS REALIZADO EM SETE MUSEUS NACIONAIS EM PORTUGAL

As social institutions, museums develop a proximityaction with the environment that surroundsthem. Operating in a logic of direct dialogue withthe needs and interests of their participants, theseinstitutions represent a reflection of the social,cultural, economic, technological, and politicalenvironments in which they operate. As a consequence,in its space coexist notions that, sometimesconflicting, sustain the concepts of tradition,transition and change.Thus, in the context of their recent history, museumshave been progressively marked by an epistemologicaland operational environment sustainedby the transversal use of digital technologies. Theattitude that these institutions adopt towards thesetools is, in general, reflected in the relationshipthey establish with contemporary society. Fromthis point of view, analyzing the social impacts ofthe use of digital technologies by museums meansunderstanding how these technologies may or maynot favor the relationship that museums establishwith their audiences.Thus, seeking to present a comment on theresults of an audience research carried out in sevenNational Museums in Portugal, this reflection aimsto contribute to the debate on the role of digitalin enhancing the communication of museums andtheir perception in society. ; Enquanto instituições sociais, os museus desenvolvemuma ação de proximidade com o ambienteque os rodeia. Operando numa lógica de diálogodireto com as necessidades e interesses dos seusparticipantes, estas instituições representam umreflexo dos ambientes sociais, culturais, económicos,tecnológicos e políticos nos quais se inserem.Como consequência, no seu espaço coabitamnoções que, por vezes conflituantes, sustentam osconceitos de tradição, transição e mudança.Deste modo, no contexto da sua história recente,os museus têm sido progressivamente marcadospor um ambiente epistemológico e operativo sustentadono uso transversal das tecnologias digitais.A postura que estas instituições adotam facea estas ferramentas, encontra, de um modo geral,reflexos na ...