Blockchain technologies for museum management. The case of the loan of cultural objects

ABSTRACT

The paper investigates the application of blockchain technologies to cultural heritage organizations, with a focus on museums, and outlines the advantages and limits of such technologies applied to the loan of cultural objects. To this aim, the paper employs the qualitative methodology of case study and presents two cases concerning the development of blockchain-based tracking systems and blockchain-based smart contracts, and their application to museums for the management of the loan of cultural objects. The application of blockchain technologies facilitates the circulation of cultural items, with benefits for the overall cultural offer, the attractiveness of museums, and, possibly, the consequent tourist flows. Moreover, it is argued that the use of blockchain-based tracking systems and smart contracts for the management of loans of cultural objects between organizations allows to overcome some organizational issues and to reduce transaction costs. Limits of the blockchain technologies for museums and managerial implications are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Blockchain
• blockchain-based smart contracts
• museums
• cultural heritage organizations
• case study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In this regard, see the example of a loan agreement published on the National Museum of American History website: https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/file-uploader/NMAH_Sample_Loan_Agreement.pdf.