The new collection management system?

Center for the Future of Museums twittered this today: Barcodes help objects tell their stories.

Here is the direct website for Tales of Things.

I got a bit excited. Is this the step that the internet needs to form into a collection management system? Is there a way that small museums can incorporate this into their systems, as a way to share objects with larger audiences? Can this be used in our project Wikipedia Saves Public Art?

So many questions. I'm looking forward to trying out my first barcode!

A photo of the Ten O'Clock Line Sculpture taken in Gosport, Indiana this past week:

Next phases..

Our beloved Wikipedia Saves Public Art is growing in notability (how Wiki!)! It's delightful to meet people in the museum world who know about the project - I'm so proud to be involved! Soon Richard and Jennifer will fly off (no bird pun intended) to Denver for Wikimedia@MW2010 to share our hard work with fellow professionals, public art and birds throughout the region. We've still got some work to do - I'm working on D.C. and we're trying to wrap up the final aspects of SOS! in Indianapolis. It's going well though, and once others jump on board it can only get better. Read the blog entry written by Richard McCoy at the Indianapolis Museum of Arts blog: "The Bird Flies in Denver."

I've had a lot going through my head after a lecture last night about how Wikipedia can help document performance art that isn't "allowed" to be documented by museums and institutions that purchase concepts/performances. Who says I cannot document a concept as a non-institutional person on Wiki? Perhaps there is something or someone, if so, please let me know. I'll get my thoughts together more on this and hopefully write more shortly. (And this also brings up ethics questions?)

I've made the decision to head off to The George Washington University to get my masters in Museum Studies. Should be a great experience. I love DC, and it will be a great place to show off my WSPA skills, continue to meet others who are passionate about museums and culture, and to finally settle into a new place (at least for two years). Heading out for a short trip and looking forward to a symposium featuring keynote speaker Richard Kurin...very cool - only in D.C.!

Ok, gotta fill out exciting financial aid paperwork. On that note, I'll leave you with an image of Frances Slocum's memorial marker in northern Indiana. More details on the road trip I took seeking out Native heritage in the region soon!