Samenvatting

This research has worked to consider the effects that implementing local object names might have on inclusivity, accessibility and representation of the Wereldmuseum’s digital collection. This was researched through document research including the current collection management system TMS, the publicly accessible collection website and internal documents as well as through interviews with two museum employees and six local source community members. The interviews with local source community members included user testing and case studies of the collection website.

It found that, while local object names do improve the museum collection’s inclusivity, accessibility and representation, other adjustments to the museum’s collection registration system need to be made first in order to properly accommodate local object names, such as adding proper translations of a predominantly Dutch database, creating space for multiperspectivity and nuanced categorisation and ensuring all information, including existing local object names and proper credits to collaborators, can be catalogued and accessed. Following these adjustments, the museum can provide a steady foundation for the work, internal and external through collaboration, necessary for implementing local object names.