The digital strategy of the Basel Historical Museum (Historisches Museum Basel).

1. BASEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM DIGITAL STRATEGY 2015-17 PAGE 1
BASEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM – DIGITAL STRATEGY 2015-17
1. VISION
The Basel Historical Museum uses digital media as part of its integrated AUDIENCE
strategy in pursuance of its core business: examining and analysing history and the
present-day as well as asking future-oriented questions. The employees
communicate across departments and cultivate a dialogue group-appropriate contact
with the worldwide community. This form of digital commitment creates new
incentives in all museum spheres and is establishing itself on a lasting basis. In 2017
the Basel Museum of History (HMB) will be one of the most innovative city museums
in the world.
2. MISSION
The Basel Museum of History also sees the integrated inclusion of digital media as
“e-culture”. The HMB:
A. through its e-culture activities, completes and optimises what is currently
offered and existing work processes (marketing, crowdfunding, e-procurement,
open data, etc.) and, thus, creates new access options within its outreach,
collection and exhibition activities (infotainment & edutainment, transmedia
storytelling, etc.);
B. uses current channels of communication which, over and above the medium of
the exhibition, can serve as an autonomous form of outreach;
C. widens its communication network and now also addresses a community that
does not necessarily have an affinity with museums but probably does so with
formats or topics;
D. encourages regional, national and international dialogue with the community
and, in doing so, supports the breaking-down of barriers.
3. AREAS OF APPLICATION
“e-culture” as an approach that covers the different departments promotes
institutional know-how and pursues the following sub-goals:
3.1EDUCATION (OUTREACH)
Development and implementation of digital outreach formats as well as hybrid
forms1
(tweetups, serious games, pop-ups, foxtrails, digital trend formats, etc.)
3.2EXHIBITIONS
Creation of multiple exhibition access options, information levels and
experience levels by including various communication technologies such as
augmented reality, apps, multimedia stations, audio guides, etc.

2. BASEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM DIGITAL STRATEGY 2015-17 PAGE 2
3.3MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Communication specific to different dialogue groups and marketing of what the
museum offers. Strategic specifications of the platforms used.
(As at April 2015: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+,
Flickr, TripAdvisor, Storify, Mailchimp).
3.4COLLECTIONS
Creation of multiple collection access options as per the following guidelines:
3.5ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT
Ensuring the technical bases (IT, collection archive, multimedia and support).
Optimising work processes and procuring funds (e.g. e-recruiting, e-
procurement, crowdfunding, etc.)
4. MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
Continuous measuring of success levels lies within the area of responsibility of the
respective department. The following performance indicators (KPIs) form the basis
for this:
• Outreach & exhibition formats “hybrid”: visitor numbers, user numbers, reach,
resonance (media awareness, feedback from visitors)
• Outreach formats “digital”: visits / hits, reach, number of comments, number of
shared content items, resonance (media awareness, feedback from visitors)
• Web content: visits / hits, repeat visits, time spent, bounce rate
• Maintenance & administration: economies, donations, sales, resonance (e.g.
number of applications)
• Development of organisation: milestones concerning internal training, working
out workflows, number of active employees in social media, number of active
bloggers.
Basel, 08.04.2015, Daniele Turini
1
The term ‘hybrid form’ refers to a combined form of analog and digital outreach.
COLLECTION
WEBSITE & OPEN DATA CORPORATE BLOG SOCIAL MEDIA
“NARRATIVE” ACCESS “PLAY-BASED” ACCESS“SCIENTIFIC” ACCESS

3. BASEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM DIGITAL STRATEGY 2015-17 PAGE 3
e-culture at the Basel Historical Museum