New website connects Pacific people to cultural heritage collections

The Pacific Virtual Museum pilot project website, https://digitalpasifik.org/is now live.

https://digitalpasifik.org/ will provide access to Pacific cultural heritage items held in the world’s museums, libraries, archives, universities, and other institutions.

“The design of the site allows Pacific Island peoples to see and explore items that are mostly held far away from their islands. We know that people of the Pacific may not be aware these items exist, and so it’s exciting to have developed a site that makes it easy and accessible for them to find and learn about these.” says Tim Kong, Programme Manager of the Pacific Virtual Museum pilot.

“We hope that the site will help Pacific island people of different generations connect and better understand the many unique cultures that make up the Pacific region.”

The website is designed by, with and for Pacific peoples, educators, learners and researchers. Representatives from libraries, universities, archives and museums from around and within the Pacific, as well as NGOs and those working with community groups, made up the initial co-design group.

https://digitalpasifik.org/ will provide a platform for holders and creators of cultural content and knowledge in the Pacific Islands to share it with a wider audience.

The pilot project is funded until February 2022 and within that time the digitalpasifik.org site features will be further developed, content partners will be added, and the co-design group will continue to guide the delivery. A key part of the project will be to explore ways of sustainably implementing and supporting the pilot project aims beyond this date.

The Pacific Virtual Museum pilot project and digitalpasifik.org is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa National Library of New Zealand, in collaboration with the National Library of Australia.

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For further information, please contact media@dia.govt.nz or call +64 27 535 8639