Metadata ensures artworks and cultural objects are described accurately and consistently. It is essential for cataloguing, discovery, interpretation and digital preservation.
Why metadata matters
Metadata supports:
- Online access
- Research and scholarship
- Long term preservation
- Digital exhibitions
- Collection audits
- Loans and documentation
Recognised standards
V21 uses sector recognised frameworks including:
- Getty Categories for the Description of Works of Art (CDWA)
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- Controlled vocabularies and authority files
Metadata in Online Exhibitions
Metadata structures support:
- Titles and dates
- Materials and techniques
- Provenance
- Exhibition histories
- Bibliographies
- Relationships between works
Metadata for museum workflows
Consistency in metadata helps museums coordinate cataloguing, documentation, digitisation and preservation.