Documenting the museum: a look at the SPECTRUM standard L

Abstract

The SPECTRUM standard, developed by the Collections Trust in the United Kingdom, aims to enhance the documentation and management of museum and institutional collections, ensuring consistency, accessibility, interoperability, and preservation. This article investigates the application of the SPECTRUM standard in the documentation and cataloging of cultural heritage objects, focusing on its significance in the representation, preservation, organization, and access to museum collections. The methodology of this study involves a theoretical approach centered on the literature review and the analysis of the Collections Trust's technical documentation, aiming to obtain an in-depth understanding of the SPECTRUM standard, including its guidelines, purposes and impacts on the documentation and management of museum collections. By adhering to the guidelines of SPECTRUM, museums can establish standardized cataloging practices, facilitating effective comparisons, research, and collaborations among institutions. The study seeks to address persistent challenges, such as the lack of standardization and difficulty in interoperability, proposing solutions provided by the SPECTRUM standard to promote transparency and facilitate access to diverse cultural heritage. Furthermore, the article highlights SPECTRUM as a fundamental tool to broaden accessibility and discovery of cultural heritage, promoting data interoperability, and contributing to the long-term sustainability of collections. Ultimately, the adoption of the SPECTRUM standard is presented to simplify the comprehensive, standardized, and responsible representation of cultural heritage objects, enriching research, study, and collective understanding of shared heritage.