# The Crypto-Museum: Investigating the impact of blockchain and NFTs on digital ownership, authority, and authenticity in museums Content type: Research Paper Summary: This thesis explores the intersection of digital heritage and blockchain technology, focusing on how museums can leverage NFTs to redefine digital ownership and audience engagement. Through case studies and qualitative interviews, the author investigates how traditional institutions struggle with concepts of authenticity, authority, and preservation in a digital-first environment. The paper analyzes the potential for NFTs to provide provenance and verifiable ownership for digital museum collecti Key concepts: Francesca Giliberto, museums, digital heritage, provenance, ethics, culture, digital curation
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The Crypto-Museum: Investigating the impact of blockchain and NFTs on digital ownership, authority, and authenticity in museums

Francesca Giliberto

ThesisJanuary 2022

Abstract

This thesis explores the intersection of digital heritage and blockchain technology, focusing on how museums can leverage NFTs to redefine digital ownership and audience engagement. Through case studies and qualitative interviews, the author investigates how traditional institutions struggle with concepts of authenticity, authority, and preservation in a digital-first environment. The paper analyzes the potential for NFTs to provide provenance and verifiable ownership for digital museum collections, while addressing the ethical implications of marketizing historical artifacts. It provides a nuanced look at the tension between decentralized blockchain ethos and institutional museum practices. The research concludes that while NFTs offer a powerful tool for provenance and revenue generation, museums must adopt critical policies to ensure cultural preservation remains central to their mission, rather than becoming secondary to speculation.

Key Findings

  • 1NFTs offer a robust technological solution for maintaining provenance of digital museum assets.
  • 2Museums face cultural and technical hurdles in integrating blockchain without compromising their role as trusted curators.
  • 3There is significant concern regarding the environmental and ethical implications of NFTs in the cultural sector.
  • 4Blockchain adoption in museums can potentially democratize access to digital culture if implemented with an educational focus.

Topics

museumsdigital heritageprovenanceethicsculturedigital curation
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Citation

Francesca Giliberto (2022). The Crypto-Museum: Investigating the impact of blockchain and NFTs on digital ownership, authority, and authenticity in museums. Thesis. https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/the-crypto-museum-investigating-the-impact-of-blockchain-and-nfts

BibTeX

@misc{thecrypto2022,
  title = {The Crypto-Museum: Investigating the impact of blockchain and NFTs on digital ownership, authority, and authenticity in museums},
  author = {Francesca Giliberto},
  year = {2022},
  howpublished = {\url{https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/the-crypto-museum-investigating-the-impact-of-blockchain-and-nfts}},
}

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