Beyond our digital walls
Why we share open collections, data, and knowledge around the web.
Open collections support access and impact
Lots of people come to our websites to help them learn and create, but most of the world is still outside our digital walls.
We share collection images, data, and research through websites and tools outside what we’ve built because this gets them in the hands of new people and allowing for new ways to use them.
Sites like Wikipedia, Google Arts & Culture, and GBIF are used by huge and specialised audiences who know what they’re looking for, so it makes sense to put it in front of them.
Before using a new platform, we carefully consider how it works, who will be using it, and how to be most impactful for that audience while minimising risks to the collections and communities we serve.
Because so many of our collection images and the catalogue information that goes with them are openly licensed, we’re able to easily share what we have.
What we don’t share
We don’t automatically share everything we hold. Lots of images are still in copyright or have cultural restrictions on their use, and sometimes websites aren’t built in a way that lets us give collections their appropriate context.
Suggest a new platform
If you want our collections images or data on your site, or think they belong on one of your favourite sites, let us know by emailing digitaloutreach@tepapa.govt.nz.
