Miks on see eksponaat digitaalne? – Digitaalsete eksponaatide dimensioonid muuseumiruumis

Digital objects are used in the exhibition space in different ways. They can be indeterminate, so to speak, mandatory elements which have been created without a clear concept or a needs analysis and their function is to highlight the modernity of the exhibition. But they can also be the most important element of the exhibition – a strategic exhibition layer shaping the entire experience of the visit. Drawing from research on museum communication, this article aims to propose an analytical framework for digital exhibits in exhibitions. This framework should be regarded as preliminary. Our empirical examples draw upon one case study – we look at and analyze the exhibits of the Estonian National Museum's permanent display "Encounters", by placing them in a dialogue with other examples and analyzes from the literature of the field. We discuss the potential function of digital exhibits by examining it through the analytical dimensions that were applied in the development of the exhibitions, although this was done not consciously for the most part, since the exhibition relied on a different, primarily content-based organization. We propose seven distinct dimensions in this paper, starting with 1) spatiality, which encompasses the possibilities and limitations of digital elements related to space, and 2) temporality, which relates to the permanence and changeability of the digital exhibit content. Next, we look at 3) digital exhibits considering the dimension of private and public spheres, and 4) the aspect of the exhibit’s single or multiple users, which allows for a better understanding of the previously explored dimension of participation. 5) The creation of a narrative presenting the past relies more and more on combining fictional and documentary formats. Finally, from a critical perspective, we also discuss the questions of 6) authoritative and collaborative interpretation and 7) the openness and limitedness of interpretation possibilities. By highlighting some theoretical starting points with the help of specific examples, we attempt to show the heuristic value of the discussed dimensions in understanding visitor engagement.