Developing a Framework for a National Collection of Scottish Video Game Heritage
Explore how to curate and preserve Scotland's rich video game heritage by developing national collection strategies. Engage with museums and the gaming industry to understand and address the challenges of collecting interactive digital artefacts.
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Project Description
Project Overview
Scotland has a rich video game development history, ranging from amateur bedroom coding to significant global industry contributions. Yet, there is no consolidated approach to collecting and curating this heritage. This project explores what it means to collect video games for a national Scottish collection, examining technical complexities, cultural practices, diversity, and production histories. It is a collaboration among National Museums Scotland, Abertay University, and University of Glasgow.
What You Will Do
The candidate will conduct desk-based, qualitative, and practice-based research on video game collections, including interviews and community consultation with developers and industry practitioners. A placement with National Museums Scotland will offer hands-on curatorial experience. Research questions involve defining collectible video game objects, museum collection strategies, valuation criteria, and flexible sustainable collection methods considering rapid changes in the gaming sector.
Expected Outcomes
The research will provide a robust, practical national collections strategy for video game heritage to fill a significant gap—less than 200 of over 12 million artefacts at National Museums Scotland relate to Scottish video games. The project will inform acquisition policy and contribute novel theoretical insights to game studies and museum studies, with dissemination aimed at academic, public, and industry audiences.
Why This Matters
Video games challenge traditional analogue preservation due to their interactivity and composite nature, posing larger issues for museums worldwide. This project addresses these challenges in a museum context, ensuring preservation of Scotland’s cultural and technological gaming heritage. It offers relevance to galleries, museums, archives, and the digital heritage sector by developing sustainable strategies for contemporary collecting practices.
Entry Requirements
How to Apply
Eligibility
Supervisor Profile
Prof Robin Sloan is a scholar at Abertay University specializing in digital media, cultural heritage, and the intersection of technology and society. His research focuses on the preservation and interpretation of video games as cultural artefacts, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary and practice-based approaches. He is recognized for bridging museum studies and digital game research.