Figure 1 EMA Judges Meeting in Dortmund – June 2025

The European Museum Academy (EMA) is a non-profit foundation established in 2009 in the Netherlands. Founded by a group of museum and university experts to honour the legacy of influential British museologist Kenneth Hudson, EMA functions as a dynamic museological think tank and a collaborative society of more than 80 volunteer experts from diverse national and cultural backgrounds across Europe. Its unique structure allows it to be a flexible, responsive organisation dedicated to advancing museological knowledge and practice.

EMA’s core mission is multifaceted, reflecting a deep commitment to the evolving role of museums in contemporary society. Its objective is to raise the quality of museums at every level of operation, from conceptualization to visitor experience. This is achieved by actively stimulating new ideas, promoting innovative experiences, and providing constructive criticism on emerging exhibitions and museum models. EMA supports the idea of museums as vital tools for social change, recognising their social, educational, economic, and ecological roles in the modern world. A significant emphasis is placed on promoting inclusive museum education, ensuring that cultural experiences are accessible and engaging to all age groups and diverse audiences.

Pillars of EMA’s Activities

The European Museum Academy’s influence and impact are built upon several key activity pillars:

1. Research & Innovation: EMA is deeply engaged in research in the field of museum innovation. It positions itself as an incubator for new talents and innovative programs, aiming to continuously improve the quality of museum services and elevate the broader museological discourse at a European level. EMA has representatives in 38 countries who annually report about museum developments and developments of importance to museums in their respective countries. This forms the basis for a comprehensive annual European report including an analytical summary. This is an invaluable material for museological research together with submitted material from museums who participate in the awards managed by EMA, and the assessment reports from the EMA judges.
2. Publications: A crucial aspect of EMA’s knowledge dissemination strategy is its involvement in significant museological publications. EMA’s leadership actively contributes to and champions scholarly works that shape the discourse around museum practice and future development. Two prominent recent examples include:
   • “The Routledge Handbook of Museum and Heritage Education” (June 2025): Co-edited by key EMA experts including Maggie McColl (Board Member), Karl B. Murr (Chairman), and Henrik Zipsane (Director), this handbook serves as a practical reference guide on how museums, galleries, and heritage sites can offer successful visitor engagement opportunities. It argues for the central role of museum education in policy, practice, and research, demonstrating how these sites empower visitors internationally and contribute to societal betterment and sustainability.
   • “The Museum of the Future: Between Physical Place and Virtual Space” (2024): Edited by Karl B. Murr, Chairman of the European Museum Academy, this anthology critically examines the spatial characteristics of museums in an increasingly digitalized world. It explores the interplay between physical and virtual spaces, featuring contributions from international museum experts across various disciplines.
   • EMA has launched (2025) `Museum and Social Change,` a new annual magazine dedicated to exploring the evolving role of museums in inclusion, participation, sustainability, and cultural dialogue. From groundbreaking educational initiatives to innovative exhibition strategies, MAG brings together experts, practitioners, and forward-thinking institutions across Europe to share insights, best practices, and bold ideas. (an image in attachment)
3. Awards and Recognition: Perhaps one of EMA’s most visible and impactful activities is its comprehensive set of annual European museum awards. These awards honour individuals and organisations that demonstrate excellence in presenting, interpreting, and engaging with art and cultural heritage, while also stimulating innovation and setting standards for the sector. These awards highlight EMA’s role in identifying, celebrating, and disseminating best practices and innovative approaches across the European museum sector.
   • EMA Prize (since 2011): Recognizes long-term or sustainable achievements by an outstanding individual or exemplary institution influencing museological discourse internationally.
   • Luigi Micheletti Award (since 1995, EMA took over judging since 16th edition): Recognizes remarkable, unique, extraordinary permanent exhibitions, focusing on how content is translated into a narrative and history-telling.
   • DASA Award (since 2011): Highlights educational programs and exhibitions in museums, encompassing learning opportunities in a broad sense.
   • Živa Award (since 2012): Run by Forum of Slavic Cultures, the award acknowledges outstanding achievements of museums and cultural heritage sites with a Slavic cultural background, promoting knowledge exchange.
   • Children in Museums Award (since 2011): A cooperative project with Hands On! International, celebrating creativity and innovation in museum exhibitions and programs specifically designed for children up to 14 years of age.
   • Heritage in Motion Award (annual): An international multimedia competition celebrating innovative multimedia projects that interpret, preserve, and promote cultural heritage, recognizing creative uses of technology in heritage projects since 2014.
   • Museums in Short Award (since 2012): A collaborative project recognizing short videos created by/for/with museums, highlighting their role in enhancing museum communication and engaging audiences.
   • Art Museum Award (since 2020): Dedicated to outstanding projects addressing art or art interventions in European museums and galleries, with a focus on social relevance, participation, inclusion, and social openness.
4. Academic Involvements and Training: EMA is actively involved in promoting continuing education in the museum sector. Since its founding, it has participated in university degree programs and (online) courses in museology across Europe, as well as summer schools, such as its collaboration with the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s (EDUMaH) programme led by Glasgow University.
5. Project Implementation: Beyond its own initiatives, EMA acts as a vital partner in several international research and development projects, including Horizon Europe, Creative Europe, and Erasmus+ programmes. HERITALISE and META-MUSEUM projects are two active examples, where EMA’s expertise in project management, dissemination, and stakeholder engagement makes it a valuable consortium member.
6. Conferences, Seminars, and Knowledge Exchange: EMA regularly organizes and plans various seminars, conferences, and other events. These platforms serve as crucial forums for exchanging museological and museum-practical knowledge, promoting dialogue, and building a collaborative community among museum experts. This year’s European Museum Academy Awards Meeting will take place on 25-27 September in Budapest, Hungary.

EMA’s Strategic Contribution to the HERITALISE Project

The HERITALISE project focuses on digitizing and visualizing cultural heritage using advanced technologies like AI, multispectral imaging, and 3D modelling. Its goal is to create interoperable tools and methodologies for cultural heritage professionals, enhancing preservation, study, and public engagement, and integrating cultural heritage data into the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH). EMA’s contribution to HERITALISE is strategically aligned with these objectives, amplifying the project’s impact through several key mechanisms:

1. Promoting CH Digitization: EMA leverages its vast network of museum professionals, experts, and institutions to effectively disseminate HERITALISE’s project results. EMA ensures that these cutting-edge advancements reach the practitioners who can most benefit from them by raising awareness about the innovative tools and methodologies developed within HERITALISE.
2. Capacity Building: EMA organizes and facilitates targeted workshops, training sessions, and networking activities. These initiatives are designed to equip cultural heritage professionals and institutions with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand, implement, and effectively utilise the outcomes of the HERITALISE project, thereby ensuring the practical adoption of the developed technologies and methodologies.
3. Dissemination and Outreach: EMA is one of the core contributors to HERITALISE’s communication strategy. Its expertise in reaching diverse audiences within the cultural sector is important for ensuring the high visibility of HERITALISE’s achievements by communicating the project’s progress and results through EMA’s various channels.
4. Leveraging Awards for Innovation & Adoption: EMA’s established awards programmes are perhaps its most powerful vehicle for amplifying HERITALISE’s impact. These awards act as catalysts for promoting the project’s innovations, inspiring adoption, and encouraging collaboration. Awards like “Heritage in Motion” (recognizing outstanding multimedia projects using technology for heritage preservation) and “Museums in Short” (celebrating short films and audiovisual content for audience engagement) directly align with HERITALISE’s technological focus. EMA emphasizes the importance of the digitisation and visualisation tools central to HERITALISE by highlighting such projects.

To conclude, the European Museum Academy is a strategic partner for the HERITALISE project. Through its strong framework of research, publications, training, extensive networks, and particularly its influential awards programmes, EMA contributes to converting HERITALISE’s technical innovations into tangible impact, promoting adoption, building capacity, and ensuring recognition of its contributions to the digital transformation and preservation of European cultural heritage.