Museum of Communication: Focus on AI and sustainability

The Museum of Communication has a new President of the Board of Trustees in Melanie Mettler, a member of the Bernese National Council (Advertisingweek.ch reported) and is now presenting two new milestone projects: Sustainability has long been a focus at the Museum of Communication. However, the exhibition has further intensified the effort. The new foundation president also emphasizes that the museum wants to stay on the ball. As part of Planetopia, the museum team has launched numerous other measures in 2022 and 2023. Their effects can now also be seen on the electricity meter: the museum's consumption fell by 100,000 kilowatt hours in 2023 compared to the previous year (almost 20 %). Thanks to a Planetopia life cycle assessment, it is also clear that the consistent use of reused materials in exhibition construction has led to a saving of around 10 tons of CO2. Internal sustainability targets now ensure that this commitment is continued. The museum is thus further expanding its pioneering role in the area of sustainability.

Focus on digitalization: a new online portal

The new online portal of the Museum of Communication and the PTT archive was already causing a stir in specialist circles before it went live. Other institutions are keen to adopt the innovative combination of scientific database search and edited content. The portal has now been online for a few days. Here you can find everything you need for scientific research on the subject of communication, as well as a digital magazine similar to a blog. In order to continuously improve the search, users are involved with crowd sourcing (opportunities for participation). At the same time, the museum and archive are the first Swiss memory institution to use artificial intelligence to improve image searches. Whether working women in the changing 20th century, political resistance of the so-called "radio pirates" or means of communication such as stamps or cell phones: the collections of the two institutions - documents, photos, objects or interviews with contemporary witnesses - are digitally accessible. They range from the present day to the 16th century. Thanks to the new online portal, the content is more accessible and can be used more widely.