On 9 March, the Network of Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries hosted the workshop “Frictions of the Digital: Rethinking Innovation and Engagement in the GLAM Sector” as part of the DHNB 2026 conference.
The seminar explored the complexities of digital transformation in museums and cultural heritage institutions, focusing on how organisations navigate the dynamic, and often tension-filled, relationship between heritage preservation, cultural values, rapidly evolving technologies, participatory practices, and limited resources.
Participants also examined playful and game-based approaches as tools to encourage experimentation, enhance visitor engagement, and create new forms of interaction within the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sector.
A key outcome of the workshop was the collaborative creation of a “Frictions Map,” highlighting major challenges in digital cultural heritage – from institutional readiness and sustainability to innovation practices and user engagement. The discussions revealed broader tensions shaping digital development, including balancing technological possibilities with institutional ambitions, measuring cultural value in digital environments, and managing the different rhythms and resource constraints of digital transformation.
The seminar was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture’s research and development programme “Estonian Culture Research and Development Programme 2023–2026” (grant KUM-TA 43 “Digital Cultural Heritage as a Societal Resource”), as well as the i-Game project via our partner in Estonia, the Estonian National Museum. References: here.
Photos: Agnes Aljas