By Cheryl Robbins / Taiwan news, Staff Writer


Every day, the National Palace Museum receives an average of 6,000 visitors. On weekends and holidays that number increases significantly. During those times the most popular display cases are often blocked by crowds of curious onlookers, making it almost impossible to get a good view.

Some of the objects are very small and intricately carved. Even with strategically located magnifying glasses, it is not always possible to see details fully. In addition, as the exhibition space is limited, visitors will not be able to view the museum's entire collection at any one time.

Fortunately, advances in digital technology are helping to eliminate the challenges of traditional museum visits. The NPM began digitizing its collection in 2001 and expects to complete the project in 2008. Inside the museum, the achievements of this digitalization project can already be experienced through its wireless guided tour system, multimedia films and interactive computer games. Online, the Antiquities Digital Data Retrieval System, Painting & Calligraphy Digital Data Retrieval System, Ch'ing Palace Memorials and Grand Council Archived Memorials Database, Rare Books Database, Genealogy Records Text Database and Illustrated Sutras Database are available through the museum's website: (www.npm.gov.tw). This project has also been valuable in strengthening the museum's educational function through such programs as the online Digital Museum, created to provide in-depth information about objects on display in past, current and upcoming exhibitions. Digitized collection content will also be used to create e-learning programs.

Digitized images of the Ch'ing Dynasty "Jadeite Cabbage with Insects," one of the most famous works in the collection, have been used to create an animated i mage ad for the museum. /Courtesy of NPM