Ravenspoint Centre Museum on the Isle of Lewis, home to the renowned Angus MacLeod Archive, is embracing IoT technology to safeguard culturally significant exhibits and enhance visitor experiences.
The volunteer-run museum partnered with CENSIS, Scotland's innovation centre for sensing, imaging and IoT technologies, and connectivity consultancy FarrPoint to deploy the LoRaWAN network. The system monitors humidity, temperature and visitor numbers in exhibition areas, and complements the existing infrastructure in the museum's storage facilities.
Maintaining the right humidity levels is essential to protect historical items from damage and deterioration. The new system provides real-time data, enabling the museum to effectively track environmental conditions and visitor numbers. This automation removes manual data collection by volunteers, streamlining operations and ensuring consistent record-keeping – a vital requirement to maintain accreditation from Museums Galleries Scotland.
The initiative is part of CENSIS’ IoT Evolve programme, funded by the Scottish Government and Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE), which supports local organisations in the development and application of IoT technologies.
Ravens Point Museum and Angus MacLeod Archive has been operating as a comprehensive archive and social history museum for the Point area for 15 years. The collection focuses on life in the Gaelic-speaking village of Calbost and is provided primarily in hard copy, although some material is available in electronic format. The collection is popular with researchers specialising in island life, tenant farming and the history of the Hebridean people.
Donnie Morrison, chairman of the Pairack Historical Society, which runs the museum, was excited about the new technology, saying: “This equipment will enable us to better protect our artefacts and preserve them for future generations. The people counting technology will be particularly valuable as Stornoway's new deep water port aims to attract more cruise ships and an increase in tourism is expected.”
Ravenspoint Centre now plans to use similar visitor-tracking sensors in its cafes to better allocate resources and determine optimal opening hours and staffing levels.
Ally Longmuir, Business Development Manager at CENSIS, highlighted the importance of the project, saying: “This initiative demonstrates how organisations can harness the benefits of IoT regardless of location. Pairc Historical Society now has the tools to better protect Scotland's heritage, make informed management decisions and improve visitor experiences.”
Dr Andrew Muir, chief executive of FarrPoint, added: “It's pleasing to see Scotland's remote museums leading the way in adopting IoT. This proven IoT project could also benefit many other museums that still carry out manual checks. We would encourage other institutions to consider these technological solutions.”
Finally, the project is a fantastic example of how small, remote cultural organisations can use modern technology to preserve history, operate more efficiently and provide unique experiences for their visitors – setting an excellent example of how such organisations can lead the way for museums in Scotland and beyond.
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