Unlocking the Archive

Today, archives are at the centre of a fascinating turning point in museography. This paper examines how archival materials were first brought within the sphere of exhibition design. It then explores the particularities of archival documents and considers the new perspective which the digital age has lent to their treatment, with the shift that has occurred in the past decade or so in the role of museums leading to the integration of interactive displays. With three practical examples, the paper looks at case studies carried out by ARTCHIVIUMlab, a media design studio working exclusively with archives, and reflects on the historically-based, but innovative approach that has been applied to each project in an effort to present archive material in a way which speaks to the contemporary public.