When a museum acquires a painting, collections staff create a record for it in their collections management system, often called a CMS. That record may include the artist, title, date, and materials, along with how the museum acquired the work, where it’s located, its condition, and any loans, exhibitions or conservation work involving it. Staff update the record as the painting’s history with the museum grows.
Over time, a museum may accumulate numerous files related to that same painting: high-resolution photography, alternate views, images documenting its condition or conservation treatment, exhibition documentation, research materials and files prepared for publication. Museums create installation photography, event images, educational resources, marketing materials and other content related to their collections and institutional work, as well.
While a collections management system may be able to store a reference image or link to a related media file, it’s not built to manage all the digital files associated with a museum object. That’s where digital asset management (DAM) comes in: A DAM system complements a CMS by giving the museum a system designed around its digital files.
When the DAM and collections management system work together, the painting’s digital files stay tied to its object record. The DAM manages the files, while the collections management system maintains the recorded information about the painting.
A collections management system maintains the formal record of a collection object, including what it is, how the museum acquired it, where it’s located and what has happened to it over time.
A digital asset management system manages the images, video, audio, documents, and other digital files connected to the museum objects, as well as content created for exhibition, education, marketing, fundraising, events and press.
A DAM complements rather than replaces the collections management system. Connecting them keeps digital files tied to accurate object information, so staff don’t have to search two separate systems, match files to records or move information between them manually.
A collections management system starts with the museum object. A DAM starts with the digital files. That difference shapes what each system manages and how museum staff use it.
A collections management system gives museum staff a reliable place to document each object and track its history over time.
An accession number—the unique identifier assigned when an object formally enters the collection—often anchors that record. The record may also include the artist or creator, title, date, materials, dimensions, provenance (or documented ownership history), current location, condition, conservation work, loans and exhibition history.
A collections management system may store a museum object’s reference image or a link to a related file, but it’s not built to manage every high-resolution image, video, audio recording, document, or publication-ready file the museum creates and uses.
A museum DAM organizes digital files and the information staff need to find, understand and use them.
A DAM makes files searchable by attaching descriptive information, known as metadata, to each one. That information may include an accession number, photographer, image view, subject, exhibition, file format, approval status, usage restrictions or expiration date.
Using the same metadata fields and terms throughout the asset library allows museum staff to search using the information they know instead of needing an exact filename or folder location. A curator might search by accession number, a designer by exhibition and a communications staff member by subject or usage rights. Each person can find the same file using the details most relevant to their individual work.
A DAM can also keep an original master file connected to alternate versions and resized copies prepared for websites, presentations or external requests.
The collections management system and DAM do not need to contain the same information to work together. Instead, they need a dependable way to connect related records and files, along with a clear plan for which information should move between them.
The DAM and collections management system need a dependable way to recognize that an object record and a digital file are related. For example, museums can use the same accession number or object identifier in both platforms.
That identifier can connect one object with multiple images or one image with several related objects. It gives staff a reliable way to move between an object record and its associated photography and documentation without depending on filenames, folder locations or individual memory.
Without a DAM-CMS integration, museum staff may have to download an image from the DAM, resize it and upload it to the collections management system—every time a file is added or updated! They may also have to copy object titles, creator information, credit lines and other details from one platform to the other. Each manual handoff takes time and creates another opportunity for information to conflict or the wrong file version to be used.
An integration exchanges only the files and information each system needs. The collections management system might provide an object title, creator, date and credit line to support search and use in the DAM. In turn, the DAM can make the latest preview image or a link to the high-resolution master available from the object record in the CMS.
The museum decides which platform is responsible for keeping each type of information current and whether updates move from the DAM to the CMS, the CMS to the DAM or both. Staff spend less time moving files and re-entering information, while records and media are less likely to fall out of sync.
Not every staff member needs access to the complete collections management system. Marketing, education, development, publishing and visitor-experience teams may primarily need approved media and selected object information.
The DAM makes that material searchable without giving those teams access to confidential records, valuations, internal notes or other CMS information they don’t need. Staff can find approved files with accurate titles, credit lines, and usage information for exhibition catalogs, educational resources, websites, presentations, and press materials, while collections teams retain control of the complete object record.
TMS maintains the detailed collections records, while NetX manages the museum’s growing library of images, documents, video and audio. Connecting TMS and NetX gives staff access to both the collection context and the related files without asking one platform to perform both jobs.
Learn more in the NetX MoMA case study.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art connected NetX with its Qi collections management system to reduce the work required to move images between the platforms.
MoMA shows how a shared identifier can keep object information associated with artwork views and other digital files. SFMOMA shows how an integration can eliminate repeated downloading, resizing and uploading. The right approach depends on the institution’s collections, existing technology and publishing needs.
Before planning a connection, consider the work the systems need to support:
These answers provide a useful starting point for conversations with museum departments, technology teams and software providers.
No. A collections management system maintains the museum’s object records and stewardship history, while a DAM manages the media files connected to collection objects, as well as files created for exhibitions, education, marketing, fundraising, events and press. Connecting the two systems allows staff to use related records and media without asking either platform to take over the other’s role.
Usually not. Most teams need only the object information that helps staff find, understand, and use a file, such as an identifier, title, creator, date and credit line. A focused set of shared fields is easier to maintain.
Yes. Object information may move into the DAM while a preview or image-specific information moves back to the collections management system. The direction depends on which platform is responsible for keeping each type of information current.
When collection records and digital files are connected, staff can use both without asking the collections management system or the DAM to do a job it wasn’t designed to handle.
Museum teams gain easier access to accurate records and approved media, while collections staff retain control of the complete object record.
Learn how NetX Collection Sync connects museum object records with managed digital media.