“Hyperconnectivity” is a term invented in 2001 to design the multiple means of communication we have today, such as face-to-face contact, email, instant messaging, telephone or the Internet. This global network of connections becomes each day more complex, diverse and integrated. In the hyperconnected world of today, museums join the trend. This is the reason why the International Council of Museums (ICOM) chose the theme “Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics” for the International Museum Day 2018.

It is impossible to understand the role of museums without taking into account all the connections they make. They are an inherent part of their local communities, their cultural landscape and their natural environment. Thanks to technology, museums can now reach way beyond their core audience and find new publics when approaching their collections in a different way: it can be the digitalisation of their collections, adding multimedia elements to the exhibition or something as simple as a hashtag that allows visitors to share their experience in social media.

However, not all these new connections are due to technology. As museums strive to maintain their relevance in society, they shift their attention to the local community and the diverse groups that make it up. As a result, these past years we have witnessed the birth of countless common projects organised by museums with the collaboration of minorities, indigenous peoples and local institutions. To engage these new publics and strengthen their connections with them, museums must find new ways of interpreting and presenting their collections.