The web application ACMI Soft Power Map is a focused single-museum online tool to geo-visualise and assess the ACMI’s “attraction power” in Melbourne and abroad. It maps the ACMI’s collection appeal power, digital engagements and international connections in different countries around the world. This tool offers multilayered exploration of ACMI cultural resources and social outputs to reveal social-demographic, cultural and economic factors that affect its capacity to attract larger visitation and revenue.

Layer 1: Collection Appeal Power Index

The project aims to employ Geographical Information Technologies to develop a pilot version of the digital mapping system “Museum Soft Power Map”. This digital system will provide a new computation research method to explore contemporary museums and geography of their influence. It will geo-visualise museum “soft power,” defined as an institutional ability to mobilise global public, generate economic activity and attract international investments.

Currently I am working on the article that proposes and justifies a new methodological framework to measure museum “soft power” by employing geo-visualization as a new method empowered by the rapid development of digital humanities. This research not only demystifies the buzz term of “soft power” that is frequently applied in relation to contemporary museums and their international cultural engagements, but also develops an evaluation framework to assess museum capacities to exert global impacts. Specifically, the article draws on the academic scholarship outlining a plethora of approaches for “soft power” evaluation, including Resources, Outputs & Outcomes, Perceptions and Networks evaluation models.