The ability to create online collections has become central to how institutions fulfill their digital initiatives. Providing digital access to collections supports research, education, transparency, and public engagement—extending the reach of collections far beyond the gallery walls.
Yet building and sustaining an online collection requires more than digitized images and a public-facing website. At its core, successful digitization depends on strong data governance, consistent standards, and reliable collection management software that can support both internal workflows and public access over time.
Digitization as a Strategic Responsibility
Digitization is increasingly recognized as a fundamental responsibility of modern museums. Scholars, educators, students, and the public expect collections to be discoverable online, whether for research, teaching, or personal exploration. A well-managed online collection allows institutions to share knowledge more equitably while supporting preservation by reducing unnecessary handling of physical objects.
Importantly, digitization does not replace the physical collection or the in-person experience. Instead, it extends the museum’s stewardship role to ensure that collections remain accessible, interpretable, and relevant in a digital environment.
Tradition Digitization is More Than Creating Images
While imaging is often the most visible component of digitization, it represents only one part of a sustainable online collection. The long-term usefulness of digitized collections depends on the quality, consistency, and structure of the underlying data.
Object records must capture far more than titles and images. Provenance, materials, cultural context, object relationships, exhibition history, and interpretive narratives all shape how collections are discovered and understood. Without this information, even visually compelling online collections can be difficult to search, contextualize, or reuse.
Digitization initiatives that focus solely on output, such as scanning objects or publishing images, risk producing disconnected assets. Sustainable digitization requires a data-first approach supported by robust collection management software.
As Alex Hoffman, Director of Innovation at Gallery Systems, explains: “For many institutions, requiring media for every record can be a significant barrier to publishing. While images undoubtedly enhance the experience, waiting for them isn’t always necessary or strategic. The decision depends on the collection and the audience. Publishing media is another part of the progressive process—records can go live first, with media added, improved, and refined over time as part of an evolving cataloguing and publication workflow.”
TMS Collections: The Foundation of a Sustainable Online Collection
At the center of every successful online collection is a centralized system that serves as the authoritative source for collections information. TMS Collections, Gallery Systems’ flagship collection management software, is designed to support this role by managing object records, media assets, provenance, rights, conservation activity, and exhibition history within a single, standards-based environment.
Without dedicated collection management software, museums often rely on spreadsheets, shared drives, or disconnected databases. These approaches can introduce inconsistencies, duplicate effort, and make it difficult to maintain data integrity as collections grow or institutional priorities change.
TMS Collections supports museums by providing:
- Structured, standards-based object records
- Controlled vocabularies and authority management
- Clear documentation of rights, restrictions, and approvals
- Scalable workflows that evolve alongside museum practice
Developed in close collaboration with museums over decades, TMS Collections reflects the realities of collections management rather than generic data management needs.
From Internal Records to Public Access with eMuseum
An online collection is only as strong as the systems that support it behind the scenes. When TMS Collections serves as the system of record, museums can confidently share collections data with public audiences through eMuseum, Gallery Systems’ platform for publishing collections online.
“TMS is the single source of truth for eMuseum-powered online collections, serving as the foundation for content management and publication. TMS users retain fine-grained control over what records, data, and media are shared online.” — Alex Hoffman, Director of Innovation, Gallery Systems
eMuseum enables institutions to transform authoritative collections data into a dynamic, public-facing online collection without duplicating records or introducing inconsistencies. Because eMuseum draws directly from TMS Collections, updates to object data, media, or interpretive content can be reflected online in a controlled and sustainable way.
Together, TMS Collections and eMuseum allow museums to:
- Present accurate, up-to-date collections information online
- Control which data is public, restricted, or internal
- Support online exhibitions and digital storytelling
- Ensure long-term consistency between internal records and public access
Expanding the Online Collection Without Expanding Risk
As museums make more of their collections available online, they must carefully manage rights, donor requirements, and culturally sensitive information. Increased visibility brings increased responsibility.
By managing rights, restrictions, and approvals within TMS Collections, museums can ensure that only appropriate content is published through eMuseum. This governance helps institutions expand their online collection confidently while maintaining ethical, legal, and professional standards.
Collection management software plays a critical role in:
- Tracking reproduction and usage rights
- Documenting donor and lender restrictions
- Managing culturally sensitive or restricted materials
- Maintaining version control across platforms
Building an Online Collection That Can Evolve
Digitization is not a one-time project. Standards, technologies, and audience expectations continue to evolve, and online collections must evolve with them. Sustainable digital access depends on systems that can adapt without requiring constant reinvention.
“Publishing collections online is a continuous, evolving process—it’s never truly complete. Treating publication as a journey rather than an all-or-nothing milestone makes progress more achievable and sustainable. Flexible workflows allow institutions to publish in ways that fit their goals, whether that means sharing records early and refining them over time or releasing content only once defined standards are met. In both cases, the act of publishing itself becomes a catalyst for improvement—surfacing gaps, encouraging consistency, and reinforcing best practices that ultimately strengthen records and improve discoverability.” — Alex Hoffman, Director of Innovation, Gallery Systems
By investing in flexible collection management software like TMS Collections (and by publishing through a connected platform such as eMuseum) museums position themselves to:
- Adjust workflows as practices change
- Support interoperability and future initiatives
- Scale online access responsibly
- Preserve data integrity over time
Gallery Systems’ long-term commitment to the museum community reflects this focus on sustainable infrastructure rather than short-term digital solutions.
Measuring Success Beyond Metrics
While analytics can provide insight into how users interact with an online collection, meaningful success is measured by how digital access supports the museum’s mission. Online collections should enhance research, education, and public understanding—not simply increase traffic.
By grounding online access in authoritative data managed through TMS Collections and shared via eMuseum, museums ensure that their digital initiatives remain accurate, responsible, and mission-driven.
Online Collections Built on Stewardship
Creating and expanding an online collection is ultimately an exercise in stewardship. It requires intentional systems, disciplined data management, and infrastructure that supports both internal accountability and public access.
With TMS Collections as the foundation and eMuseum as the public interface, museums can build online collections that are accurate, sustainable, and aligned with professional standards, ensuring that the knowledge embedded in their collections continues to inform and inspire audiences worldwide. To learn more about Gallery Systems solutions, please fill out a contact form and an expert will get back to you.
