Multilingualism and Digitization in Museum Communication: The Case of the “Museo Poliglotta” Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4312/sm.20.1.100-116Keywords:
digital museum communication, multilingualism, translation, transcreationAbstract
Museums are developing new communication strategies in the context of increasing digitization, globalization, and diversification of their audiences. Mobile technologies, hybrid communication formats, and rising expectations for interactivity are leading to a polyphonic museum narrative that involves visitors more closely and focuses on edutainment and cross-media experiences. At the same time, it is becoming clear that linguistic accessibility plays a central role in cultural participation: translations into English are not enough; rather, a multilingual, culturally sensitive communication provides to be a strategic key to the international positioning of museums. The “Museo poliglotta” project, embedded in the IGENI network, exemplifies how multilingualism can be implemented in digital museum communication. The analysis focuses on lexical, syntactic, and pragmatic features of Instagram Reels and Google Arts & Culture Stories about art contents in Italian, German, and English, also exploring translation challenges.
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Museo delle Storie di Bergamo (2023): Links zu den Instagram-Reels über Gaetano Donizetti (letzter Zugriff: 11.12.2025)
Italienisch
Intro https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cty9Eq_I4nh/
Benvenuti al Museo! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuEz-hGIkMg/
Gaetano… dietro le quinte https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuXCbR_Ifja/
In viaggio per l’Europa https://www.instagram.com/reel/CupEv-II65m/
Musica, maestro! https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu7GVryIt94/
Outro https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvNH4XdIUTH/
Deutsch
Intro https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cty-Hc2IiLl/
Willkommen im Museum! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuFB74wIf4Q/
Gaetano… hinter den Kulissen https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuXDnImISl1/
Auf der Reise durch Europa https://www.instagram.com/reel/CupFBFnoBq1/
Musica, maestro! https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu7GksboXPQ/
Outro https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvNIIhro_PD/
Englisch
Intro https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cty9xnPIL3y/
Welcome to the museum! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuFBsxsoyqL/
Gaetano… behind the scenes https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuXDO8UIBkV/
(travelling) around Europe https://www.instagram.com/reel/CupE54YIhao/
Musica, maestro! https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu7Gckhok9-/
Outro https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvNH7qwo3vS/
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Fondazione Brescia Musei (2023): Links zu den Google Arts & Culture-Stories über Giacomo Ceruti (letzter Zugriff: 11.12.2025)
Italienisch
Giacomo Ceruti fra miseria e nobiltà https://artsandculture.google.com/story/fAXBZfrnYHFPEQ?hl=it
Deutsch
Giacomo Ceruti zwischen Elend und Adel https://artsandculture.google.com/story/giacomo-ceruti-zwischen-elend-und-adel-fondazionebrescia-musei/fAXBZfrnYHFPEQ?hl=de
Englisch
Giacomo Ceruti between misery and nobility https://artsandculture.google.com/story/fAXBZfrnYHFPEQ?hl=en
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