All You Need to Know About OMMIK
A Database for Experts in the Hungarian National Museum
In October 2011 the Hungarian National Museum created a new department – the National Museology, Methodology and Information Centre (OMMIK in its Hungarian acronym). The decision, aimed at helping the development
of Hungarian museum practice, reflected the principle whereby professional methodology centres are based in national institutes – for example the Library Institute in the National Széchényi Library and the Professional Coordination Centre in the National Archives.
OMMIK had two aims: professional preparation to help the work of the Department of Public Collections and the operation of professional methodological and information services for museums. OMMIK functions as a national museum methodology centre. In addition, it deals with methodology and coordination relating to the digitization of items held in museums. One of its initial tasks was to create a professional database in which the separate data collections (annual museum statistics, functioning permissions for museum institutes, data concerning technical supervision) would be integrated in an information system in the interest of up-to-date information services and comprehensive, professional analysis prior to decision-making.
In 2015 the level was reached whereby the data could be made publicly accessible. Thus last year the Hungarian and English-language service MuzeumStat (muzeumstat.hu) was developed. On the basis of cooperation between the National Museum and the Public Collections Department of the Human Resources Ministry, OMMIK participates in carrying out the tasks of technical supervision as determined by the relevant decree.
Given the growing expectations of the digital age and considering the digitization of cultural treasures in museums and the publication of data, institutes are under pressure. OMMIK, with its aggregative services vis-à-vis museums and the launch of MuseuMap (museumap.hu) ensuring a common search platform, is helping to create a broader online publication of artworks being digitized in museums. The precise data of institutes connected with the service is automatically uploaded via MuseuMap to the Europeana portal, where it can be searched. Development of the service creates the possibility of concentrated searching of Hungary’s museum institutes online and in one place, and further represents a significant expansion of data about Hungarian artworks in museums, which can be searched on a European level.