E-Business

Assignment # 01

Submitted to: Madam Tahira Hassan

Submitted By: Huma Naz (199-

FMS/MBA/IT/F07)

Kiran Afshan (200-

FMS/MBA/IT/F07)

International Islamic University,

Islamabad.
1. What are museums using the
internet for? What types of websites are
they developing?
Answer:
Museums are using internet for following
purposes:
Museums are using internet for getting rid of the tension of space
because when using internet they can make all their collection
available to visitors to see but physically due to space problem they
can display only 4 to 5 percent of their items to visitors.
They are using internet to provide easy access to their visitors
independent of time clock. This increases their number of membership
and the amount of money they received from the sale of merchandise

Museums using the internet:

Young Memorial Museum

California Palace
Fine Art Museum
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Mystic Seaport Museum
Ambitious National Museum of American Art

Types of websites are they developing

Different museum use different types of websites:

Some offer little more than an online brochure with prices,
hours, a calendar, a floor plan and maybe a few token images
from the current exhibition.
Many digitize or digitally photograph every item in their
collection. Some make every image available online.
 Fine Art Museum and Metropolitan Museum use web as:
Sampler, offering a look at those items on display in their
galleries. The best way to present is that only 50 or some items
from each curatorial department would be online at any one
time.
They use web for publicity.
Fine Art museum website guide about upcoming events.
Met provide online gift shop and membership enrollment.

Philadelphia Museum wed site provide:

Images of historic customs.

Ambitious National Museum of American Art use website for:

Displaying Images
For education and research, web based contents to Schools and for
Scholars, maintain an online database with detail about 35,000 items
in its collection.

2. What are the advantages of websites for museums?

Answer:
Advantages of websites for museums:
The website charges no admission, remain open round the clock.
Websites help in publicity, marketing, membership, education,
research, recordkeeping, conservation and sales.
Expanding their reach, anybody can visit from any place.
Earn more money through web, online visitors purchase gifts and
tickets.
Although issues are related to intellectual property, but websites are
required to market and to get people into museum.
Art is easily accessible to everyone.
Some museum online efforts complement rather than duplicate or
highlight physical holding.
 Websites help in business processes. For example National Museum of
American Art was closed due to construction, than the web is only way
to communicate with visitors.
Websites are able to operate different kind of people according to their
requirement.
Website can help to built life time relation with visitors.
Websites are the integral part of exhibition.

3).What disadvantages are there?

Answer:
Disadvantages:
Virtual museum can replace walking through actual gallery.
Evan a good interface and a good resolution cannot present real
beauty and features of art work.
Quality is not assured
It is difficult to present artwork or artifacts on web
The museum worries about Scale. It is difficult to present two stories
Calder sculpture on 14 inch screen.
Large amount of cost is required
Issues related to intellectual property right, somebody will steal,
misuse, maybe sell online images.
People manipulate the images for fun.
Cost is very high for website projects.

4. What are the obstacles in developing websites for

Museums and what do you think they can do to
overcome these obstacles?
Answer:

Obstacles in developing websites for Museums:

There are many obstacles that faced during websites development
Following are the obstacles that can create difficulties in developing websites
for museums:
Issues of intellectual property rights i.e. someone will steal, misuse,
or, may be ever sell their online images.
Online art reduces profit because of poor image quality.
Cultural divide between museum staff
Nobody believes the virtual museum experience can replace walking
through an actual gallery.
Concerns about rights and cost remain the biggest roadblock.
Most of the people are yet not online.
How to overcome these obstacles:
Following steps can be taken to overcome the obstacles mention above:
It may help sell proposals for art, science and educational grant
proposals.
They can sell exhibition tickets, online fund raising and sponsorship
options and purchase.

5. Visit Site: http://www.pmnh. gov.pk/ .How might

Question 2 and 3 relate to Pakistan museum of
national history?
Answer:

Advantages of http: //www.pmnh. gov.pk/:

It is available round the Clock.

Provide online visit form for the head of the school, university, colleges
for the group visiting of the museum. And provide time information.
There are more than 30 scientists and designers who are engaged in
research primarily pertaining to the biodiversity of Pakistan with
special reference to environment and natural habitat degradation.
Download landscape, plants and flowers.
 Highly productive collaboration research programmes with many
foreign countries are in progress, such as those with USA, UK, Japan
and Italy. France, Switzerland.
Website provides information about museum and complete virtual tour
of museum. PMNH has Display Galleries in which a number of dioramas
and other exhibits are displayed.
Website is use for publicity and marketing.
Everyone can visit it.
Art is easily accessible on web.

Shortcomings of This website:

Tickets are not sold online

It cannot completely cover the features of artwork.
Website is not attractive.
It is difficult to protect intellectual property.
The website not support in research work.

6. Is Pakistan museum of national history making any

money? How can they make money from the site?
Answer:
Introduction:
Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) Islamabad, was established in
1976, under Science Foundation (Ministry of Science and Technology Govt of
Pakistan). The Museum has four Divisions, namely, Botanical, Zoological,
Earth Sciences and Public Services. The first three divisions are engaged in
the collection, identification and research activities related to plants,
animals, fossils, rocks and minerals resources of Pakistan. The scientists,
artists, designers are also responsible for science education and creating
awareness about environment and conservation through dioramas, exhibits,
lectures, workshop, seminar, posters, shows etc. PMNH also provides
consultancy and advisory services to public and private sector.
Pakistan museum of national history is making money by performing
following activities:
 They are earning money by providing consultancy and advisory
services to public and private sector.
They entertain the requests for lectures and film shows for schools and
colleges.
Mostly people visit the museum and they are charged with admission
fee (entrance tickets) which also generates money for the museum.
They offer training courses in animal and plant collection, preservation
and curation. Special courses in animal taxidermy and model
preparation are also offered.
They provide services to identify plants, animals, minerals, rocks,
fossils and precious stones are also available. They can evaluate your
gems too.
They provide technical assistance in setting up of natural history
corner.
PMNH also design and setup large scale exhibitions and expos for you.
Their experts conduct guided field trips for nature studies.
They can also help one to set up natural history clubs and supervise
other group activities.

How can they make money from the site?

Pakistan museum of national history can make money from the site using
following ways:
They can sell exhibition tickets on its website. Currently their website
is static with no information about how to buy tickets online if
someone wants to visit the museum. They just take very little
information e.g. name of institution, address, head name, telephone
number and the desired date etc. on which the school or any other
institution wants to arrange visit and confirms the acceptance of visit
request but does not provide any facility to purchase online tickets.
They can offer online fund raising and sponsorship options.
They can sell proposals for art, science or educational grant proposal.
They can sell pictures online.