Museums are institutions of utmost importance for the culture, society and economy of different countries, both nationally and locally. These spaces are created to preserve, study and exhibit the historic heritage of a given territory. The resulting museums are dedicated to art forms (painting, fashion, sculpture, film, literature, music, architecture, etc.), different jobs and activities (dressmaking, metal working, wood working, etc.), means of transport (transport, railways, automobiles, motorcycles, aviation, marine, etc.) and natural sciences (botany, anatomy, geology, paleontology, etc.). This has made museums true scientific and cultural outreach centers, as well as leisure and entertainment centers that add value to their surrounding area. This is due to the fact that they are meeting points for all those who wish to learn about a specific subject or delve into the past through illustrations, allowing them to acquire knowledge about topics of interest. Similarly, museums preserve works of art, pieces and documents of historical importance, thereby promoting cultural tourism within the country and across international borders. People enjoy art and appreciate the opportunity to contemplate it in person, fully enjoying a sensory cognitive experience. In turn, cultural tourism, which includes visits to museums and cultural centers, is closely linked to the need to invest in other services, such as hotels, transport, shopping, etc. It is therefore clear that museums generate significant footfall, positively contributing to the economy as they incentivize the flow of capital.
As would be expected, this activity is closely linked to the human factor and is part of globalization, resulting in a series of needs related to intercultural communication that require language services in order to break down the language barriers that may arise, create an effortless and comfortable experience for tourists, improve the quality of services at museums and contribute to cultural spread between different territories. This means that museums are institutions that also require a variety of translation services and, therefore, today’s article will discuss these requirements, the most appropriate professional profiles and the advantages of localizing content in these types of spaces.
What type of texts does a museum produce? Although it may not be obvious at first glance, exhibiting works of art, pieces or documents is not the sole focus of importance at museums. Given their role in dissemination, it is essential for the exhibited works to be accompanied by written explanations that identify the work, place it within its historical context and, as is common, provide a short explanation of its origin, meaning and role. These texts can come in different forms, but the most common are labels: small texts in the form of a small label, card or plaque that are placed next to an exhibited piece to provide interesting information about it. They are usually written in the local language (in fact, this is always the case in smaller museums and cultural centers), but larger institutions or those with an international audience tend to localize them into another language, usually English, which is the most widespread language for cultural dissemination. However, language combinations can vary depending on the specific circumstances. In these cases, the translator profile must have the ability to transmit aspects inherent to the culture of origin to the target culture, addressing all aspects that may be taken for granted in the former, but require an explanation in the latter. This is also clear in other types of written documents, such as visitor’s guides and catalogs, in which the collection of pieces must be explained in an engaging and informative manner, as well as discussing its historical context and relevance. This is an important aspect of localizing museum content since it includes the information that will reach the audience and affect their ability to understand and interpret.
In tandem, we must not forget that it is also useful to adapt maps, souvenir shop signs and documents relating to the museum visit, including tickets and program brochures. The visitor’s experience must be as intimate and effortless as possible, and investing in translation is to invest in a better impression, resulting in greater popularity and recommendations.
In addition to written documents, museums also localize multimedia documents, such as audio guides and video subtitles. In fact, audio guides have become a very valuable resource for these institutions as they give foreign language speakers the opportunity to move through all the exhibited works and play a verbal explanation in their own language, which is more enjoyable as they do not have to look away from the pieces. However, there is a degree of debate in this regard since it is a paying service in the majority of museums, and not all tourists can afford it. Could it be included in the ticket at a lower price? Museum managers continue to discuss this issue. Moreover, subtitles are becoming more and more necessary since it is common to find large screens in museums that play videos explaining the exhibited works. However, a conflict also arises with regards to which subtitles to include as, sometimes, the local language is used as a resource for people with hearing loss and not as a localization strategy.
All in all, museums are institutions that require a wide range of translation and localization services. When provided correctly by qualified professionals, they can add significant value and lead to increased visits, ensuring that the country’s economy and culture flourish.
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