Action Plan for the Digitisation of Cultural Heritage

The state-run memory institutions have a total of more than 900 million heritage objects of significance for Estonian culture. Digitisation is one of the best and, in some cases, the only way to ensure that the heritage is preserved in the most appropriate manner and made available to as many people as possible.

The objective of the action plan for the digitisation of cultural heritage was to make one third of the cultural heritage stored in our memory institutions digitally accessible by 2023 and to upgrade the infrastructure for storing information in the memory institutions. The action plan largely focused on the heritage from years 1900 to 1940. Documents, publications, photographs, films and objects were digitised.

The action plan exceeded the set goal. By the end of 2023, 42% of the cultural heritage in Estonian memory institutions was available digitally. The budget was 9.7 million euros, of which 6.9 million euros were received as support from the European Regional Development Fund.

The action plan was prepared in cooperation by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Education and Research.

Digitized cultural heritage is available from the following sources: 

  • document heritage: Saaga Digitized Archival Sources, Information System of Estonian Museums MuIS, file repository Kivike of the Estonian Literary Museum, University of Tartu digital archive DSpace and Estonian Pedagogical Archive;
  • printed heritage: National Library of Estonia's digital archive DIGAR;
  • artifact heritage: Information System of Estonian Museums MuIS;
  • film heritage: National Archives' Meediateek and portal for Estonia's film heritage Arkaader, archive of the Estonian Public Broadcasting, descriptive data in media library and Estonian Film Database;
  • photo heritage: National Archives' photo database FOTIS, Information System of Estonian Museums MuIS, file repository Kivike of the Estonian Literary Museum, University of Tartu digital archive DSpace and eBiodiversity portal eElurikkus.

The new "Cultural Heritage Digital Action Plan 2024-2029" is currently being prepared, as a result of which by 2029, 55% of Estonian cultural heritage will be digitally accessible, conveniently used and safely preserved. The focus of the new action plan is the user of digital cultural heritage. Within the framework of the action plan, digitization will continue, but more focus will be placed on the accessibility of digital heritage. 3D digitization of artefacts and buildings is added.

Contact

Kristiin Meos

Adviser (Digital Heritage)

Last updated: 04.02.2025

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