Building the Digital Infrastructure for Cultural Discovery
June 2025–Present
IDbGLAM—the International Database of Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums—is a new digital discovery platform designed to make the world’s cultural organizations, collections, exhibitions, events, and experiences easier to find and explore.
Version 2.0 transforms IDbGLAM from a directory of digital resources into a connected cultural ecosystem. Beginning with Baltimore as its proof of concept, the platform brings together museums, historic sites, libraries, archives, galleries, cultural centers, universities, theaters, festivals, public art, and heritage destinations in one searchable, location-based network.
Users can discover what is nearby, explore cultural places by category, find current exhibitions and events, and connect directly with participating organizations. Institutions gain greater visibility, stronger connections to local audiences, and access to digital tools that many smaller organizations cannot develop independently.
Key Developments
- A Connected Cultural Directory
Built an expandable database that connects cultural organizations with their locations, programs, exhibitions, events, collections, and institutional relationships. - Baltimore Proof of Concept
Selected Baltimore—one of the nation’s most culturally and historically rich cities—as the first demonstration market, creating a model that can be expanded regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- AI-Assisted Database Building
Developing tools that can identify cultural organizations, gather publicly available information, detect missing data, and prepare new listings for human review—dramatically reducing the time required to build and maintain the database.
- Location-Based Discovery
Introduced maps, proximity searches, category filters, and “near me” functionality to help residents and visitors understand the cultural landscape around them.
- Events and Experiences
Expanded beyond institutional listings to connect users with exhibitions, performances, tours, festivals, public programs, and other cultural experiences.
- Stronger Institutional Profiles
Designed richer listings that can include organizational relationships, social media, accessibility information, amenities, collections, events, digital experiences, and related venues.
- Shared Digital Infrastructure
Created a platform where organizations of every size can benefit from enhanced visibility and technology without each institution having to build these systems independently.
- Sustainable Growth Model
Developed a tiered structure that keeps basic participation accessible while creating premium opportunities for institutions, destinations, associations, vendors, sponsors, and cultural-sector partners.
The Vision
IDbGLAM 2.0 is more than a directory. It is infrastructure for the cultural sector—a shared system that makes cultural resources visible, connected, and useful. By revealing the relationships among places, collections, programs, communities, and technology, IDbGLAM can support cultural tourism, education, research, preservation, audience development, and economic growth. The platform begins in Baltimore and is designed to scale from Baltimore to the world.
Current Impact
IDbGLAM 2.0 is establishing the foundation for a comprehensive cultural discovery network: one that helps the public find meaningful experiences, helps organizations reach wider audiences, and helps communities understand the full scale and value of their cultural assets.
Discover culture. Connect organizations. Strengthen communities.
