Overview

eMuseum 6.5 Highlights

📊 Redesigned Admin and Configuration Section

The administration entry point has been streamlined and is now accessible via a single link at the bottom of the page. This update focuses on reducing distractions, consolidating similar configuration options, and prioritizing key information for administrators. Application and health information remains available, but it is less prominent unless there is a critical notice, making the dashboard cleaner and more focused on the tasks administrators typically log in to manage. All configuration options from the previous version have been condensed into a more efficient, centralized menu.

On the right side of the dashboard, a notifications and details section provides real-time information about site health, data, and indexing processes. If any issues arise, such as indexing errors or offline dependencies like Solr, notifications will appear prominently, eliminating the need for administrators to search for critical updates. These changes ensure that administrators can quickly access the most relevant information and address any potential issues without unnecessary complications.

🌍 Multilingual Content

In eMuseum, there are several types of translatable content, including the user interface (UI), field labels, and field values. The UI encompasses elements like the menu (collections, objects, people, exhibitions) and labels such as "of" in result counts or placeholder text in search fields. Field labels refer to terms like dimensions, medium, and credit. Both the UI and field labels can be translated directly within the eMuseum configuration section. However, field value translations are created and managed in TMS alongside the collection metadata. With the language switcher now integrated into the General Settings page of the eMuseum admin UI, administrators can easily enable or disable supported languages. This replaces the old process, which required XML file modifications on the server. Now, adding a new language, such as French, is as simple as selecting it from a dropdown, making the entire system much more accessible.

The translation of UI labels is managed through the eMuseum admin interface, allowing administrators to change labels, such as renaming "objects" to "artworks" and translating them to other languages like German. For field labels such as Dimensions or Medium, the translations are managed on the field configuration page, where administrators can define how labels appear in different languages. For field values, TMS offers several translation methods. Titles can be translated using language-specific entries, while other fields like descriptions and mediums can be handled through text entries, which allow for specific language assignments. Administrators can choose between standard or single-value text entries for more organized translation management. Once translations are completed in TMS, eMuseum can be configured to display them globally, with a multilingual column controlling which fields show translated values. If a translation isn’t available, eMuseum will default to the original language, ensuring a seamless user experience across multiple languages.

▶️ Common Video Platform Support

📦 3D Images

🔍 Did You Mean Search

This new option automatically triggers when a user's search returns no results. This feature analyzes the search input and suggests alternative searches based on closely matching terms or available values within the collection. It's particularly useful for handling common typos or misspellings, offering suggestions that align with actual data in the system. By providing relevant alternatives, the "Did You Mean" feature enhances the search experience, ensuring that users are guided toward successful results even if their initial query is inaccurate.

🛠️ Menu Enhancements

Before version 6.5, eMuseum had numerous separate configuration pages for settings that have now been consolidated into a more streamlined interface. While some pages contained more settings than others, each served as an entry point to different sections of your online collection, all with their own menu items. Consolidating these pages and modules allowed us to introduce additional features without sacrificing functionality. Administrators can still view which modules and pages are enabled for the site and directly edit those pages, such as modifying the collections page banner or adjusting display options.

One significant enhancement is the ability to designate the homepage directly within the UI. Previously, setting the homepage required server access and manual file modification, which not all users had. Now, administrators can assign the homepage within this consolidated configuration table. Additionally, an "Order" column has been added, allowing for easy reordering of menu items using drag and drop. This feature enables changes to the order of key sections like Collections, Objects, People, and Exhibitions, which will automatically adjust their corresponding menu items, eliminating the need for customizations required in earlier versions.

🌐 External Media Servers Support

eMuseum 6.1 Highlights

🔍 Fielded Quick Search

Create complex searches straight from the Keyword Search bar without needing the Advanced Search or Filters. Search on specific fields using the field:value format (e.g. classification:"furniture").

🛡️ Dependency, Library, and Security Updates

eMuseum 6.0

🎨 Style and Configuration

eMuseum 6 puts you in control, allowing administrators to change the look and feel of your site with a set of easily useable controls—no coding required. Quickly manage fonts, colors, and spacing on your eMuseum site, from large elements such as the header, footer, and menu to complex elements such as the filter panel, result grid items, and detail page layout. Customizing your eMuseum site has never been easier.

📚 Groups

eMuseum 6 expands on the Categories page with the addition of Search Groups. Now, admins can create groups of pre-defined queries in eMuseum, which can be nested and given their representative name, notes, and image, adding a new dimension to your online collection.

🖼️ Media Downloads, Permissions, and Custom Sizes

In the new version of eMuseum, administrators can easily control the availability of media types and derivatives for specific user roles. Additionally, admins can grant download permissions and create custom image derivatives for downloading or other purposes from the configuration interface.

🗓️ Loans and Events Modules

eMuseum 6 includes new Loans and Events modules, so you can easily search, filter, and relate Loans and Events to your other eMuseum content.

⚡External Vocabularies: ULAN

The Getty Research Institute’s Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) database is a powerful resource for digital collections. This free database tool houses the information and historical context of over 300,000 artists with more than 720,000 entries. With eMuseum 6, you can easily link your constituent records to this resource using TMS and eMuseum.

📄 Reporting

Configure and style reports in eMuseum’s all-new Reports Manager. Administrators can create unlimited reports for any module and view, with configurable fields and security applied to all.

🔗 Managing Data Exchange - Prism

Manage data and media exchange between TMS and eMuseum seamlessly through eMuseum’s new companion application—Prism. Prism replaces SQL import scripts and the eMuseum Thumbnailer, handling all media management. Prism allows admins to easily configure the publication criteria and field data published to eMuseum and how often data is pushed to eMuseum. Managing the publication of data and media and keeping it nearly in sync with TMS is not only possible with Prism—it’s effortless.

🎉 Additional features

• Collection highlights and custom ordering: Collections can be manually ordered, and package Objects will display in the same order set in TMS Package Explorer. Collection detail pages also display a preview of highlighted objects.

• Infinite scrolling: Optionally disable standard paging in favor of Infinitely scrolling through search results.

• Search autocomplete: Configure emuseum to suggest searches based on Select field criteria.

• Similar works: Display similar works on all module detail pages Derived from configurable common field data.

• Page and module restrictions: Set top-level restrictions on entire modules (objects, exhibitions, loans, etc.) and pages (favorites, thesaurus, groups) to select user roles.

• Privacy settings: Set a custom privacy policy and display a privacy Banner. Mass export and/or delete user data, And more.

• Instant image zooming: Images can be set to zoom automatically with a single configuration option.

• Dozens of new configuration options, including:

  • Numerous new field options

  • Extensive usability improvements

  • Seo enhancements

  • Support for accessibility

  • Faster indexing