Museums as Digital Media: A Literature Review of Cultural Heritage Promotion Strategy Through the Case of Dunhuang Academy
Abstract
Digital media has transformed how cultural heritage reaches people by extending museums' reach beyond physical spaces and enabling audiences to interact with cultural content. However, relatively little is known about how varying digital structures shape audience engagement. This review examines how museums use digital media to communicate cultural value by distinguishing among database, narrative, interactive, and produsage logics. Using Dunhuang Academy as a case study, the review synthesizes museum communication and new media theories with research on its digital initiatives, including the Digital Dunhuang Open Material Library, virtual tours, interactive experiences, and digital cultural products. The analysis suggests that these forms serve complementary functions. Database structures expand access and provide multiple pathways for exploration, while narrative structures provide contextual interpretation. Interactive experiences connect learning with user action. Produsage extends cultural circulation through audience participation. Together, these findings suggest that digital media does not simply replace traditional museum communication but reshapes how cultural heritage is accessed, interpreted, and circulated.
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