From 17–19 April, the HUM Data Lab organized a Cultural Data Hackathon at the Estonian Literary Museum in Tartu, bringing together students, researchers, developers, and cultural heritage enthusiasts. Over the course of three days, participants explored new ways of applying data in a creative and user-friendly way within the collections of memory institutions.

Participants, mentors, jury and organizers of the hackathon

On 21 May 2026, the seminar “Museums and Games: Designing Experiences through Co‑Creation” brought together museum professionals, game developers, researchers, teachers, and representatives of the cultural and creative sectors to discuss the role of games and playful approaches in museums and digital cultural heritage. The seminar explored how games can support participation, storytelling, learning, and new forms of engagement in museum environments. Discussions addressed both practical experiences and broader questions related to digital transformation, co‑creation, accessibility, and the future of museums.

On 8 May, Narva Museum hosted the 2nd International Conference Culture and Border, where the Estonian National Museum’s Research Secretary Agnes Aljas delivered a talk titled Borderless Museum: Digital Heritage and New Audiences. Her presentation explored how the digitisation of cultural heritage has enabled museums to operate in new, so‑called borderless spaces and to reach broader and more diverse audiences.

More than one hundred participants joined the Game Jam organised by the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science and the Estonian National Museum. Their challenge was to develop a functioning computer game in just two days, drawing inspiration from traditional patterns.

The Estonian National Museum invites young creative professionals to apply for the artistic residency of the project Data Conversations, which will take place in Pisa, Italy, from 1 to 10 October 2026. As one of the project partners, the Estonian National Museum will select ten creative professionals to participate in a programme of artistic research and development aimed at exploring new creative ways for cultural organisations to better understand their audiences — moving beyond traditional questionnaires toward more meaningful and engaging forms of data collection.