The future and current state of digital humanities: DHNB 2025 conference at the Estonian National Museum
In the first week of March, the Estonian National Museum hosted the annual conference of the Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countries (DHNB) organisation. Titled “Digital Dreams and Practices”, the DHNB 2025 conference brought together over 230 researchers, museum professionals, and cultural heritage specialists from various fields. The conference focused on broader visions for digital humanities and explored new approaches to the study of the humanities, historical sources, and cultural heritage.
Over the course of the three-day conference and an additional two days of workshops, more than 100 presentations were held. These covered a wide range of topics, sharing experiences and offering inspiration on different practices of using technology.
Keynote speakers Maciej Eder, Andrea Kocsis, and Meelis Kull explored the potential of artificial intelligence in content recognition, context creation, cataloguing, keywording, and data cleaning—while also emphasizing ethical dilemmas, source criticism, and trustworthiness. The presentations are available for replay on the Estonian National Museum’s YouTube channel.
Museum-related presentations at the conference focused on analysing digitised museum collection databases. These highlighted the need for purposeful curation, inclusive engagement, and new models of collaboration to make collections more visible to both society and researchers. Discussions also raised key questions about how to ensure the sustainability of digital solutions, support museums in adopting new technologies, and explore possible commercial services based on digital collections. It became evident that the future of the field depends not only on technological advancements but also on the museums’ ability to interpret and communicate cultural heritage in a way that resonates with contemporary society.
The field of digital humanities has opened up new opportunities for international collaboration. Open data and data sharing have enabled cross-border and interdisciplinary dialogue. Hosting DHNB 2025 in Estonia highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and showed that the Nordic and Baltic countries are strong partners in advancing the field of digital humanities.
The DHNB organisation unites digital humanities professionals across the region. It was founded in 2015 in the Nordic countries and expanded to the Baltic countries in 2020. The annual DHNB conferences bring together scholars, researchers, students, and professionals interested in applying digital methods in the humanities, social sciences, and arts.
More information: https://dhnb.eu
Keynote speakers Maciej Eder, Andrea Kocsis, and Meelis Kull explored the potential of artificial intelligence in content recognition, context creation, cataloguing, keywording, and data cleaning—while also emphasizing ethical dilemmas, source criticism, and trustworthiness. The presentations are available for replay on the Estonian National Museum’s YouTube channel.
Museum-related presentations at the conference focused on analysing digitised museum collection databases. These highlighted the need for purposeful curation, inclusive engagement, and new models of collaboration to make collections more visible to both society and researchers. Discussions also raised key questions about how to ensure the sustainability of digital solutions, support museums in adopting new technologies, and explore possible commercial services based on digital collections. It became evident that the future of the field depends not only on technological advancements but also on the museums’ ability to interpret and communicate cultural heritage in a way that resonates with contemporary society.
The field of digital humanities has opened up new opportunities for international collaboration. Open data and data sharing have enabled cross-border and interdisciplinary dialogue. Hosting DHNB 2025 in Estonia highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and showed that the Nordic and Baltic countries are strong partners in advancing the field of digital humanities.
The DHNB organisation unites digital humanities professionals across the region. It was founded in 2015 in the Nordic countries and expanded to the Baltic countries in 2020. The annual DHNB conferences bring together scholars, researchers, students, and professionals interested in applying digital methods in the humanities, social sciences, and arts.
More information: https://dhnb.eu
