Following on from my previous post, I was alerted to another site focusing on the digitisation of collections, offering similar functions to the Pre Raphaelites site, but covering a greater range of collections.
Inspiration Bank showcases rarely seen artworks and decorative objects from Midlands-based gallery, museum and library archives – currently including Birmingham Central Library, New Art Gallery Walsall, the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service. The easy-to-use site contains over 5,000 zoomable images, including artworks by Van Gogh, Lowry and Epstein, glazed ceramics from the heart of the potteries and locally produced objects from the time of the Industrial Revolution. If you follow the links above, you’ll see that not all of these destinations have their own dedicated site, and so it seems even more important and exciting that Inspiration Bank exists to unlock some of their hidden treasures!
Whilst use of the site is completely free, you do need to register with them in order to collect and comment on your favourite zoomable images using an online album. Schools and colleges interested in discussing how they could make the most out of the site within the classroom should contact Inspiration Bank manager David Allen at info@inspirationbank.com or 0121 204 9886.
Inspiration Bank was built by and is managed by Birmingham City University’s Media Content Lab, who do lots more interesting projects besides – so go have a browse of their site!
I prefer the more tactile approach employed in the preraph site. The box feels restrictive on the inspiration bank site. Great to see these deep zoom functions used though!