Connecting Museum Collections and Research as Scientific Infrastructure

University museums are considered centers of object-based research. In object-based research, two interactive cycles connect collections and research during the production of new scientific results. To achieve good circulation of these two interactive cycles, connections between collection items and research publications are indispensable. However, these connections are currently made on a voluntary basis by each university museum. We expect that the establishment of a two-way connection system between collections and research will serve a new scientific infrastructure and worldwide framework. We propose the conceptual design of the ‘Connections between Collections and Research’ (CCR) database that might be linked with research publication and museum collection databases. Connections between research and collections will contribute to scientific clarity and visibility, support collection management, and promote disciplinary and interdisciplinary science based on each collection. Cooperation and networking...