9 April 2011: a demonstration at the museum
The programme for Derby Museum and Art Gallery’s “Backstage Pass” on 9 April 2011 included a QRpedia presentation by Terence Eden. The partnership brought together the museum and Wikimedia contributors, including Roger Bamkin. The idea was to link an exhibited object to a Wikipedia article in a language the visitor could read.
In its post of 28 September 2011, Wikimedia revisited the April launch and the translation work around the collections. The demonstration day and the September account are separate milestones. They describe a cultural use of QR codes, following early journeys from paper to the mobile web.
The destination chooses the language; the QR code does not translate
The Wikimedia post explains that the service uses the language sent by the phone and the links between Wikipedia articles. If the corresponding version exists, the visitor reaches that mobile-friendly article.
The printed code remains an entry point. Selection happens on the web after reading it; the square does not contain every translation of the label. This separates three tasks: create access, prepare content in different languages and decide which version to show.
For a museum, publishing a translation therefore requires editorial work. A link between two languages also does not mean their articles contain exactly the same information. Before announcing a multilingual visit, check the texts actually available for each object.
When the article is missing in the expected language
Terence Eden’s trial report published on 10 April described a screen offering the available languages at that time. On 8 September, his post about missing articles described another state: a Wikipedia search in the visitor’s language. He discussed its limits and several possible responses.
These two accounts do not define one permanent QRpedia rule. They highlight a question that remains useful for your project: what does a person see when a translation is missing? A language list, a short note or a contact can be options to prepare for your content.
Keep a visible language choice even when the first routing is automatic. A preference received from a device may not be the one wanted for this visit. A page that opens without an error can still miss its purpose if the reader cannot understand its content.
A fictional label with three reviewed texts
Imagine the entirely fictional “Canal Museum”. For a clock on display, its QR code leads to https://example.org/collection/horloge. The page shows the object’s name, inventory number and three links: Français, English, Nederlands. The team publishes and reviews all three texts before adding the code to the label.
If the Dutch text is withdrawn for correction, the page explains this and offers the available versions and a contact. It does not present a French page as a Dutch translation. This is an example of a museum-managed choice page, not a reconstruction of QRpedia or a routing feature provided by Qurl.
On the label, wording such as “Read the object text — FR / EN / NL” announces the prepared content. The guide to captions beneath a QR code helps phrase the action. You can then create the QR code for your page’s address ; the languages and texts are managed on the destination website.
Check the label as carefully as the pages
Derby’s first report covered more than languages. It also noted codes placed too high, printed too small, affected by glare or difficult to match to the right object. These field observations belong to the 2011 trial; they suggest preparing the physical label and the visit together.
For your installation, check each match between object, caption, code and text. The Qurl image reader lets you inspect the encoded address; the guide to checking a batch before printing helps keep a list. Placement, reflections and access to the text then need checking on site.
Also retain a readable route for visitors who do not scan: the guide to alternatives to QR codes presents these routes. Finally, assign someone to follow texts and links after a new translation or an object moves. The News article about cultural routes extends this preparation beyond a single label.