Cultural Heritage Inventory Management System

Date : 2007
Client : Superintendence of Cultural Heritage

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The Cultural Heritage Inventory Management System (CHIMS) Project was launched by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, Malta, the legislative body established through the Cultural Heritage Act, 2002, with the remit to develop and manage the National Inventory of Cultural Property. CHIMS is an electronic database system developed by the Superintendence over the period 2004-2006 through capital funding. It goes beyond the traditional listing and scheduling of cultural propoerty; it is an attempt to set up a national core for Heritage Data Management addressing public needs and expectations. It views access to knowledge about heritage not just as a dissemination of data, but as a fundamental human right - a right to identity and its protection and conservation for present and for future generations.

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Cultural heritage has been steadily gaining significance, in particular in the past two decades, as one of the main assets of Malta and a conveyor of national identity. Data capture and retrieval are becoming more of a priority both for public and private agencies as well as for individuals. So are the values associated with the legacy of cultural heritage, the roots of contemporary society. Furthermore, cultural tourism is a niche market with a significant economic revenue if well promoted.

In the setting up of CHIMS, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage developed a template for pre-set established fields and look-up tables. Lino Bianco and Associates was requested by the Superintendence to review existing fields and tables for the CHIMS Data Model with respect to geology and biology, provide other look-up tables for a number of fields where necessary and provide definitions for the CHIMS Data Directory for all terms relating to these disciplines.