V&A gets high-tech boost

London's Victoria & Albert museum (V&A) is planning to invest an estimated £10m to improve its technology infrastructure. Visitors to the museum will also benefit from the investment - they will be getting interactive multimedia learning devices.

Two contracts are likely to be awarded in the next few weeks. The first is for the procurement, support and maintenance of voice and data communications between the museum's disparate buildings on a Web-enabled network. The museum's 600 workers will also get upgraded desktop systems as part of an overall system development plan.

The second tender is for information and communication services on multimedia systems for customers. In a written statement, the museum said it plans to "exploit new media technology" to "assist with interpretation for visitors with all types of interests and learning styles".

Final applications for both tenders are currently being considered. Silicon Valley Services, which has had a maintenance contract with the V&A for several years, is among those thought to have applied.