Liu Gaoli

Biography

Liu Gaoli is a Chinese museum professional working transnationally, currently serving as a researcher and curator at the National Ainu Museum in Japan. Her professional interests focus on multilingual exhibition development, cultural representation, and digital storytelling in ethnographic museums.

Within her role, Liu manages multimedia and audiovisual projects for permanent and temporary exhibitions, leads multilingual translation and localisation of exhibition materials, and coordinates four temporary exhibitions annually, overseeing scheduling, content development, and communication with internal and external stakeholders. Her current research explores digital storytelling methods in museum contexts and their role in engaging local communities.

Beyond her institutional role, Liu is actively involved in international museum networks, museum governance, and cultural policy. She served as a board member of the ICOM Resolution Committee for the 2025 ICOM General Conference in Dubai, playing a key role in shaping Resolution No. 3 on the ethical and sustainable use of digital technologies. She is also General Secretary of ICOM-AVICOM, the International Committee for Audiovisual, New Technologies and Social Media, and a member of ICOM-LEAC, ICOM’s Standing Committee for Legal Affairs. This work also informs her broader research on museums, representation, and inclusive participation.

Liu’s academic background combines International human rights law, anthropology, and museum studies. She has conducted fieldwork in South and Southeast Asia, focusing on gender, community, and cultural representation. She works in Chinese, English, and Japanese, and has a working knowledge of Urdu and Hindi.

At the British Museum

During her time on the International Training Programme, Liu was based in the Design and Interpretation Department. Her UK Partner Placement was spent at Manchester Museum, Manchester Art Gallery and Whitworth Art Gallery.