Status: active public-data policy
Last updated: 2026-07-05
Owner: Meta Museum data stewardship
Scope
This policy covers public Meta Museum Linked Art record identifiers, dataset
exports, dereferenceable API URLs, and persistent resolver strategy. It exists
so partners can reuse records without guessing whether identifiers are stable,
what redirects mean, or when a static dataset release should receive a stronger
external identifier.
Canonical URI Pattern
Canonical Meta Museum identifiers use:
https://lod.metamuseum.org/{type}/{ulid}
Source-provider URLs, Wikidata QIDs, ARKs, and other upstream identifiers are
modeled as equivalents, source ids, or identifiers. They are not silently
substituted for the Meta Museum canonical id.
Persistence Promise
Stable canonical ids are intended to persist for the life of the public dataset.
Identifiers are never recycled for unrelated objects. If a record is superseded,
merged, withdrawn, or removed because a source provider returns a legitimate
404/410 tombstone, Meta Museum should preserve an explicit redirect,
replacement, or tombstone trail rather than silently deleting the meaning of the
identifier.
Dereferencing And Redirects
Public record URLs should resolve to the current canonical JSON-LD record when
the record is active. If a record has moved, HTTP redirects should point to the
replacement. If a record is legitimately deleted upstream, the ActivityStreams
Delete/Tombstone evidence path should be used and the public surface should make
the removal state explicit.
Content Negotiation
Public record APIs support JSON and Linked Art JSON-LD reads. HTML pages expose
one canonical `describedby` link to their JSON-LD endpoint. Partners should use
`Accept: application/ld+json` when they need Linked Art JSON-LD and should treat
HAL links as navigation metadata, not graph assertions.
Dataset Exports
Machine-readable dataset metadata is published at `/api/datasets`. Versioned
record exports are available at:
- `/api/datasets/exports/records?format=jsonld`
- `/api/datasets/exports/records?format=ndjson`
Each export version includes a checksum. Each exported row preserves the Linked
Art record body and adds a packaging envelope for record-level rights and source
provenance. Exported records project object-level `equivalent[]` links from
stored equivalents, source provider URLs, provider public object pages, and
Wikidata entity URLs so consumers can reconcile through the standard Linked Art
path instead of digging into `_source` passthrough fields. Missing rights remain
review-required and non-reuse by default.
The dataset-level CC BY 4.0 license governs Meta Museum's export packaging,
metadata envelope, and dataset descriptor. Individual object/content/media reuse
is still governed by each row's record-level rights and source provenance; a
per-record CC0 right does not turn the entire export package into CC0, and the
dataset package license does not override stricter object/media rights.
ARK And DOI Strategy
ARKs are appropriate for object-level public resolver needs where an opaque,
long-lived identifier helps partners cite a record independently of source
provider URLs. DOI registration is reserved for curated static dataset releases
with fixed scope, declared license, release notes, and checksum, not for every
rolling API snapshot.
Partner Evidence Boundary
Identifier stability and export availability are local Meta Museum commitments.
External adoption evidence is counted only when a real partner reads or verifies
the relevant public surface. MetaHistoryBook has confirmed real Update coverage;
Delete coverage still waits for a legitimate upstream 404/410 tombstone and must
not be fabricated.