@Mike, since you asked nicely, my pleasure 🙂

@Ben, regarding the API. You have to understand this is a partnership between 9 major museums. Each with very complicated copyright policies. Similarly, technical capabilities of each partner varies so allowing some objects and not others filter through is not an option at this stage. We just don’t have that kind of control over the collections. So any policy that is developed needs to apply to all 9 partners and this is why there are so many limitations with the project. That is not to say it’s impossible to achieve one day but given everything that was involved in getting this project up and running, the API has been de-prioritised.

This the same reason why you can’t see large images on the site and why you have to go to the partner’s own site to see the images since copyright rules state images can only be viewed under the partner’s own site/url. Is it silly? yes but at least we’re trying to make it work and hopefully these restrictions can be removed one day.

There are loads of other complexities that create limitations and these are the things that critics don’t realise and quickly start attacking the project without bothering to look into it first.

There is nothing wrong with asking “why” but when you don’t other elaborating on what your question is, you are clearly having a go in a very passive-aggressive way. A more reasonable question would be like the ones you have asked, Ben.

You all know how to reach me so please don’t hesitate to contact me with any other questions.

Cheers,
Giv