History
2002
The PCCE (Provincial centre for cultural heritage) of Limburg designs the concept of a heritage database, accessed through an internet website, for the province of Limburg: ErfgoedLimburg.be.
2002-2005
The project proposal is assessed by the authorities and similar projects are explored. Possible financial partners are identified and a public tender for the technical implementation is prepared. The Ministry of the Flemish Community supports this preparatory phase.
June 2005
The implementation of the project ErfgoedLimburg.be starts at the PCCE, with co-financing from EFRO (European Regional Development Fund).
End of 2006
The heritage sector in Leuven has been planning to develop a central database and website since 2004. Their prospection leads to a demand for association with ErfgoedLimburg.be in 2006. The Erfgoedcel Leuven (heritage unit) then starts negociations about participation.
End of 2007
Also the province of Vlaams-Brabant, with headquarters in Leuven, is interested to join the project. At the end of 2007 the collaboration between the provinces of Limburg and Vlaams-Brabant is cast in an agreement, which assigns a pilot role to the city of Leuven. The city of Leuven autonomously manages participation from neighbouring municipalities, and is therefore indicated as a separate partner. The project is from now on called Erfgoedplus.be.
May 2008
Conclusion of the three-year project for the construction of the main infrastructure with support from EFRO.
Since June 2008
Further addition of collections, agreements with collection managers, information workshops, and expansion of the network for gathering content.
Since May 2009
The website www.erfgoedplus.be goes on-line.
since September 2010
The data in Erfgoedplus.be can also be found in Europeana (www.europeana.eu). The data in Europeana contain links to the detailed descriptions in www.erfgoedplus.be
The three main partners further develop and maintain the database. The partners organize independently their network of heritage managers and communities for the expansion of the content of the database and website.
Situation March 2011
The database now contains data from 8 museums, 2 collections from local heritage associations, and about 170 inventories from churches.
Inventories are dynamic lists, that are permanently completed and corrected. Therefore, the database will be updated regularly and the amount of data will keep growing. Searching and finding information on the website wil keep expanding as more data converge in the database. Erfgoedplus.be keeps evolving and its functionality will keep improving through the experience and suggestions from the users.