Frequently Asked Questions

Start-up Plan and Timetable

The .museum top-level domain has a start-up plan specified in Attachment 8 of our ICANN Agreement; these questions are intended as helpful guidance.

It may be worth noting that .museum is the first so-called sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) among the new TLDs that are currently being taken into operation. Some aspects of the administrative basis for an sTLD may therefore appear unfamiliar to registrants in .com, .net, and .org.

Why is there a .museum start-up plan?

In order to satisfy ICANN's proof-of-concept requirements, a staged start-up plan for the .museum sponsored TLD was devised.

What does the start-up plan consist of?

The .museum start-up plan is divided into three distinct phases: naming convention development and demonstration, start-up registration and full operations. A number of activities needs to be completed during the first two phases and prior to the .museum registry becoming fully operational.

What phase are we in now?

We are in the Naming Convention Development and Demonstration Period (Phase 0).

We are a bona fide museum. When can I register my.name.museum?

MuseDoma have accepted preliminary name requests since June 30, 2001. Providing your requested name conforms to the naming conventions developed in this "Naming Convention Development and Demonstration Period", you can formally register your name when we enter the second start-up registration phase, through one of the ICANN-accredited registrars that will be selected by MuseDoma.

What are the demonstration periods?

There will be at least two demonstration periods, both as part of the first phase. The first demonstration period is a testing period of preliminary name requests and naming conventions. It started on November 14, 2001 when all names entered into the .museum zone file began to resolve and became available to all Internet users world-wide. Upon request MuseDoma have also provided web-based redirects for names selected to participate in the demonstration.

The second demonstration period will introduce support for e-mail services and Eligibility and Name Selection services will begin. Final revisions to the naming conventions will be posted. As was the case with redirects for web requests, MuseDoma will offer e-mail redirection services for those who are not in a position to assume fuller technical and/or administrative control over the process.

Although MuseDoma are free to decide upon further demonstration periods we do not at present envision any need for this.

Is it possible that my name is acceptable but not included in the published list of names on index.museum?

Yes, it is entirely possible.

I wish to modify my preliminary request. What do I do?

Fill in new application forms with the correct information and make sure you, on the first page, have indicated that it is a modification.

I want to apply for an additional request. What do I do?

Simply submit it.

I made a mistake in our original name request form. What do I do?

Simply send another, corrected, request. Make sure you, on the first page, have indicated that it is a modification.

Will MuseDoma point our .museum name to the server where our current museum name is being hosted or do we need to contact our ISPs to handle this redirection name service?

MuseDoma will handle this during the Demonstration periods.

Can we activate .museum e-mail before .museum reaches its full operations?

MuseDoma will during the second demonstration period activate .museum e-mails for museums who wish to obtain this service.

6 March 2002 - 12:05 UTC