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Purpose - This paper aims to provide an overview of representative multimedia applications in the cultural heritage sector, as well as research results on quality of service (QoS) mechanisms in internet protocol (IP) networks that support such applications. Design/methodology/approach - The paper's approach is a literature review. Findings - Cultural heritage multimedia applications require greater bandwidth capacity, especially where multiple users share the connections. For such applications, scalability and reliability of quality of service depend on packet-level QoS mechanisms operating in a full end-to-end basis. Research limitations/implications - The paper provides a foundation for future research directions in the professional communication context. For instance, the QoS mechanisms in possible network infrastructures could be used to explore effective multimedia data dissemination across cultural heritage institutions. Practical implications - The paper provides an overview of which technologies/mechanisms are being used most broadly and which might provide the most potential for cultural heritage institutions managers considering experimenting in the multimedia communications area. Originality/value - QoS mechanisms that support multimedia applications in the cultural heritage sector need to become well known by cultural heritage institutions managers and professional associations in the fields of libraries, museums and archives. This paper provides a useful overview of the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]