Despite the great contributions that multimedia, virtual reality, and mixed reality can offer to the museum sector, the collections on display (especially archaeological and art historical ones) are often still limited by a lack of legibility, contextualization, and sensory immersion. Stories that can instead foster a deeper understanding of a given topic and build a bridge between past and present are necessary.
Embodiment, emotional involvement, and multisensoriality are essential elements in the creation of an “experience” and in learning processes. The convergence of different paradigms and languages in museums, from virtual and mixed reality to multimedia, can help to convey cultural content in an engaging and inclusive way while respecting the need for scientific validity.
Digital and multisensory methods can also facilitate accessibility to cultural heritage by creating multiple levels of interaction and experiential channels. Factors determining the museum experience include the following: the comprehensibility and credibility of stories; communicative rhythm; coherence between word, image, and sound in the narration; quality of the content; the usability of technologies and interfaces; balance between free interaction and guided tours; the duration of narrative units and their dissemination along the visitor’s path; sound; and the quality of content solutions that encourage both intimate reflection and dynamics of social exchange. Thus, physical and virtual fruition become part of the same knowledge-acquiring process.
Dr. Eva Pietroni
Dr. Anna Maria Marras
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- cultural heritage
- museums
- multisensory experience
- mixed reality
- hybrid reality
- accessibility
- learning process
- cultural transmission
- storytelling
- interaction
