Augmented Reality has become one of the most great technologies, and it is being widely implemented in museums throughout the world. This technology is transforming museum experiences and is here to stay. It is revolutionizing the way we appreciate and view the amazing treasures that our museums have to offer. These AR-enabled museums give visitors amazing memories of their immersive and interactive experiences. Let us look at five ways that augmented reality has enhanced the quality of museum visits.
The first will enhance interactivity. Many traditional museums have become more interactive by using AR-enabled devices like smartphones and tablets. A visitor can now view an exhibit on their smartphone, and what they see is significantly enhanced by the overlay of newly created digital content such as animation, 3D models, text, and audio information. The museum’s visiting experience is enhanced by interactive content created with augmented reality. This interactive involvement promotes learning and a better understanding of the exhibit’s special qualities. The visitor can see a 3D model of the exhibit from all angles, see an X-ray of the interior structure or arrangements, and watch an animation that identifies the artifact’s major characteristics or components. This knowledge is available without the need to rely on museum guides, which are usually expensive for the general public. The AR application can serve as a personalized museum guide, alerting you to vital and intriguing information about the museum’s many exhibits. Since the number of specialized guides is decreasing, museums must resort to creating virtual guides to give interesting information and insights about the various artifacts. This is a perfect example of how technology can improve a museum experience.
In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian American Art Museum provides an augmented reality app known as “Renwick Gallery WONDER 360.” This application allows visitors to watch digital content layered over physical displays, which serves to provide unique insights into the artistic process behind the pieces of art displayed there. The Museum of the World AR experience at the British Museum in London allows visitors to learn more about items through augmented reality. Visitors may just point their devices to exhibitions to unlock content, allowing them to learn about and engage with all these ancient objects.
The second emphasizes personalized user experiences. AR is increasingly being utilized to customize a visitor’s experience based on their interests and choices. AR can enable visitors to customise their museum experiences. For example, if a visitor only wants to see the Egyptian collections in a museum, the application can be developed to direct them to that portion of the museum and provide an interactive experience there. It can also direct visitors to other exhibits in a museum that provide further information about Egyptian art, culture, and history. This would allow people to make the best use of their available time and get the experiences they desire.
Many museums have begun to develop augmented reality experience centers. The Louvre Museum in Paris has launched an AR-based app that offers visitors personalized tours. Visitors can use the app to select their interests. The app then directs visitors to specific works of art while providing information and insights into their chosen field of interest. The National Museum of Singapore includes an augmented reality display called “Story of the Forest” that immerses visitors in a virtual jungle and brings it to life with animated creatures. This provides visitors with an interactive learning experience about the rainforest environment.
The third focuses on historical and artistic context. There is often a gap between a historical artifact and its original context. Most visitors are unaware of the context and conditions that existed when the painting, sculpture, or other work was made, as well as how it would have appeared once completed. Augmented reality in museums assists in the reconstruction and presentation of artifacts with realistic overlays, as well as providing visitors with additional information to assist them in obtaining a better understanding and appreciation for the artifacts on exhibit. AR, for example, allows visitors to experience and explore the Acropolis ruins in their original state through skillfully designed overlays. Historians, archaeologists, and museum experts collaborate to produce these overlays. AR can also help artists visualize their creative process. It will provide a visitor with a better knowledge of how a picture was created centuries ago through a step-by-step animated method. Visitors to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam can use an augmented reality app to examine Rembrandt’s painting, The Night Watch, and learn about the details, layers, and techniques used by the famous artist.
The fourth focuses on accessibility and inclusiveness. AR helps museums become more accessible and inclusive. Museums attract visitors from all around the country and perhaps the world. They may have been schooled in another language and are unable to understand typical museum descriptions. This problem is solved by using an AR app that can provide information in their preferred language while also providing audiovisual aids. Visitors who are visually challenged can receive tactile and audio descriptions as they approach an exhibit. This feature can be seen at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada. Visitors can also utilize an AR app at the Australian Museum in Sydney, which provides information in different languages. These apps provide a pleasant and enhanced Augmented Reality museum experience for their users.
The final one discusses gamification and engagement. AR helps to revolutionize the traditional museum experience, making it more interactive, engaging, and entertaining. These include developing exhibits with AR to make them more interactive by including gamification features. Puzzles, challenges, scavenger hunts, and quizzes are particularly popular among both young and mature audiences. Such gamifying encounters can be gratifying. Visitors can collect points and badges to share with their friends and community. They can also be exchanged for museum-beneficial aspects like memorabilia. Such augmented reality approaches empower visitors to explore, learn, and enjoy more readily. Engagement and learning may last a lifetime. In fact, the Museum of London has an app that allows visitors to embark on a time travel trip known as the Beasts of London. This app allows visitors to virtually view the animals and characters from various periods in London’s history. The Spider Pavilion, an AR-powered app, was produced by the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. It allows users to interact with virtual spiders using AR devices. This software is designed to help children and adults better understand the creatures they are afraid of. This experience helps individuals overcome some concerns, allowing them to treat these lovely creatures with greater care and respect.
These advances in augmented reality applications in museums are rapidly changing the way people visit museums today. They are also assisting in educating today’s children to become better citizens of tomorrow through an AR museum experience. At Fusion VR, we are constantly working to increase the usage of virtual and augmented reality technology in museums. Visit our Museums and Corporate Experience Centers page to learn more about our projects and pioneering achievements.