Experiences & Virtual Reality: The Future of Museums is Here

Swim in a Van Gogh painting, get up close to rare Sumatran tiger, uncover what lays inside an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus... These are not dreams, but exciting possibilities created by new museum technologies.

Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), video games and mobile apps. There’s a brand new way of visiting museums allowing for an immersive, engaging and interactive visitor experience. From the Guggenheim in New York to the Archaeological Museum of Naples, new technologies are already on the horizon.

VR, AR and Mobile App Integration

Modern technologies have the ability to attract new visitors to museums and enrich the visitor experience, making it more engaging and interactive.

The Guggenheim in New York City focuses on a Virtual Reality experience. Created in collaboration with the Google Cultural Institute, the objective of introducing VR was to welcome more visitors. The Guggenheim has also joined the Expeditions Pioneer Program by Google. Together, they provide students with the training and tools to spark learning and experience the museum through augmented reality.

In 2017, Google shared its Tango augmented reality platform with museums. Museum visitors can now utilize a mobile device to explore exhibitions. One fan-favorite is to examine ancient Egyptian mummies and get an x-ray view inside a sarcophagus!

Across the globe at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore, the augmented reality of Tango has created a unique visitor experience. Visitors can encounter a Sumatran tiger from a mobile device. This opportunity allows for interactive learning about the history and habitat of one of the world’s most endangered animals.

Meanwhile in Italy, the Archaeological Museum in Naples has created “Father & Son”, a mobile video game. The game is set in the museum between the time of the infamous Vesuvius explosion and modern Naples as we know it. The engaging story and impressive graphics have sparked interest around the globe. In fact, the video game was downloaded over a million times in just seven months.

Experiences: Multimedia Exhibitions where Artwork Disappears

What exactly is an art exhibition? Does it need to incorporate the work of an artist like Monet or Van Gogh or does virtual art also have a place?

Throughout various Italian cities, "Experiences", have welcomed much success over the past few years. “Experiences” are multimedia exhibitions where, instead of “traditional” artwork, there is a multi-sensorial show woven into installations and 360° video projections onto walls and maxi-screens. These exhibits are complete with lights, music and hi-tech instruments. One AR technology is Oculus Rift, which allows visitors to immerse themselves deeply into a work of art and the life of the artist.

Analyze brand reputation with Artificial Intelligence

Among the new technologies incorporated into museums, artificial intelligence, sentiment analysis and data science are also being integrated. This technology allows museums to manage and analyze visitor feedback, and adapt their strategies accordingly. Many museums, both in Italy and abroad, are employing data science and AI to increase visitors, satisfaction and income.

Check back and read our upcoming article about importance of brand management for museums. For a sneak peak, discover our products for museums here!