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Arts & Communication Integrating extended reality in modern museums

rearrangement of collections, with personalization with over 2000 institutions offering virtual galleries and
options. 58,67 Researchers have proposed interactive ways VR exhibitions through platforms such as Google Arts and
to organize museum archives for browsing in VR, such as Culture and Matterport. 58,62
immersive Multi-Screen VR Systems, which could intersect In summary, VR technology offers the significant
with technologies such as the metaverse. 62,68 Second, virtual advantage of providing access when physical visits are not
museums allow browsing without constraints of location, possible. 1,4,23,71,73 Furthermore, it facilitates the integration
time, or cost, while avoiding crowding. 58,62,67 Finally, they of education and entertainment in the museum, and
offer creative ways to integrate learning and entertainment together with telepresence, as noted by Shahab et al., these
through interaction. 58,62,67,69 are the primary drivers behind an enjoyable experience.
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Although the idea of a virtual museum was introduced Finally, VR serves as an effective marketing tool, adding
by André Malraux, in 1947, technological advancements, value and a fresh perspective to the on-site experience,
especially since the advent of the Internet, have revived which significantly enhances the perceived quality and
interest in this concept. In the 1990s, Tsichritzis and overall visitor satisfaction. 58,73,74,75
70
Gibbs proposed a virtual museum that would offer access However, VR technology also presents challenges, such
to everyone, including people with disabilities, thereby as the high visibility of VR masks/glasses and the solitary
overcoming physical limitations like the need to protect nature of the experience. Although multi-user VR (Social
exhibits or transport visitors. 71 VR) is possible, it remains unaffordable for most institutions
The virtual museum has evolved, especially after at present. In addition, VR sickness, which can manifest
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progress in 3D graphics and hardware in the 21 century, as nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, eyestrain, or headaches
st
from static text photograph presentation to dynamic due to hardware and content, is another hurdle affecting its
virtual exhibitions of global museums without walls or use in museums. 16,76 There is also ongoing skepticism about
restrictions. 67,70 Today’s virtual museums can host vast whether “strolling” through a simulated museum might
collections and serve as tools for both preserving CH and gradually change the meaning of a museum visit or redefine
enhancing public interaction with contemporary artistic what constitutes authentic art. 73,77,78
works. 58,62 The benefits, challenges, and best practices related to
Generation Z, born between the mid-1990s and the use of VR in contemporary museums are summarized
early 2010s, particularly values the flexibility and cost- in Table 1.
free nature of virtual museums. They seek functional
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orientation and the ability to move within these spaces, 3.7. AR and mixed reality
which morphologically refers to a guided tour in a physical AR interactive technology, a medium created using a
museum. To increase interactivity, suggestions include computer, camera, and various user interface devices
adding online stores and social media engagement as (such as mobiles, tablets, or AR glasses), overlays virtual
visitor satisfaction often depends on such features. 58 elements – texts, images, videos, or 3D objects – onto the
Virtual museums use various media and formats, user’s immediate physical environment. This integration
ranging from non-immersive, web-based platforms supplements and alters the user’s perception of reality,
to highly immersive, HMD-based experiences with creating an augmented hybrid reality in which artificial
15,17,79-81
stereoscopic/holographic projections, sound, and content coexists with the real world in real-time.
haptic feedback. 8,13,58,67 At the most advanced level, these Experiencing this blend of real and virtual environments,
museums offer fully immersive 3D environments where situated within the reality – virtuality continuum proposed
users can explore virtual spaces and interact with detailed by Milgram and Kishino (Figure 1) constitutes the
objects. 8,13,14,58 concept of MR. In MR, AR and VR are combined into
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However, producing olfactory VR experiences remains an intelligent interface where the virtual and real worlds
a significant challenge for researchers, even though coexist seamlessly, allowing interaction between them. The
laboratory experiments, such as those by Flavián et al., result is a dynamic and perspective-correct fusion of both
21,79,82
show that “digitizing” fragrances through embedded VR realms that is perceived as inseparable.
devices, combined with pleasant and consistent ambient Although there is still no common understanding
aromas that aligned with the content displayed content, of what exactly constitutes MR, this “broader VR,” we
can enhance sensory stimulation and positively influence can consider it as a significantly upgraded and improved
emotional and behavioral responses. Nevertheless, the technology compared to AR and as a “superset” containing
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number of virtual museums worldwide continues to grow, AR/VR digital content that enhances the user’s perception

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 7 doi: 10.36922/ac.3428