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Arts & Communication

ARTICLE
Using extended reality technologies in modern

museums

Charis Avlonitou and Eirini Papadaki*
Department of Business Administration and Tourism, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Heraklion,
Crete Prefecture, Greece

Abstract
This study explores the nature, core features, and evolution of extended reality (XR)
technologies in the 21 century, focusing on their potential in the museum context.
st
It examines academic research and representative examples of cultural heritage
enhancement from international museum practices. The specific characteristics
and properties of each technology within XR’s broader scope, including virtual
reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality, are identified and analyzed.
In addition, the study explores designs or case studies of these technologies’
application in the museum environment, including the emerging Metaverse, which
blends VR and AR within the same broader conceptual framework. Furthermore, the
study examines why these innovative technologies resonate with museums and
assesses their impact on relational communication between modern museums and
the public, particularly younger audiences. It also highlights limitations or obstacles
to their widespread adoption of XR technologies in museums, while outlining future
*Corresponding author:
Eirini Papadaki prospects for their integration. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive overview
(eirpapadaki@hmu.gr) of XR’s use in museums, focusing on how these technologies enhance cultural values.
Citation: Avlonitou C, Papadaki E. It offers reflection and suggestions for authors and museum professionals regarding
Using extended reality technologies the design and implementation of XR technologies in modern museums.
in modern museums. Arts &
Communication. 2025;3(1):3428.
doi: 10.36922/ac.3428 Keywords: Extended reality; Virtual reality; Augmented reality; Mixed reality; Metaverse;
Received: April 16, 2024 Modern museum
Revised: May 14, 2024
Accepted: May 23, 2024
Published online: October 3, 2024 1. Introduction
st
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). Digital transformation of the 21 -century society goes hand in hand with technological
This is an Open-Access article development and innovations, such as advancements in artificial intelligence (AI),
distributed under the terms computer graphics, and immersive technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and
of the Creative Commons
1,2
AttributionNoncommercial License, augmented reality (AR). The latter have made significant progress through recent
permitting all non-commercial use, innovations in both hardware and software, and their commercial viability has grown
distribution, and reproduction in any exponentially over the past decade, particularly with the proliferation of affordable VR/
medium, provided the original work
is properly cited. AR headsets and platforms, such as the Oculus/Meta Quest 2, recently upgraded to Meta
Quest 3 (https://www.meta.com/quest/). 1,3-6
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Similarly, platforms like Sketchfab make it easy to publish and discover 3D, VR,
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional and AR content online, which can be embedded on any webpage or platform such as
affiliations. Facebook. At present, Sketchfab is also used by cultural organizations and museums

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