Mediating the Museum: The impact of on-gallery technology
on visitors' engagement with museum objects
Merel van der Vaart
PhD CandidateAmsterdam School for Heritage & Memory Studies
Allard Pierson Museum – Universiteit van Amsterdam
Research topic
Research context
Visitors, objects and technology – 3 case studiesFixed screensAugmented realityVirtual reality
Future plans
(How) can technology help visitors engage with museum objects?
Interdisciplinary research:Museological Theory, Learning Theory, Anthropology, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
meSchMaterial Encounters with Digital Cultural Heritage
European research project.
“meSch aims to co-design novel platforms for the creation of tangible digital exhibits at heritage sites”
ICT for access to cultural resourcesObjective-driven research project
Which objects are interesting?
The ones they don’t recognise.
What questions are asked?
What is it?
How was it used?
Domus pilot2014
Visitors found it easy to use the touch-screen.
Beware of the honeypot effect
After browsing the on-screen content, visitors had more diverse preferences.
Domus pilot2014
Challenges:
Usability issues may hinder engagement
Making ‘active’ objects easily recognisable.
Creating good AR content.
Eternal Egypt Experience2013-2014
Challenges:
There’s no tangible interaction.
Video link
Eternal Egypt Experience2013-2014
Challenges:
Linking virtual & real
Integrating virtual experience into the exhibition.
Finding suitable gesture vocabulary
Eternal Egypt Experience2013-2014
(How) can technology help visitors engage with museum objects?
I don’t know.
But I do know that integration is key in three areas:VisuallyIntellectuallyPhysically
Literature review: Visitors & Objects/Technology & Objects
Review existing research into visitor behaviour in museums
Smaller focussed studies
Use meSch Case Studies as research opportunity
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