Augmented Reality (AR) for museum experiences¶

Physical gallery spaces often face challenges in engaging audiences who expect interactive and digitally enriched learning environments. This project focuses on enhancing the visitor journey at the University of Reading (UoR) Museums (https://www.reading.ac.uk/essentials/Campus-and-Local-Area/Museums-on-campus), specifically the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), and the Cole Museum of Zoology. By utilizing Image Target AR, the application will recognize real physical artifacts and present digital representations of them. For instance, when a visitor views a broken piece of Greek Pottery at the Ure Museum, the system can overlay a complete 3D reconstruction. Similarly, the application can show a lifelike representation of a mammoth when a user looks at the mammoth skeleton at the Cole Museum. This approach aims to bridge the gap between static displays and dynamic education, providing a more immersive and personalized experience for visitors exploring these diverse collections.

Keywords: Augmented Reality, Image Targets, Digital Heritage, User Experience Prerequisite for the project: background in Mobile Development and 3D Modeling

References: - How museums are using augmented reality: https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-museums-are-using-augmented-reality/