Virtual Museum Environment Research Articles

Gamification of virtual museum curation: a case study of Chinese bronze wares

Museums, which are among the most popular science institutions outside schools, are usually used to display and introduce historical culture and cultural relics to tourists. Text and audio explanations are used by traditional museums to popularize historical knowledge and science for tourists, and general interactive systems are based on desktops. This learning method is relatively boring in terms of experience. As a result, tourists have no desire or interest in actively exploring and learning about bronze ware, so they only have a basic understanding about bronze ware. Since most tourists are familiar with games, they are more likely to be attracted by game content and will actively explore and interact with it. In addition, a certain degree of reality is created by virtual reality technology and an immersive experience through head-mounted devices is provided to users. In this paper, we take Chinese bronzes as the research objects. We first use 3D laser scanners to obtain bronze models ; then, we build a virtual museum environment, and we finally design a virtual reality curation game based on this bronze digital museum. This game offers visitors an immersive museum roaming and bronze ware interactive experience. Through a combination of text, video learning, and games, visitors’ curiosity and desire to explore bronze ware are stimulated, and their understanding and ability to remember bronze ware knowledge can be deepened. In terms of cultural heritage, this game is also conducive to the spread of traditional Chinese bronze culture throughout the world.

Archaeometa: leveraging blockchain for secure and scalable virtual museums in the metaverse

The rapid evolution of the digital landscape has catalyzed the integration of blockchain technology within the domain of cultural heritage, particularly in virtual museums within the Metaverse. This study introduces ArchaeoMeta, a novel framework designed to leverage blockchain technology to enhance security, authenticity, and visitor interaction in a virtual museum environment. Utilizing smart contracts deployed on the Ethereum Sepolia testnet, the framework manages visitor interactions and secures digital artifacts, addressing challenges associated with scalability and user experience under varying loads. The performance evaluation involved simulating user interactions, scaling up to ten thousand concurrent users, to assess the impact on transaction latency, gas usage, and blockchain size. Findings reveal significant scalability challenges, as transaction latency and blockchain size increased with the number of users, highlighting areas for optimization in managing high user traffic within the blockchain infrastructure. This study contributes to the understanding of blockchain applications in cultural heritage, suggesting that while ArchaeoMeta offers a robust platform for virtual museums, enhancements in scalability through layer-2 solutions or alternative blockchain platforms are essential for its practical implementation. The framework sets a precedent for future research in the convergence of blockchain technology and cultural heritage preservation, promising a transformative impact on how digital cultural experiences are curated and consumed.

Enhancing User Experience in Virtual Museums: Impact of Finger Vibrotactile Feedback

Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive visual and auditory experiences, transporting users to alternate realities. However, existing VR systems lack realistic haptic feedback mechanisms, resulting in unsatisfactory immersive experiences. In this study, we developed and tested a haptic glove that simulates realistic tactile sensations, enhancing user interaction with virtual artifacts. Our research investigates the impact of finger-specific vibrotactile feedback (FSVF) on user experience in virtual museum environments. Using a mixed-methods approach, 30 participants engaged in object-manipulation tasks in three settings: no haptic feedback, standard controller feedback, and vibrotactile glove feedback. The findings demonstrate that the vibrotactile glove approach considerably improves user accuracy, efficiency, immersion, and satisfaction compared with other traditional interaction methods. Participants completed tasks more accurately and quickly with the glove, reporting high levels of engagement and immersion. The results highlight the potential of advanced haptic feedback in transforming virtual reality technology, particularly for educational and cultural applications. Further, they provide valuable insights for designing and applying future haptic technology in immersive environments.

Enhancing Spatial Cognition in Online Virtual Museum Environments: Integrating Game-Based Navigation Strategies for Improved User Experience

Online Virtual Museums (OVM) serve as vital conduits for the global propagation of cultural heritage but grapple with the challenge of user disorientation due to the absence of physical references. Leveraging the successful paradigm of game-based virtual navigation, this study investigates the potential integration of game mini-map navigation design elements into OVM to enhance spatial cognition. Through empirical investigation, a conceptual model was developed to probe the role of core mini-map design elements (interactivity, visual guidance, and information content) in augmenting spatial cognition. Results indicate that optimizing these elements significantly enhances user immersion and presence, thereby improving spatial cognition. Specifically, information content and visual guidance exerted stronger effects on immersion and presence, respectively. This research contributes a novel perspective on incorporating game design strategies into non-game virtual experiences, offering practical guidance for enhancing navigation in OVM and similar virtual environments. This bridges the gap between virtual museum navigation and game design, propelling the evolution of more dynamic, interactive, and user-centric virtual environments, thus fostering the preservation and dissemination of digital cultural heritage.

Egocentric and Allocentric Spatial Memory for Body Parts: A Virtual Reality Study.

Extensive literature elucidated the mechanisms underlying the ability to memorize the positions of objects in space. However, less is known about the impact that objects' features have on spatial memory. The present study aims to investigate differences in egocentric and allocentric object-location memory between hand stimuli depicted in a first-person perspective (1PP) or in a third-person one (3PP). Fifty-two adults encoded spatial positions within a virtual museum environment featuring four square buildings. Each of these buildings featured eight paintings positioned along the walls, with two pictures displayed on each of the four walls. Thirty-two stimuli were employed, which represented pictures of the right hand performing various types of gestures. Half of the stimuli depicted the hand in the 1PP, while the other half depicted the hand in the 3PP. Both free and guided explorations served as encoding conditions. Immediately after that, participants underwent a two-step object-location memory task. Participants were provided with a map of the museum and asked to identify the correct building where the image was located (allocentric memory). Then, they were presented with a schematic representation of the exhibition room divided into four sections and instructed to select the section where they thought the picture was located (egocentric memory). Our findings indicate a memory performance boost associated with egocentric recall, regardless of the perspective of the bodily stimuli. The results are discussed considering the emerging literature on the mnemonic properties of body-related stimuli for spatial memory.

Comparing the Impact of Non-Gamified and Gamified Virtual Reality in Digital Twin Virtual Museum Environments: A Case Study of Wieng Yong House Museum, Thailand

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly employed in various domains, notably enhancing learning and experiences in cultural heritage (CH). This study examines the effects of gamified and non-gamified VR experiences within virtual museum environments, highlighting the concept of a digital twin and its focus on cultural heritage. It explores how these VR modalities affect visitor motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. For this purpose, two versions were developed: a gamified virtual reality version incorporating interactive gaming elements like achievements, profiles, leaderboards, and quizzes and a non-gamified virtual reality version devoid of these elements. This study, using an experimental design with 76 participants (38 in each group for the gamified and non-gamified experiences), leverages the Wieng Yong House Museum’s digital twin and its fabric collection to assess the educational and experiential quality of virtual museum visits. The findings indicate that while gamification significantly boosts the reward dimension of visitor engagement, its influence is most pronounced in the effort dimension of motivation; however, its impact on learning outcomes is less marked. These insights are instrumental for integrating VR and gamification into museum environments.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Museum Education in Virtual Environment with 360° Videos

This study aims to evaluate the impact of virtual museum applications incorporating 360° videos on student achievement levels. In this context, a specialized educational environment was designed using 360° videos in a museum education course, and the effects on learning achievements were examined. Additionally, students' perceptions of the developed environment were assessed. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research engaged both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The sample consisted of students majoring in elementary education (N=32) and preschool education (N=29). The quantitative data collection process followed an experimental model with a post-test control group and a randomized design. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews reflecting student opinions. The research findings indicate that virtual museum applications positively influence student achievement levels, particularly noting an enhanced interaction with applications incorporating 360° videos. Moreover, qualitative findings support that students perceive such museum education activities positively, indicating a positive impact on the learning process. Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations are proposed for the effective implementation of virtual museum education with 360° videos: Firstly, design virtual museum activities that align with learning objectives and actively engage students. Secondly, it is crucial to instruct students in navigating virtual museum environments using 360° video technology. Additionally, efforts should be made to provide accessible virtual museum experiences for all students. Future research endeavors may delve into a more detailed exploration of the long-term effects of 360° videos in virtual museum education on student learning and engagement. Furthermore, researchers could broaden their perspective by integrating virtual museum education with other teaching formats, such as field trips and hands-on activities.

ELECTRONIC CULTURE: ACHIEVEMENTS AND GROWTH VECTORS

The purpose of the article is to consider the legal and organizational aspects of digitization of the electronic culture and outline the main problems of its achievement. The research methodology is based on the general scientific and special research methods: analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization of materials, induction, and deduction. The scientific novelty of the study is as follows: this study is one of the first complex works about electronic culture, aimed at forming a single complex of knowledge in the chosen field. The analysis of the Ukrainian legal documents in the system of electronic culture was carried out. The peculiarities of achieving the directions defined in the regulatory documents and the problematic aspects that prevent the non-fulfilment of certain planned goals are investigated. The author substantiates the approaches to defining virtual museums. The impeding factors of digitalization and the protection of cultural heritage were identified. Conclusions. To date, the main problems and achievements in the use of advanced technologies in the field of culture, or rather, the preservation of cultural heritage, including in museums, have not been sufficiently studied. Taking into account modern realities, museums remain the main guarantors of the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people. Museums continue to interact with visitors daily and respond to the needs of society. The latest technologies make it possible to view the works of famous artists in virtual museum environments, which ensure the accessibility of cultural heritage to the general public, especially limited mobility groups. Digital technologies make it possible to visually convey information to different audiences, allowing everyone to choose the content that best suits their interests. Digital technologies in museums help not only to store and record data about exhibits but also to communicate with visitors. Regular updating of the interactive content of the objects allows to establish a connection with the modern public for whom technology is important, transforming them from passive observers to active viewers. Key words: electronic culture, legal support for digitalization of culture, virtual museum, e-Heritage.

Stimulating the visit of a physical museum through a virtual one

ABSTRACT Museums are more than a place to preserve collections of pieces. They offer serious leisure activities that can be incremented by using virtual reality tools. Thus, this study aims to analyse (i) the effect of virtual atmospheric cues on serious leisure in a virtual museum environment, and (ii) the impact of serious leisure on the desire to visit the physical museum. Results demonstrated that virtual atmospheric cues exercise a significant effect on the perception of vividness and presence. Both vividness and presence influence serious leisure and this, in turn, affects serious leisure in a virtual museum environment.

EDVAM: a 3D eye-tracking dataset for visual attention modeling in a virtual museum

Predicting visual attention facilitates an adaptive virtual museum environment and provides a context-aware and interactive user experience. Explorations toward development of a visual attention mechanism using eye-tracking data have so far been limited to 2D cases, and researchers are yet to approach this topic in a 3D virtual environment and from a spatiotemporal perspective. We present the first 3D Eye-tracking Dataset for Visual Attention modeling in a virtual Museum, known as the EDVAM. In addition, a deep learning model is devised and tested with the EDVAM to predict a user’s subsequent visual attention from previous eye movements. This work provides a reference for visual attention modeling and context-aware interaction in the context of virtual museums.

Using Virtual Museums to Promote Activity Design Competencies for Out-of-School Learning in Pre-Service Teacher Education

Virtual solutions of museums can be notably used to promote distance learning activities by providing information about their collections. However, the effective use of this potential depends mainly on the exact alignment of the learning activities with the educational goals. For this purpose, this study focuses on the analysis of pre-service teachers’ activity designs based on virtual museum visits for out-of-school learning environments. Within the scope of the case study design, 40 activity plans developed by pre-service teachers for elementary mathematics, science, and classroom teaching were examined. The activity designs for selected virtual museums emerged as a result of a semester program. The research findings indicated that the activities emphasized the strategies of supporting learning outcomes, the guidance process for students in the virtual museum environment, and the engagement of the student with the virtual environment. Based on this, the study revealed that using virtual museums as a teaching tool for pre-service teachers supports teachers’ knowledge and skills of the activity design.

The Effect of Museum Education Practices Carried out on Virtual Teaching Environments on Prospective Teachers' Views

In this study, the effect of museum education practices implemented with virtual teaching environments on the views of prospective teachers was analysed. The research was carried out with a case study design, which is one of the qualitative methods. The views of the prospective teachers about the museum education practices implemented with virtual teaching environments were examined with content analysis. 25 prospective teachers participated to the study. In the research, first of all, virtual museum environments in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations were made interactive by using the edpuzzle application, and sound recordings and quiz questions related to museum activities were added to the videos. In addition, instructional materials related to museum hunting activities that the candidates used through virtual museum applications were designed. The experimental study with museum educational activities designed ith virtual teaching environments was implemented for four weeks. The results showed that these activities about the practices positively influenced the views of prospective teachers and that these practices were highly effective in teaching social studies course. In addition to this, it was determined that teacher candidates believed that an active teaching process could be created with virtual museum applications and that the learning about social studies course could be more easily embodied.

Analysis on user interaction in Virtual Heritage: Virtual Museum Environment

The paradigm of interaction between humans and computers has shown changes to the new paradigm of interaction in line with the rapid development of advanced technology in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The motivation of this study is based on a report from the New Media Consortium in 2015 which shows the importance of cultural heritage by presenting the expected development of technology that can be referenced by museums to upgrade an existing virtual museum system in order to optimize its use by visitors. However, a new interaction paradigm is still in the experimental phase and is not yet widely implemented. The preliminary study was conducted to analyze the key issue that still exists with virtual heritage in the technological aspect and evaluation. Qualitative data collection through interview was used in this study which involved 10 respondents. The findings show aspects of storytelling, interface design and evaluation of user experience as key issues that still exist in the virtual inheritance. Keywords: Human Computer Interaction, Natural User Interface, Storytelling, User Experience

Usability Evaluation of a Virtual Museum Environment: A Case Study in Terengganu State Museum, Malaysia

Usability Evaluation of a Virtual Museum Environment: A Case Study in Terengganu State Museum, Malaysia

Pohjoinen Valo Museo: Visualizing Light through a Virtual Museum

This paper describes a design project that investigates exhibition design within the virtual environment. Pohjoinen Valo Museo, translated from Finnish as the Museum of Nordic Light, is an interactive, virtual museum environment that presents virtual exhibitions as a way to visualize unique lighting phenomena that occur in the Nordic region. The virtual museum is the product of an architectonic formula, one that combines metaphors of physical space and enclosure with the principles of contemporary exhibition design. A virtual exhibition can be defined as an experience that removes visitors from physical space, inviting them to interact with a world of information, display, and sensorial stimulation facilitated by digital technology. Visitors may access this new venue of interactive exhibits using any computer in the world. The Pohjoinen Valo Museo project seeks to explore the potential of designing an exhibition for the virtual environment using a metaphor for building in virtual space (e.g., for spatial definition, orientation, and navigation). Figure 1 illustrates the Pohjoinen Valo Museo's Light of Day Gallery on the autumnal equinox. The entire Pohjoinen Valo Museo virtual museum environment can be viewed at the following URL: http://www.orangehaus.com/pvm . Flash Player 5 or higher is required to view the site. A free download is available at http://www.macromedia.com

Real exhibitions in a virtual museum

When creating a virtual environment open to the public a number of challenges have to be addressed. The equipment has to be chosen carefully in order to be be able to withstand hard everyday usage, and the application has not only to be robust and easy to use, but has also to be appealing to the user, etc. The current paper presents findings gathered from the creation of a multi-thematic virtual museum environment to be offered to visitors of real world museums. A number of design and implementation aspects are described along with an experiment designed to evaluate alternative approaches for implementing the navigation in a virtual museum environment. The paper is concluded with insights gained from the development of the virtual museum and portrays future research plans.