Museums are embracing technology to make exhibitions more interactive and engaging for visitors. With the increasing prevalence of mobile AR devices (with an estimated 1.7 billion in use by 2024), many museums are incorporating apps, digital interactivity and VR to enhance the visitor experience – and even before the pandemic, over half of the museums in Italy were planning to introduce AR. 

A current example is the ‘Real Sense Library’ exhibition at the National Library of Korea, which uses Zytronic touch technology for its ‘Digital Book’ installation. Visitors can physically touch and turn the pages of the book, with ancient text digitally projected onto it. Touch technology allows the book to respond to gestures, enabling visitors to interact with the artifact in a safe and accessible way.

Another approach is seen in the National Museum of Singapore’s ‘Story of the Forest’ exhibition. In it, historical drawings are transformed into interactive 3D animations which visitors can use an app to photograph and access additional information. The exhibition takes visitors on an immersive, educational journey through Singapore’s colonial history.

By embracing digital innovations, museums and exhibitions can offer unique immersive experiences that cater to the evolving expectations of contemporary visitors.