Introducing Digitized Cultural Heritage to Wider Audiences by Employing Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences: The Case of the v-Corfu Project

Digital applications leveraging virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are transforming cultural heritage experiences, yet many projects struggle to engage diverse audiences. This study introduces a comprehensive workflow for developing high-quality VR/AR applications, addressing key challenges like usability, accessibility, navigation, interaction, performance, and graphics quality. By systematically analyzing requirements and integrating lessons from prior projects, the research designed a virtual museum for UNESCO's Old Town of Corfu (v-Corfu). User evaluations, including assessments by underserved minorities, demonstrated positive outcomes, proving that such approaches can attract broader audiences beyond traditional target groups. The findings highlight the potential of holistic digital strategies to enhance cultural heritage communication and outline pathways for future improvements in digitized heritage applications.

Komianos, V., Tsipis, A., & Kontopanagou, K. (2024). Introducing Digitized Cultural Heritage to Wider Audiences by Employing Virtual and Augmented Reality Experiences: The Case of the v-Corfu Project. Technologies, 12(10), 196. https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies12100196