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VR or AR or both

Where to put the digital copies?

In recent years, archives and museums have increasingly begun to digitize their first holdings using 3D scanning technology. Depending on their size and technical and personnel resources, some institutions are probably quite far along. But what will be done with the 3D data?

Conservation, restoration, archiving

First and foremost, it is about capturing the archive material as 3D scans. Valuable historical documents, artifacts and works of art - the qualities and bottlenecks can probably now be easily assessed by employees. Reflective glass is always difficult. But the advantages are obvious: archival materials can be protected from physical wear and tear and restored virtually if necessary. And it's about digital archiving. Preservation is and remains a core task.

Sketchfab is not enough

Now the 3D scans are on the virtual table – now what? You could publish them in Sketchfab. There they can be viewed from all sides as .gltf files. There is also meta information about this. If it's just about attention, this approach can even make sense: In Scetchfab or similar portals, 3D scans can act as marketing ambassadors for the institution.

But actually that falls short. In an analogue exhibition, the 3D scans would not be placed on the street in front of the building in a more or less disjointed manner. 3D scans only become exhibits when what is special about them is told.

The appeal of a death mask

In Aschaffenburg it was about the deathmask of Clemens Brentano. Why are there death masks at all? How were they created? Which dead people were masks made of, over centuries, in different cultures? Suddenly these last portraits of the dead become exciting. Preservationists probably know the fascination of holding something valuable in their hands. At the same time, they also know the frustration when there is no stage for their story.

This is over now! With tuijo there can be a stage.

AR and VR you can touch

Only with VR or AR does every digital copy become an exhibit. Put into a larger context, this can be loaded with additional information and told. This opens up a special opportunity: there is finally a platform for valuable archival materials that were previously recorded and well protected only in boxes.