Programme

This presentation showcases the collaborative development and implementation of a bespoke app, a new digital programme for schools at Imperial War Museum, in which Augmented Reality is used as a tool for learning, adding extra layers of interactive engagement, supporting the learning journey.

AR is used to support critical thinking and source analysis. The digital experience guides students around the galleries, inspires curiosity, and creates entry points to access information, compare sources, and engage in discussion.

Students select and save content to answer key enquiry questions, then create digital presentations consolidating their learning, emailed to teachers for further learning back in the classroom.

Expensive, inflexible and requiring custom apps or hardware. This is what we think of when we see glitzy AR projects from major museums. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This presentation will explore the current capabilities of WebXR – exploring the pros and cons of current platforms like Sketchfab and 8th Wall, and introducing Smartify’s newest XR platform for creating low-cost, scalable XR experiences – available on a browser. Smartify has conducted a 2-year long research project with the University of the West of Scotland, culminating in the foundation of an in-house XR team. We will share the outcomes of our research and hint at some of the major web-XR projects you’ll be seeing over the next year or so.

Discover how the Museum Speelklok, in Utrecht the Netherlands, is extending its exhibits into the digital world with Music Machine Monster, a Roblox experience designed for kids aged 7 to 13. This interactive world features a central island where players can explore and access 10 mini-games inspired by the museum’s collection. Launched in March 2025 and already attracting over 300,000 players, the experience will soon expand into the physical realm through interactive museum installations featuring touchscreens. This hybrid approach offers a seamless blend of digital and real-world engagement. Join us to discover how XR can revolutionize museum storytelling, turning learning into a fun and immersive experience!

How do audiences engage with immersive art? What are their needs and expectations? And how can this inform museum and galleries work? In this session, Lucie Paterson will explore the intersection of visitor research, experience design and immersive experiences. Drawing on case studies from ACMI exhibitions—including Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature and the Mordant Family VR Commissions—Lucie will share key learnings from designing legible, accessible and memorable experiences at ACMI.

Our presentation will provide practical guidance for museums considering their first immersive projection installation. Through practical recommendations and real-world case studies we aim to equip museum professionals with the knowledge to make informed decisions about immersive projection spaces. Whether you are in curation, exhibition design, visitor engagement, or facilities management, this session will address key questions and challenges to help your museum take the next step toward interactive digital storytelling.

The National Slate Museum in Llanberis, North Wales, is currently closed for redevelopment. Before we closed the doors in November 2024, we invited local schoolchildren to co-create a VR Digital Time Capsule that captured their perceptions and memories of the site at that moment in time. Join us to learn about the digital technology, the process, and what we learnt along the way to creating a meaningful and fun digital experience.

Getting started with A/R is easier with friends! This case study will explore the Experience Commons collaboration between Hamilton Public Library and Hamilton Civic Museums, detailing how both organizations were able to provide an engaging, accessible entry point for our audiences to engage with and do history through augmented reality. Experience Commons is an ongoing learning experience for staff and the public alike, as both organizations have build out capacity to not only share and animate resources, but crowd-source content to expand engagement and welcome new voices and perspectives.

There’s no denying the fact that visitors to the RAF Museum are keen to explore the interiors of the aircraft: they want to sit in the pilot’s seat, touch buttons, and imagine what it’s like to be a member of the crew. However, for various reasons, this isn’t possible. This presentation provides insight into how the museum is exploring the capabilities of Augmented Reality to fulfil our visitors’ wants while still maintaining our interpretative goals of sharing the RAF story through its people and adhering to the key principles of Access for All.