Digital avatars and robotic guides are emerging as innovative digital tools for enhancing overall visitor experience in museums. Recent trends show a shift towards using virtual avatars as guides, content mediators and engaging facilitators. These technological advancements not only can be used to improve access to culture and exhibitions, but also to introduce visitors to cutting-edge technology that is seamlessly integrated into everyday activities.
How avatars can be used in museums:
- For guidance and navigation: Digital avatars can serve as virtual guides, helping visitors navigate complex museum layouts. They can provide step-by-step directions and suggest exhibits based on visitor preferences, ensuring a tailored experience.
- For storytelling and interpretation: Avatars can bring artefacts and exhibits to life by narrating historical stories, explaining artistic techniques, or recreating the perspectives of historical figures.
- For interactivity and engagement: Interactive avatars can engage visitors in quizzes, games, or other playful activities, making the experience memorable, especially for younger audiences.
- For language and accessibility support: Avatars can communicate in multiple languages and provide real-time sign language translation or text-to-speech services, ensuring accessibility for diverse visitors.
Advantages of using digital avatars:
- Avatars can adapt their tone, language, and recommendations to individual visitor profiles, creating a more engaging and meaningful experience.
- By offering multilingual support and accessibility features, avatars ensure that everyone, regardless of background or ability, can enjoy the museum experience.
- Visitors, especially children and tech-savvy audiences, find interactive avatars appealing, increasing their engagement with museum content.
Challenges and considerations:
- Developing and deploying avatars, especially with advanced AI capabilities, can be expensive for smaller museums.
- Avatars require regular updates and maintenance to remain functional and relevant.
- Ensuring that avatars are intuitive and user-friendly is crucial for maximising visitor satisfaction.
- Not all visitors may feel comfortable with the new technologies tending to “replace” humans.
To successfully implement digital avatars, museums can start with simple solutions, such as kiosks or app-based guides, and gradually expand to more advanced, interactive options. Collaborating with technology experts ensures seamless integration, while prioritising accessibility features like multilingual support and text-to-speech options makes the experience inclusive for all visitors. By embracing digital avatars, museums can transform visitor journeys into engaging, personalised, and accessible experiences.
Check out how the Musée d’Orsay launched an AI-powered digital twin of the Van Gogh offering a unique way to engage with Van Gogh’s life and philosophy. This is a great example that showcases storytelling through digital technology.