It has always been subject to a serious debate if it is worth investing in the digital reconstruction instead of the physical conservation of the site itself. On the other hand the development of the 3D reconstruction might help the conservation more than before, since it enables the very ones imagine and understand the life of an ancient Roman city that have not been able to do so previously.
7 Maintained by the Superintendence for the Archaeological Heritage of Naples and Pompeii
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It is a question whether the use of digital devices would substitute completely the traditional methods. Dressing-up, solving a quiz, taking copies of artifacts into ones hand among others might be cheaper and sometimes even more enjoyable for visitors, in terms of involvement. Overloading an exhibition with these devices might be reasonless or risky to visitor experience as well. It can be too disturbing for certain groups and could be seen as a repository of multimedia devices. On the other hand for generations Y and Z the environment might just be perfect, raising the interest during the whole visit. Setting the right scale of modern and traditional devices should always be the subject to the expectations and demand of the target group.
In some cases the question of exhibiting original artifacts at all might arise, supposing that in a virtual museum, digital devices can be sufficient on their own. In case of MAV as it is located in the proximity of the ruins, the possibility to visit both places right after each other provides an optimal solution to this problem. However, total digitalization might be also questionable in terms of fast technological advancement. Devices are becoming obsolete in a short period of time therefore museums can become insignificant unless they possess long-lasting values. MAV’s future plan might cure the latter issue, as some of the digital devices are likely to be placed among the ruins, where visitors can observe the reconstruction of the past right in the middle of the site. Original artifacts will always have an appeal for visitors, among which they can sense thousands of years’ history. To feel the original surface of a wall, to imagine that historical figures have been walking on those streets and taken the tools in their hands will likely remain an ever-lasting attraction.
Summary
The multimedia installation developed in MAV provides an exceptional opportunity for visitors to imagine the life of ancient Roman cities. Use of 3D reconstruction, multisensory effects, touch screens, interactive devices among others enables visitors to immerse in history easier than ever before. The proximity of the ruins of Herculaneum ensures the full experience, as after visiting the virtual museum, one can wonder around the historical site observing the remains in their original environment. The increasing growth of last years’
visitor number both in the ruin area and the virtual museum justifies the development of such modern tourism attractions related to historical and cultural heritage.
As a conclusion one can observe the efforts taken by museums towards attracting visitors by completing their exhibitions with modern devices. These installations help them engage the attention of recent generations who are used to be connected to the virtual world and are surrounded by information, offers impulses 24 hours a day. Revitalizing museums is a serious challenge, but has to
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be in focus continuously for enabling them to compete successfully for visitors with other attractions.
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