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3D scanning technology brings cultural sites to life at home

01 Dec 2020

New 3D scanning technology is being used to offer virtual tours of museums, galleries and heritage sites in Greater Manchester

Manchester Museum

The School of Arts Languages and Cultures, the Institute for Cultural Practices, Creative Manchester and Digital Futures have launched a new project to 3D scan public spaces in local museums, galleries and other cultural and heritage sites using Matterport technology.

So far, scanned spaces include Manchester Museum, the People's History Museum, Band on the Wall and our Martin Harris Centre, with more locations including The Whitworth art gallery to follow in the near future.

At a time when visiting these spaces can raise a number of challenges, the 3D scans provide an alternative and complementary virtual experience of being in and walking through a cultural space. The project provides our staff opportunities to embed the 3D scans in teaching and learning activities, and enables students to conduct virtual research in these spaces.

As the project moves forward, the aim is that the 3D scans will become an essential public engagement tool, providing cultural organisations with additional opportunities to engage with existing and new audiences.

Kostas Arvanitis, Senior Lecturer in Museology, said: “The project is an example of the extensive research in cultural experiences and immersive technologies taking place at the University, and of the excellent partnerships we have with local cultural organisations. The 3D scans will support University teaching and learning, and provide case studies for further research and development on virtual and augmented reality with the creative industries and relevant businesses.”

To learn more about the use of 3D scanning of cultural spaces in an educational context, Dr Arvanitis and Dr John Piprani are hosting an online lecture on Matterport’s scanning technology and other digital reconstructions and their value in teaching and learning. The event will take place on Wednesday, 2 December at 12pm, and you can register to attend via Eventbrite.