Digital exhibition as a bridge to the real collection: VR and replicas based on 3D data acquisition

Three-dimensional (3D) measurement techniques are essential in digital archives of cultural heritage, and museums currently use various digital media content as interpretations of collections. Therefore, the author has proposed a framework that can use a single source of reliable acquired 3D data for various purposes. The author made 3D measurements of artefacts from a collection in Tokyo National Museum and then reproduced these artefacts using data acquired in accordance with the framework. A digital exhibition using two different types of the reproductions was held at the museum, along with an exhibition of the real artefact. This digital exhibition demonstrated a performance using a virtual reality image manipulated by a human navigator combined with a hands-on experience of handling a replica. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of the project and the reproductions made from the acquired 3D data.