Improving Museum Experience Using the Durostorum Application for the Digital Restoration of Artifacts

Mixed reality (MR) technology is a mixture of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Mixed reality headsets such as the Microsoft HoloLens 2 contain cameras that map the user’s environment and make the virtual objects part of the physical world. Mixed reality allows users to interact with the holographic content and create realistic experiences. Durostorum is an application prototype that aims to reconstruct a damaged historical artifact using MR technology. It was developed for Microsoft Hololens 2 with Unity and the Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK). The methodology for the development of the Durostorum application and its main components and features are described. An evaluation of the project is carried out by examining the students. The focus is on the difficulties encountered during the testing process and the use of the MR technology. A conclusion is drawn on several critical points that need to be considered when implementing mixed reality to improve the user experience in museums and to optimize the knowledge of ancient cultures.