IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section B

Abstract

Global emergencies, security risks, economic or social changes create difficulties for the access to places of cultural interest. However, for some time now, virtual reality, 3D reconstructions, and tours with 360° spherical video have opened the way to alternatives that, albeit less involving, can keep offering cultural experiences and encounters with Cultural Heritage no more physically accessible. While real museums have to choose between possible layouts, which do not necessarily meet the sensibilities of all visitors, virtual ones can offer a set of different presentations and/or interpretations. Without replacing the real experience, but balancing the limits of a physical arrangement, the virtual visit can be targeted and can offer a multifaceted presentation of the same object. Supported by the psychological sciences, the Authors tested the impact of different possible settings by monitoring the emotional and cognitive reactions of a sample of respondents, finding differences and constants depending on age, gender and cultural background. The paper illustrates the results of this experimental study carried in virtual museum environments: in this way, the complexity and the richness of cultural content can be preserved in difficult times.