İstanbul Pioneers Enhanced Visitor Engagement with AI and New Technologies
İstanbul’s Rahmi M. Koç Museum is set to become Turkey’s first facility to implement personalized tour routes and engage visitors with games powered by next-generation technologies and artificial intelligence. As a participant in the CULTURATI project, supported by the European Commission’s HORIZON EUROPE program, the museum hosted a significant international event that brought together over 80 stakeholders from various sectors including NGOs, academia, art, and technology on April 19th.
Fostering a Stronger Cultural and Artistic Ecosystem
The CULTURATI Project aims to fortify Europe’s cultural legacy and boost the creative sector by deploying applications that leverage Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, AI, cloud, and mobile technology in museums and other cultural venues. These initiatives aim to enrich the visitor experiences in indoor or outdoor locations such as art galleries, trade fairs, biennial events, historical buildings, and urban centers.
Creating a Shared Digital Platform for Culture Enthusiasts
Excited by the prospect, Rahmi M. Koç Museum’s General Manager, Mine Sofuoğlu, emphasized the transformative potential of technology in the cultural arts field. By focusing on a visitor-centric museum approach, she believes the CULTURATI project will not only contribute to tourism but also encourage deeper engagement with cultural heritage and arts. With a collection exceeding 16,000 pieces, the museum takes pride in pioneering this novel experience for visitors of all ages.
Inspiration Behind CULTURATI
The project coordinator from Bilkent University, Dr. Eda Gürel, credits Mine Sofuoğlu, the Director of the Rahmi M. Koç Museum, as the inspiration behind CULTURATI. Drawing from their years-old acquaintance, Dr. Gürel was inspired by Sofuoğlu’s special attention to museum guests and the tailored tours designed according to their interests. This has culminated in the creation of CULTURATI, utilizing the power of personalized experiences, narratives, games, and routes.
The Rahmi M. Koç Museum’s involvement with the CULTURATI project can be viewed within the broader context of the digital transformation of museums and cultural heritage sites. With an increasing emphasis on visitor engagement and the use of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, cloud, and mobile technology, the cultural sector is experiencing significant changes. Here, we explore some questions, challenges, and the potential advantages and disadvantages associated with these endeavors.
Key Questions and Answers:
Q: What motivates museums like Rahmi M. Koç to participate in projects like CULTURATI?
A: Museums are motivated to use technology to create innovative visitor experiences, attract more visitors, meet the expectations of a tech-savvy generation, and preserve cultural heritage in engaging, sustainable ways.
Q: How might AI enhance the museum experience?
A: AI can personalize visitor tours, provide interactive guides, support language translation, offer augmented reality experiences, and help in cataloging and preserving the museum’s collection.
Key Challenges and Controversies:
One challenge is the digital divide; ensuring all visitors can access and benefit from high-tech features is crucial. Preservationists may also raise concerns about the potential for technology to distract from the authentic experience of historical artifacts.
Controversial aspects could include privacy issues around data collection through AI and IoT devices, and the risk of technology becoming obsolete, requiring constant updates and maintenance.
Advantages:
– Personalization of the visitor experience.
– Increased accessibility for a global audience.
– Opportunities for new educational tools and methods.
– Enhanced visitor engagement and potential for longer visits and repeat attendance.
Disadvantages:
– High initial investment and ongoing maintenance costs.
– Risks of technological obsolescence or cyber-security threats.
– Potential over-reliance on technology at the expense of the human element in cultural experiences.
– Privacy concerns and the ethical use of visitor data.
For those interested in learning more about the European Commission’s initiatives, visit the European Commission website. To explore the broader context of technology in cultural heritage, the Horizon Europe website is a resource that provides insights into the European Union’s key funding program for research and innovation. The Rahmi M. Koç Museum’s forward-thinking approach aligns with global trends in the cultural sector aiming to create dynamic and interactive environments through technology.
The source of the article is from the blog rugbynews.at