Empowering cultural heritage professionals: designing interactive exhibitions with authoring tools

Abstract

This paper advocates for the involvement of Cultural Heritage Professionals (CHPs) such as curators, staff, and volunteers, in the design process for creating engaging museum exhibitions. The paper presents two prototypes: a desktop system that assists CHPs in creating interactive tools easily and intuitively, and a mobile application that allows museum visitors to enjoy interactive experiences created by museum curators. The system supports CHPs in creating interactive exhibitions that engage museum visitors by making the process easier, efficient, and effective. The paper discusses four case studies involving three museums in Madeira, Portugal, with 9 curators and 59 visitors participating; and it concludes by emphasizing the importance of involving CHPs in creating interactive museum exhibitions and providing guidance on using authoring tools. This approach can improve museum management and curatorship practices, leading to engaging exhibits, better learning outcomes, reduced costs, and innovation for visitors.