"What I love about Blooloop is that they combine great journalism with celebrating the creators and teams who bring groundbreaking attractions and experiences to life—they are true champions of what we do."
Spotify has announced a new pop-up experience in New York City to celebrate the upcoming release of Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl album.
Described as "a dazzling three-day immersive activation", 'The Life of a Showgirl: A Spotify Experience' will run from 30 September through 2 October.
Swifties will get to discover hidden Easter eggs and enjoy exclusive photo opportunities, all inspired by the new album.
"It’s a chance for listeners to experience the next era before it officially arrives, surrounded by the music and visuals that have shaped their anticipation," Spotify said in a press release.
It added that Taylor Swift "will not be in attendance".
The Spotify campaign to promote Swift's new album started in August when a billboard lit up Times Square with a mysterious Spotify code.
This activation was part of a wider rollout across 12 global locations, with each billboard linking to a curated playliston Swift's official Spotify profile.
Spotify later released a series of clips providing a first look into the world of the new album.
"Global fan experience" for new album
"WithThe Life of a Showgirl, Spotify is helping turn anticipation into a global fan experience online, on the street, and soon, in person," Spotify said.
Last summer, London's V&A museum showcased some ofTaylor Swift's personal items, including cowboy boots and dresses, in a free exhibit named 'Taylor Swift: Songbook Trail'.
On display as part of the show were 16 costumes worn by the Grammy-winning singer, alongside instruments, music awards, storyboards and previously unseen archival material.
Michael Moriarty is managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. Here, he is responsible for the overall management of the theme park and its three hotels. Moriarty has worked for The Walt Disney Company for 14 years in various senior roles, including as chief financial officer of Hong Kong Disneyland.
As chief financial officer, he was responsible for driving revenue and operating income during the first major expansion of the resort, which included the addition of developments such as Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point, home to the award-winning attraction, Mystic Manor, and Toy Story Land.
Moriarty tells blooloop: "Hong Kong Disneyland brought me here in 2006. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with Hong Kong and Hong Kong Disneyland. It is wonderful to see how the resort has been woven into the social fabric of this amazing city."
As managing director of the resort, he oversaw the creation of World of Frozen, the world’s first Frozen-themed land.
The immersive zone features two rides – Frozen Ever After and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. The former is a state-of-the-art boat ride through the North Mountain, where guests see Elsa’s Ice Palace. The latter is a family-friendly coaster that sends riders through caves and over fjord waters.
“World of Frozen – the world’s first and largest themed land based on the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios Frozen films – represents our largest expansion in Hong Kong Disneyland’s history,” Moriarty says.
Bringing Arendelle to life: World of Frozen
“Powered by unrivaled creativity and innovation, it takes storytelling to the next level, bringing a brand-new experience to life, which our guests absolutely love. It has been a game-changer. Not just for Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, but also in terms of how we immerse guests in our unique Disney stories.”
He adds: “Every aspect of World of Frozen was tailor-made for our park, from the music to the decor. The natural scenery of the Lantau mountains blends into the kingdom of Arendelle and becomes part of the atmosphere. The small details are really what make World of Frozen a truly enchanting destination worth visiting.”
World of Frozen also features themed dining and retail outlets. Plus, there is an interactive theatrical experience called Playhouse in the Woods. This features projection-mapped content, special effects and sensory elements.
“A living, breathing land goes one step further than watching a movie," Moriarty says. "Guests are active participants in the experience, so we can really create fully immersive spaces that they can play in.
“One such place is our interactive theater Playhouse in the Woods, where guests are part of the performance. They get to meet Anna and Elsa, and each interaction is unique and personal.
“Something really special in World of Frozen is that you can also find Frozen friends throughout the land. Anna, Elsa, Oaken and Kristoff may be found wandering around Arendelle from time to time. In fact, it’s as if the whole land is an extension of immersive theater.
"Even our cast members, or the citizens of Arendelle, are part of the land. They have their own unique stories that guests can discover as they interact with them.”
Retail, F&B and more
As for retail and F&B within World of Frozen, Nordic-inspired cuisine is on offer at the Golden Crocus Inn, and desserts can be found at Northern Delights. Souvenirs and toys are available at Tick Tock Toys & Collectibles.
World of Frozen debuted in November 2023. The opening ceremony was attended by Moriarty, alongside Disney CEO Bob Iger; Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences; Jill Estorino, president and managing director of Disney Parks International; andJennifer Lee, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and the writer and director ofFrozenandFrozen 2.
After the successful launch of the themed land, Hong Kong Disneyland immediately started its preparations for its 20th anniversary celebration, dubbed The Most Magical Party of All. The year-long celebration started this June.
Opened on 12 September 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort also marked its anniversary exactly 20 years later on 12 September 2025. The event brought together cast members, guests and leaders. It was accompanied by several announcements about Hong Kong Disneyland's expansion, which Moriarty covers below.
Celebrating Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th anniversary
"The resort is pulling out all the stops to make this an unforgettable celebration for our fans, guests, cast and community, putting Hong Kong Disneyland in the global spotlight," he says.
“The anniversary celebration has already become one of the city’s most talked-about events, drawing large crowds, boosting tourism, and reinforcing our position as a flagship entertainment destination in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area region."
“This celebration showcases how Disney entertainment has evolved to new heights. We have three unmissable entertainment experiences – a brand-new castle stage show, the largest-ever parade in Hong Kong Disneyland’s history called ‘Friendtastic!’, and an enhanced version of our popular nighttime spectacular, ‘Momentous: Party in the Night Sky,’” he adds.
“Beyond entertainment, 80 brand-new food and beverage items and over 300 all-new exclusive merchandise items will be available, and guests can get up close and interact with more than 30 beloved Disney characters, both classic and new, as we bring everyone together for the festivities.”
Giving back to the community
Hong Kong Disneyland has a long history of giving back to the community. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the resort is “sharing the magic” with a series of initiatives, Moriarty says. This includes doubling its park ticket donations to nonprofits to 200,000.
"We also committed more than HK$5 million ($644,000) to promote happiness and wellbeing for kids across the Hong Kong community, including hospital transformations with Disney murals and mobile movie theatres, and youth development initiatives such as an exciting youth dance competition."
Ahead of its anniversary, for the 2024 fiscal year, Hong Kong Disneyland reported its highest net profit, revenue, attendance and EBITDA since opening in 2005. The resort recorded a historic net profit of HK$838m ($107m), and attendance reached a record high of 7.7 million guests.
Business performance: adapting and innovating for growth
“Hong Kong Disneyland delivered its strongest business performance to date in fiscal year 2024. This was due to very intentional business strategies that put our guests at the center of everything we do – tailoring innovative experiences that give them what they want,” Moriarty says.
“We bring our guests closer to the magic and the Disney stories, music, and characters that they love – leaving them feeling enchanted. We create distinctly Disney products that cater to the rising trend of experiential tourism, rolling out one-of-a-kind events, driving repeat visitation and deepening Disney fandom.
"Guests can expect to experience something new every time they visit.”
"We strengthened our go-to-market approach, showcasing Hong Kong Disneyland as a top reason to visit the region. This has led to growth from local, mainland China and other markets. In FY24, we achieved a 96 percent guest satisfaction rating, the highest on record.
“The achievements and strategies that we have put in place have reaffirmed Hong Kong Disneyland’s role as a tourism flagship in Hong Kong. [This] has positioned us well for opportunities ahead.”
Hong Kong Disneyland opened to the public in 2005 and has undergone significant evolution over the years. Now that World of Frozen is open, the resort includes a theme park with eight themed lands and three hotels.
Evolution of Hong Kong Disneyland
Moriarty says: “Our theme park continuously grows and evolves to embrace new stories and experiences. It is exciting to make all these new worlds come to life for our guests.
"It’s been magical to watch Hong Kong Disneyland grow over the past 20 years, welcoming new lands, attractions and experiences, some of which are unique to Hong Kong Disneyland, and with that increasing our guest capacity as well.
"There’s something for every guest."
Hong Kong Disneyland has a solid pipeline for future growth. Current expansion plans include more Marvel-themed experiences and a brand-new Pixar entertainment offering. Concept art for both attractions was shared as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations on 12 September.
The Pixar offering is an immersive theatrical adventure.
"Guests will join their favorite Pixar characters in a fun and heartwarming experience unlike anything we have ever done before at Hong Kong Disneyland. Using cutting-edge theatrical technology that blends real and digital environments, this entertaining live experience celebrates the joy of friendship and the power of play," Moriarty says.
"Generations of Pixar fans will personally and universally connect through storytelling that surprises and delights in a way that only Disney can deliver."
New Marvel attractions and experiences
Hong Kong Disneyland announced plans to expand its Marvel experiences during last year's D23 fan event. Moriarty adds:
“Marvel is a hugely popular brand. Following the immense popularity of its existing Marvel-themed attractions, from Iron Man Experience and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle, both of which are available only at Hong Kong Disneyland and have entertained millions of guests since their launches in 2017 and 2019, an upcoming new project marks the third major attraction to the Stark Expo experience."
"An exciting new Marvel-themed experience will expand Tomorrowland at Hong Kong Disneyland. This new expansion will feature an all-new attraction, plus entertainment and shopping offerings.
"Inspired by Tony Stark’s vision for a better future, the area brings together brilliant minds from the Avengers and their friends working together in Hong Kong to showcase their cutting-edge inventions and technologies.
"Unique to Hong Kong, this immersive experience will further expand the Stark Expo, allowing guests from around the world to go on a variety of adventures and team up with a wide array of heroes."
The cast behind the magic
Moriarty thanks the Hong Kong Disneyland cast, which he says is “integral to bringing all these experiences to life and goes above and beyond to provide guests with an amazing experience through curated, playful surprises at every step of their journey”.
He adds:
“As our resort turns 20, I want to thank our amazing cast members and Imagineers here, who constantly come up with new and innovative ways to enhance the guest experience, and our fans and guests, who have supported us since day one.
“Our success is built on their genuine love and passion – and we never take it for granted. We have to stay relevant, on top of trends, and connected to our audience every day. We listen, we take risks, and we push boundaries, sometimes even surprising ourselves along the way.”
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is the public exploration centre for Scripps Oceanography, located in La Jolla, California.
It operates as both a public aquarium and a research outreach facility, showcasing marine life and ocean science. The aquarium features exhibits on marine ecosystems, conservation programmes, and educational initiatives closely tied to the research conducted by scientists at Scripps.
Harry Helling has served as the executive director of Birch Aquarium at Scripps since 2015. During his tenure, he has launched several major exhibits and adopted a new mission: to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet, shaping an ambitious future for the aquarium.
In conversation with blooloop, Helling reflects on the aquarium’s evolution and tells us more about the newly opened Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery. He shares insights on balancing entertainment with cutting-edge science, redefining conservation in partnership with world-class researchers, and embracing the role of aquariums as trusted voices in climate communication.
From the innovative Living Seas installation to species reintroduction programmes and immersive guest experiences, Helling presents a vision for aquariums as cultural hubs, community centres, and champions of ocean optimism.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Birch Aquarium is part of one of the world’s most renowned oceanographic institutions, serving as its outreach centre.
“Our mission is to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet, and we do that in many different ways,” says Helling.
It is a long-standing organisation, having been in existence for more than a century.
“We began with the simple task of communicating emerging science from one scientist, and now we represent the work of over 1,000 scientists conducting research around the globe.
“We’re small by aquarium standards, but we’re located within an 80-acre, top-tier oceanographic research centre, which makes us quite different from most aquariums in the world.”
Its numbers are also impressive for a university aquarium: more than 550,000 annual guests, 42,000 K–12 students, just under 10,000 animals, and more than 200 in protected classes.
The public face of Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Helling celebrates a decade at the helm this October. Reflecting on some of the biggest challenges the aquarium has faced over the past ten years, he notes that certain issues are common across much of the industry, including recovery from COVID-19 and high employee living costs.
“What’s perhaps more interesting, and different for us, is the challenge of managing a public aquarium within a research university.”
That brings its own hurdles, such as navigating bureaucracy, and sometimes not being able to control its destiny the way NGOs or private entities can.
“But it also brings surprises. Working here gives us almost unlimited access to an extraordinary environment, an ecosystem of ideas, and generations of empowered young scientists who want to engage with the community and create change."
“Our university students, and this is a very competitive place to get into, are amazing. They make up half our staff, and surprise us daily with their capabilities, creativity, and desire to make a difference.”
Another challenge unique to Birch Aquarium is being immersed in a world-class ocean research institution, with over 1,000 scientists producing around 780 peer-reviewed papers each year.
“That’s a lot of new knowledge. For an outreach centre whose mission is to connect people to emerging discoveries, keeping pace can be daunting. The surprise is how much better we’ve become at doing it, not just in volume, but in how we take people right to the edge of discovery.”
Ultimately, being surrounded by a constant flow of curiosity and discovery permeates the aquarium's culture. “We live in it, as fish live in water. It shapes our ideas and work. For Birch Aquarium, challenges and surprises have always been two sides of the coin."
Where entertainment meets science
Helling explains that the balance between public entertainment and science has been a defining aspect of Birch Aquarium’s journey, as it strives to rebalance the equation to meet visitors’ evolving needs.
“For Birch Aquarium, I’d say we’ve broken free from the old, science-heavy didactic style; lots of photos of celebrated scientists, too much complex text, and more graphs and charts than a textbook. You won’t see that anymore in our facility.
“We recognise now that our guests often see Birch Aquarium as an entertainment platform. They come to enjoy panoramic ocean views, spend time with family and friends, watch marine animals of all kinds, and maybe learn a few things along the way.”
As a result, the aquarium has rethought its approach:
“We lead with entertainment, but we layer in cutting-edge science through innovative approaches.
“We’ve expanded our exploration at the intersection of art, science, and technology as a way to draw people into scientific ideas. We’ve put real thought into layering in interactivity. Our well-trained instructors and facilitators engage visitors physically in learning, giving them the chance to experience science the way our researchers do.
“We create immersive spaces and open-ended discovery, so we’re not talking at or down to people, but inviting them to explore.”
Play is also a central element:
“Our director of exhibits is formally trained in play and has woven it into all our programmes. For us, entertainment is now an entry point, allowing us to layer in complex science and give our guests the freedom to go as deep as they want."
Conservation at Birch Aquarium
Like most in the industry, Birch Aquarium is working to redefine the role of a public aquarium in a changing world.
“At Birch Aquarium, we think about conservation across multiple categories, all operating at the same time,” says Helling.
One category is captive breeding of protected species, where the aquarium collaborates with organisations in the US and internationally.
“These programmes have been remarkably successful. For example, we’ve been raising a dozen species of seahorses and sharing them with aquariums around the world, virtually eliminating the need to collect them from the wild. We’ve done this with other animals as well.”
Captive breeding helps inform animal care in the field, supports our advisory work with the IUCN on levels of protection, and creates opportunities to engage policymakers and raise public awareness.
A conservation milestone
Another category is reintroduction programmes. Last month, over 350 Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs were reintroduced into the wild in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains, marking one of the largest releases to date and a significant step in efforts to save this endangered species. This is the aquarium’s first-ever species reintroduction and a historic moment in its growing conservation work.
Of the released frogs, 220 were raised behind the scenes at Birch Aquarium, while the rest were raised at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and UCLA.
"We’re also working with sunflower sea stars, which have become functionally extinct in the waters of California, Oregon, and Washington. We had five in captivity for decades, successfully bred them last year, and now have juveniles.
“Our goal is to expand breeding and reintroduce them, as they’re a keystone species for kelp forest ecology.”
The aquarium also serves as a sanctuary. “One example is our loggerhead turtle, rescued from an energy plant and unable to return to the wild. Under our care, she’s thriving and helping visitors connect with ocean conservation.”
“Many people don’t realise the scale of ocean wildlife entering the US illegally, often destined for home aquariums. When these shipments are intercepted, the animals often end up in public aquariums like ours. We work with the industry to move toward more sustainable, captive-breeding programmes.”
Finally, due to Birch Aquarium’s close relationship with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, it supports a wide range of conservation science research, including studies on microplastics, microbiomes, pollution, acoustics, sea level rise, sensor and robotics testing, and more.
“We like to think of ourselves as less a 60,000-square-foot aquarium, and more an 80-acre oceanographic campus experience, connecting guests directly with the science that can help protect our ocean planet."
Helling shares a story that serves as a good example of the innovative approaches some aquariums are taking today:
“In our new Living Seas installation, one of our corals was recently made famous by an internationally published study. We worked with a scientist who discovered how to take that coral, create an extract, and turn it into a kind of ‘goo.’
“This was a partnership between the aquarium, the researcher, and the engineering department on our upper campus. When this goo is applied to damaged or dying reefs, they recover four times faster. It’s a perfect example of the kinds of conservation initiatives an aquarium so deeply connected to a research institution can develop."
Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery at Birch Aquarium
With Living Seas, Birch Aquarium set out to create a new standard, not just for the guest experience, but also for the behind-the-scenes capacity to support more science and conservation.
“Internally, we called it raising the bar on both sides of the glass,” says Helling.
This meant shifting the focus from individual animals to entire habitats and ecosystems. “It required larger enclosures, better integrated technology and sensors, and more energy-efficient systems.
“As an oceanographic institution, we’re deeply aware of warming oceans and toxic algae blooms, so when we upgrade our systems, we design them to adapt to future conditions. That means more robust, resilient life-support systems, plus new safety measures for our husbandry team.
“Updating an existing system was complex. Anyone in the field will appreciate the challenge of modernising outdated life-support infrastructure.”
On the public side, the team examined learning and engagement techniques from aquariums, science centres, and zoos worldwide, then took them to the next level.
“We added digital text and graphics that can be updated instantly, incorporating new science and data as it’s published.”
Living Seas also introduced underwater acoustics, allowing visitors to experience the sounds of the ocean, even at night. “We built a nighttime mode for our ‘Oceans at Night’ programmes, answering the question: What happens in the ocean when the lights go out?
“We’ve invested in sophisticated AV projection systems to explore the intersection of art, science, and technology. We’ve also leaned into our ‘concierge-style’ approach to engagement, building in spaces and tools for rich, personal interactions between guests, staff, and volunteers.
“In many ways, we’ve packed so many new capabilities into Living Seas that it might take years to explore them fully, and that’s exactly what we wanted.”
A unique responsibility
The aquarium is now developing programmes that connect animal and human wellness and building a neurobiology exhibit that will use the new projection systems to explore how fish brains and nervous systems are changing.
"Our priority, built into this year’s strategic plan, is to fully exercise the potential of Living Seas. We want to put those new capabilities to work.
“We’re developing wellness programmes, including a Giant Pacific Octopus meditation programme. As part of our Indigenous Ocean Days, we’re creating a digital tour of Living Seas through the eyes of our local Native American community.
"We have many innovative approaches planned for using Living Seas in unexpected ways.”
Looking ahead, Birch Aquarium faces a unique responsibility:
“Being embedded in a university—and in this moment in the US, with science and fact-based policy under pressure—means we have to rise to the occasion. There are university-wide campaigns underway to protect science and the future it supports, and that mission has become a priority for us, even beyond what we initially planned.
“It’s why we’ve built these facilities: to serve as a platform for the role science must play in society."
A new immersive exhibit debuting in 2026 will focus on the critically endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. “The exhibit will let guests virtually experience reintroducing an animal into its native habitat after local extinction.”
Also opening in 2026, Changing Minds will explore the changing nervous systems of fish in a changing ocean, utilising art, science, and technology.
“Through everything, our focus remains the same: connecting our visitors to the ocean, and connecting understanding to protecting our ocean planet."
Birch Aquarium & the future of public aquariums
Discussing how the role of public aquariums will change over the next decade, Helling says:
"We’re already seeing how their role is evolving, and it’s just the beginning. A stronger network is forming around conservation, with aquariums and agencies partnering to influence policy, enhance strategies for science and climate communication, and undertake large-scale conservation efforts together.
“Here in the US, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is doing a great job bringing institutions together to form a united voice for conservation. The need for that work will only grow.”
For Birch Aquarium, as for many aquariums, the data indicates that it is a trusted source of information, particularly in the fields of science and climate.
“That trust carries a big responsibility, perhaps the biggest in our history. In the coming years, we’ll need to grow as a safe space for connecting people to science and climate messaging. We’ve always played that role, but the moment demands that we strengthen it. I see many of our colleagues moving in the same direction.
“I also believe aquariums will continue to grow as cultural centres; places that foster a wider range of social interactions, deeper community engagement, and even serve as role models for NGOs. That includes providing a safe space for civil discourse, which goes beyond the entertainment of seeing animals or enjoying time with friends. This behind-the-scenes work is essential to substantiating our mission.
“Finally, I see an even stronger role for aquariums, zoos, and museums in supporting K–12 education, helping build the pipeline into STEM colleges and careers. That’s already part of our mission, and I don’t see that trajectory slowing. If anything, I expect it to steepen over the next 10 to 20 years."
A clear understanding of mission
Sharing his advice for emerging professionals in the zoo and aquarium sector who want to make a difference, he says:
"In today’s complex and changing world, aquariums and attractions have to be more than profit centres. The best organisations have a clear understanding of who they are and what they stand for—and today, that’s more important than ever.
“The strongest institutions support their staff, contribute back to society, and act as responsible environmental citizens. And here’s the key: you can do all of that and still be profitable.
“That is the starting point for any emerging leader who wants to guide their organisation toward real impact."
Top image: a young guest excited to see the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in Birch Aquarium’s Living Seas
Institutions worldwide are integrating emerging museum technologies to enhance visitor engagement, future-proof operations, diversify revenue streams, and attract new audiences.
What started with experimentation in touchscreens and mobile guides has expanded into an advanced ecosystem of AI-driven personalisation, immersive virtual reality, digital twins, and multisensory storytelling.
For museums functioning in a post-pandemic environment, with shifting visitor behaviours, heightened competition for leisure time, and increasing pressure to provide value, technology is becoming a strategic necessity.
From the VR experiences to AI-driven curation platforms, cultural institutions are rethinking the visitor journey from the ground up.
This article examines the most compelling examples of how museums are currently leveraging emerging technologies and what these innovations may indicate for the future of cultural experience design.
Why should a museum use emerging technologies as part of the guest experience?
Technology can be an excellent tool to boost engagement. For example, AR, VR, and interactive displays offer a more immersive, hands-on experience, allowing people to interact with exhibits in a new way and, therefore, make a deeper connection. Incorporating modern technology can also attract younger, more tech-savvy audiences.
Digital tools can also help museums present sometimes complicated information in more accessible and easy-to-understand formats. Providing different layers and types of educational content also means they can better cater to various learning styles, helping to appeal to a more diverse audience.
Additionally, technology is helping to open doors in terms of accessibility. For instance, digital displays can offer content in multiple languages. Verbal descriptions can be triggered for visually impaired guests, and new apps make it easy for deaf visitors to access information independently.
Museums often collect data on visitor interactions and preferences to make better-informed decisions. AI and machine learning algorithms can now analyse this to help museums offer personalised recommendations and tailored tours. This customisation can make the experience more relevant and enjoyable for each guest.
Finally, immersive technologies also enable museums to tell stories in innovative ways, creating richer narratives that bring history, art, and science to life.
From an operational perspective, many institutions face mounting pressure to diversify their revenue streams and reduce reliance on public funding. Emerging museum technologies offer new avenues for monetisation, remote engagement, and global reach.
In parallel, museums are increasingly investing in digital infrastructure not just for visitor-facing applications, but for collection management, conservation modelling, and predictive maintenance.
AR, VR and XR
When it comes to emerging museum technologies, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR) are changing how cultural institutions engage with their audiences.
While AR overlays digital content onto physical objects and spaces, VR transports visitors into entirely new environments. XR, the broader category encompassing both, enables hybrid experiences that blend real and virtual elements.
Museums are using these tools not just for entertainment, but to enrich context, spark empathy, and enable different experiences.
This technology can also widen access to museum collections.
Typically, only about 3% of a museum's collection is visible to visitors at any moment, while the remaining 97% is stored away in basements or off-site warehouses. Innovative projects like V&A East Storehouse are one way to tackle this issue. But technology can open the door for many more museums to democratise access to their collections.
A global survey revealed significant public interest in using VR and AX technologies to access museum collections. The University of Glasgow's £5.6m Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) project surveyed over 2,000 people worldwide, finding that 79% are interested in using digital tools to explore collections that are currently not accessible to the public.
Art Masters: A Virtual Reality Experience
ACCIONA Living & Culture, a leading creator of technology-driven interactive museums, exhibits, and events, in collaboration with the Prado National Museum, designed and produced a virtual reality experience titled Art Masters: A Virtual Reality Experience.
The exhibit, which premiered at the global NEXT IN Summit in Madrid in 2025, allows visitors to engage with iconic pieces from the Prado Museum’s collection through VR glasses.
Carla Prat, design and experiences director at ACCIONA Living and Culture, explains the thinking behind Art Masters: “What if we could take articles out of the museum space and transform them into an immersive adventure, export the timeless essence of the museum?”
Charles Read, creative director at blooloop, says:
"Art Masters was nothing short of extraordinary. Practically, the headwear was comfortable. The experience flowed, and the five works of art chosen from the Prado worked really well in an immersive world.
"The Garden of Earthly Delights was a dreamlike, magical experience, and Goya’s Aquelarre, a powerful and unsettling vision, became, if anything, even more so as demons and witches danced under the moonlight; a vivid insight into the artist’s then mental and physical distress."
Mixed reality inspires behaviour change
The Natural History Museum in London's Visions of Nature is an immersive mixed-reality exhibit that transports visitors to 2125 to showcase the effects of human activity on the planet.
It employs Microsoft HoloLens 2 headsets to deliver interactive holograms of creatures like cuttlefish, Darwin’s frogs, and coconut crabs, as well as natural landmarks such as the Scottish Highlands and Africa’s Great Green Wall.
Alex Burch, director of public programmes at the Natural History Museum, says: “Visions of Nature is an incredibly exciting, immersive experience. Whilst visually beautiful, it also delivers a powerful message that the actions we take now can have a positive impact on the future.
“It presses fast-forward so visitors can see how nature has responded, for better and for worse, to the aftermath of centuries of human industrial activity as well as to the interventions we have introduced to remedy our unsustainable activity.”
Holograms
Holograms and holographic displays take AR one step further.
A hologram is a captivating illusion that immerses guests into a story. It's a practical way to attract attention, especially in busy environments. The holographic display market is also rapidly growing, projected to reach over US$11.65 billion by 2030.
While the LBE industry’s holographic trailblazer is still ABBA Voyage, which utilises cutting-edge technology to recreate the Swedish pop stars, we're also seeing more sophisticated holograms entering the museum space.
Survivor Stories Experience
The Abe & Ida Cooper Survivor Stories Experience at the Illinois Holocaust Museum features interactive holograms of Holocaust survivors, allowing visitors to ask questions and get pre-recorded, AI-assisted answers.
High-definition holographic interview recordings combined with voice recognition technology allow survivors to share their personal stories and answer audience questions, creating a personalised, one-on-one ‘conversation’ experience for visitors.
This is an example of how emerging museum technologies can be used to bring powerful stories to life.
Avatar docents?
Exploring the topic in a blooloop article, Maris Ensing from Mad Systems envisions avatars that are ready and waiting to answer visitors' questions as they tour a space museum, taking the form of, for example, an astronaut, a test pilot, or a rocket scientist.
"These avatar docents are vividly present – breathing, blinking, and shifting weight like real people," says Ensing. "You simply choose whom you’d like to explore the museum with, tell them your age, and what you need in terms of language, interests, and depth of information. Your private, cinematic tour then snaps into gear, based on our patented technology."
This enables a truly personalised narrative, he adds: "No flag-waving docent, no twenty-person herd, just a one-to-one deep dive at whatever pace feels right."
Immersive sound
Most of us have used an audio guide during a museum visit at some point. However, museums are increasingly adopting immersive sound technology to enrich storytelling, evoke stronger emotions, and create more memorable exhibitions.
Unlike traditional audio guides, these soundscapes aim to be spatial, interactive, and personal, making visitors part of the story instead of just telling it.
Binaural and spatial audio
Binaural sound is a recording and playback method that employs two microphones positioned where human ears are, often on a dummy head, to capture audio as it naturally occurs. When listened to with headphones, it produces a 3D spatial audio effect, allowing you to perceive sounds coming from above, behind, or beside you.
This technique convinces the brain that the sound originates from the surrounding environment rather than just within the headphones. It has excellent potential for museums because it makes audio storytelling much more personal and location-specific.
The Museum of London’s Beasts of London used binaural sound to let visitors “hear” the city’s history from the perspective of animals, narrated by actors, with voices circling around their heads.
Sensors, beacons, or wearables can also be used to activate audio content based on a visitor's location or movement. The V&A’s David Bowie Is exhibit provided each visitor with a headset that automatically played appropriate Bowie tracks, interviews, or sound effects when they approached various artefacts.
For its recent show, DIVA, V&A partnered with tonwelt, using its solutions to enable a 100% hands-free visitor experience, with automatically triggered content and lip-sync video synchronisation.
And sound is getting even more hi-tech: Losonnante is a pioneering company, transforming the way visitors connect with sound in public and cultural spaces. Through the use of bone-conductive technology, visitors’ hands are transformed into headphones, enabling intimate, immersive, and accessible listening experiences simply by leaning their elbows on a sound-emitting surface.
Creating emotion
Visuals show what happened, but sound brings the experience to life. Our brains respond naturally to audio cues, and so museum soundscapes do more than accompany exhibits; they deepen the emotional atmosphere.
In the WWII galleries at the Imperial War Museum in London, hidden speakers create layered audio environments.
Distant air raid sirens sound, building tension. Muffled voices and radio broadcasts evoke life in a blackout, with city noise and the rumble of bombers completing the 1940s London soundscape. The sound is subtle, merging seamlessly into the surroundings, allowing visitors to feel it rather than just hear it.
One recent exhibition, the multi-sensory Feel the Soundfrom Barbian Immersive and MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, delves into our relationships with sound and explores a listening experience that extends beyond the audio.
Artificial Intelligence
Regarding emerging museum technologies, AI perhaps has the most potential to transform what museums do, both in terms of guest engagement and behind-the-scenes operations.
When it comes to the guest experience, we're seeing AI-powered guides that offer a more personalised experience, AI tools that enable people to explore artwork more deeply, and even AI-driven storytelling and content.
Imagine an exhibit that recognizes a returning visitor or detects a family with children and then adjusts the information it presents accordingly.
"Imagine an exhibit that recognizes a returning visitor or detects a family with children and then adjusts the information it presents accordingly," says Ensing.
"Using tools like RFID tags, mobile apps, or even (private and secure) facial recognition, next-gen systems can identify visitors and deliver media suited to their interests in the language and style of their choice."
Engage with the content through AI
Last year, the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Zoology introduced a new experience that allows guests to engage in two-way conversations with specimens on display through AI, including a dodo skeleton, a taxidermied red panda, a preserved cockroach, a narwhal skeleton, a freeze-dried platypus, brain coral, and a taxidermied huia – an extinct bird from New Zealand.
“This is an amazing opportunity for people to test out an emerging technology in our inspiring museum setting, and we also hope to learn something about how our visitors see the animals on display,” says Jack Ashby, assistant director of the Museum of Zoology.
“Our whole purpose is to get people engaged with the natural world. So we’re curious to see whether this will work, and whether chatting to the animals will change people’s attitudes towards them – will the cockroach be better liked, for example, as a result of having its voice heard?”
Meanwhile, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam offers an AI-powered tool called ‘Art Explorer’. This allows users to collect and compare artworks in the museum’s collection.
The aim is to make the museum’s 800,000-piece collection more searchable and offer an interactive digital experience. Art Explorer asks questions such as “What do you love?”. If you love eating delicious meals, the tool will search the museum’s collection and show relevant artworks.
In the US, the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, is set to open later this year with a new gallery featuring AI-powered exhibits.
Earlier this year, Dubai’s Museum of the Future unveiled the latest version of Ameca, an AI-enabled humanoid robot featuring lifelike facial expressions and interactive capabilities. It serves as an intelligent assistant at the institution.
AI, accessibility, and sustainability
Regarding accessibility, AI tools offer multilingual audio guides, real-time captions, and sign-language avatars. For instance, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights utilises AI-based translation to create more inclusive experiences for visitors.
In Brazil, the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro has integrated IRIS+, an AI-powered conversational assistant, to enhance the accessibility, engagement, and social impact of its exhibits.
IRIS+ provides both voice and text interactions, supported by physically accessible kiosks designed for wheelchair users and children, ensuring the museum is welcoming to all visitors. Guests engage with IRIS+ through reflective dialogues centred on themes such as sustainability, coexistence, and personal responsibility, fostering a personalised experience.
The system links visitors’ reflections to real-world initiatives aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, encouraging actionable outcomes. Since its implementation, IRIS+ has been utilised over half a million times, with many visitors reporting subsequent social or environmental actions.
AI content?
Using AI to design the content itself might be a little more controversial. Yet this year sees the opening of the world's first AI art museum, Refik Anadol's Dataland in Los Angeles.
Anadol, a media artist and director, creates large-scale art installations using collections of publicly available data and machine learning algorithms. Speaking to blooloop, he said:
“Every single institution from the last century or the last couple of centuries, their agenda was grounded in the things happening around them. But at the moment, we are in this new era of AI computation, quantum computing and biology. Humanity is rapidly changing."
“The museum is a reflection of our time, but also aims to use AI for good and to solve problems like accessibility, ethical data collection and use, and sustainability by computing with renewable energy. We are trying our very best to be a good example while innovating and creating breakthroughs.”
AI in operations
The technology also assists with collections management by enabling AI to scan artworks and automatically produce metadata, including style, subject, and colour palette. For example, the Smithsonian Institution has leveraged AI to analyse millions of digitised artefacts, which enhances their searchability and cross-referencing.
AI can process large archives of curator notes, letters, or historical texts to uncover valuable insights.
Furthermore, it has uses in restoration and reconstruction. AI models can “fill in” missing sections of damaged artworks or replicate original colours. The Mauritshuis in The Hague employed AI to assist in reconstructing the missing sides of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring during a research project.
When it comes to operations and guest flow, AI assists in predicting visitor numbers, staff requirements, or even conservation risks (such as humidity levels in galleries). AI-driven cameras or sensors can track how visitors move through exhibits, helping to inform layout improvements.
Next-gen apps & tours
Early audio guides provided a straightforward, uniform narrative. Visitors were guided along a predetermined path or sequence, leaving limited space for exploration or customisation.
Today, museums can provide dynamic and adaptive storytelling that adjusts based on visitor interests, time spent, or engagement behaviour.
Audio guides are also being developed to incorporate shared listening, interactive storytelling, and enhanced visitor engagement. Museums are experimenting with multi-user experiences, allowing groups to engage with the same narrative simultaneously, encouraging discussion and reflection.
Smarter audio tours
Guide-ID has developed Podcatcher Pro, a user-friendly, multilingual, hands-free audio tour guide. Building on the successful Podcatcher, this upgraded version adds ultra-wideband radio for automatic triggering and group tour functionality, allowing the leader to transmit stories to the entire group simultaneously.
The Podcatcher Pro platform also features new AI tools designed to assist museums or attractions in creating stories.
“Based on a basic description of an object, it can write the audio stories for the museum, translated into any language they want and make a voiceover out of it instantly within the platform, for free,” says founder and CEO Frits Polman.
“Until now, creating content has been quite a time-consuming process, and it’s also very expensive. But with artificial intelligence, they can just create it by themselves.”
It includes smart insights, enabling the museum to track tour performance; for example, users can view real-time data on the most popular audio stops or visitor heatmaps. Current users include Casa Batlló in Barcelona.
Videos in museums are common, but their effectiveness drops without audio. Conventional options, such as headsets, face hygiene issues, and require costly upkeep. Nubart Sync offers a breakthrough by transmitting flawlessly synchronised audio straight to a user’s smartphone, eliminating the need for extra hardware or apps and ensuring zero latency.
Visitors can easily access audio in their chosen language by scanning a QR code using Wi-Fi or mobile data, thereby enhancing the immersion in exhibitions, digital signage, and cultural experiences.
Organisations like Museum Sydøstdanmark in Denmark are already implementing this cutting-edge solution.
3D scanning & digital twins
3D scanning and printing are increasingly shaping how museums preserve, study, and share their collections.
Preservation and conservation
High-resolution 3D scans can capture an artefact's shape, texture, and colour, providing a digital backup that preserves details even if the original is damaged.
For students and researchers, these virtual models offer a valuable chance to examine fragile or rare objects without the need for direct contact. They enhance accessibility for visitors who cannot physically access collections, whether due to distance, disability, or restrictions, by allowing them to explore artefacts online through interactive 3D views.
Many institutions, including the British Museum and the Smithsonian, have digitised thousands of artefacts for online access, often using laser scanning and photogrammetry
3D printing technology provides many advantages, too. It enables the creation of replicas that visitors can touch and interact with, reducing the risk of damaging original artefacts. Damaged or incomplete objects can be digitally restored and then physically recreated, aiding in their preservation.
Plus, museums can share printed versions of their artefacts with other institutions around the world, broadening access to cultural heritage. This technology also promotes inclusive interaction, allowing visually impaired visitors to interact with and explore objects through touch.
Museums in the metaverse
A digital twin is a precise virtual replica of a physical asset that can be updated in real-time.
Each artefact can have a digital twin that contains details like its physical shape, metadata, provenance, and conservation record. When used for buildings or exhibitions, particularly in museums, digital twins can depict entire galleries or sites.
Thanks to these virtual models, museums can track environmental factors like humidity and light for preservation, simulate visitor traffic to improve experiences, and provide engaging virtual exhibitions for online audiences.
Heritage sites such as Pompeii and Notre-Dame use digital twins to simulate restoration efforts and track structural health. Meanwhile, others are adopting VR and AR tours driven by digital replicas of their galleries.
Gamification
Gamification in museums is a growing trend that blends play, storytelling, and interactivity to boost cultural education. Its goal is to increase visitor engagement, help them create memorable experiences, and draw in a wide range of visitors, especially younger ones.
Gamification here doesn’t mean turning museums into video arcades. Instead, it involves incorporating game elements, such as points, challenges, levels, rewards, storytelling, and role-playing, into the museum experience.
These methods engage our curiosity, drive for achievement, and enjoyment of play.
Treasure hunts and more
One popular method involves organising treasure hunts and quests, where visitors solve clues, track trails, or gather digital artefacts while exploring the galleries. For instance, the Louvre employs app-based scavenger hunts to lead visitors to key artworks.
Role-playing and storytelling enhance engagement by inviting visitors to assume roles such as archaeologists, detectives, or explorers, thereby accessing exhibit-related content. Some history museums also feature murder–mystery–style stories linked to specific objects.
Digital badges, points, and leaderboards motivate visitors by rewarding actions like completing challenges, scanning QR codes, or answering quiz questions, encouraging more museum exploration.
Another innovative approach to gamification involves digital twins, allowing the creation of multiplayer online quests or immersive experiences that mimic being inside a video game.
For instance, many museums have embraced Minecraft's popularity, from the Museum of London’s virtual reconstruction of the city before the Great Fire of 1666 to Tate Worlds, which invites visitors to explore some of the museum’s most notable artworks through Minecraft.
What are some of the challenges with emerging museum technologies?
While emerging museum technologies present significant opportunities, they also pose challenges that museum leaders must handle with care.
Ethical concerns
The growing use of AI and data-driven tools in museums raises questions about bias, inclusivity, and representation. Algorithms used for personalisation or automated interpretation risk reinforcing cultural stereotypes if not carefully designed.
Similarly, as museums expand into digital environments, they must consider the digital divide: not every visitor has access to smartphones, high-end headsets, or stable internet connections.
Accessibility continues to be essential. AR and VR exhibitions should include options for visitors with visual, auditory, or mobility challenges to prevent unintentional exclusion of anyone.
Tech fatigue
Visitor interest in immersive technologies remains high, but expectations are changing. As headsets, projections, and AR apps become more widespread in cultural sites, the potential for diminishing returns increases.
When used excessively, technology may seem gimmicky or overwhelming, causing 'tech fatigue'. Museums must therefore use digital tools carefully, enhancing the visitor experience without overwhelming it.
Successful projects often present technology as a discreet enabler of storytelling rather than the central focus.
Innovation vs. integrity
A crucial aspect is how technology aligns with a museum’s mission and goals. While immersive media can dramatise historical events, bring artworks to life, or reconstruct vanished worlds, it requires thoughtful curatorial guidance to avoid oversimplification or sensationalism.
Striking the right balance means ensuring that AR, VR, and XR experiences remain grounded in accurate research, while still appealing to diverse audiences. For professionals, this entails collaboration across disciplines, including curators, educators, technologists, and designers, to ensure that innovation aligns with the institution's core values.
Future museum technologies
The next phase of digital innovation in museums is shifting from experimentation to sustained integration.
Investments are increasing in AI-driven personalisation, allowing museums to suggest exhibits, customise audio tours, and develop adaptive storytelling based on visitors' preferences. Digital twins and 3D scanning are becoming essential for preservation and accessibility, enabling museums to share delicate collections globally and support conservation with detailed virtual replicas.
Additionally, new haptic and multisensory technologies provide innovative ways for visitors to experience textures, weights, and atmospheres in digital recreations.
Museums must treat technology as a core part of strategy. By aligning innovation with mission, accessibility, and sustainability, they can ensure digital transformation supports their curatorial integrity.
Industry leaders should see AR, VR, XR, and AI not as competing innovations but as complementary tools. These technologies can open new storytelling avenues, diversify revenue streams, and make culture more accessible globally.
Successful museums will be those that innovate intentionally, creating experiences that connect with both current audiences and future generations.
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