Museum AR · Experience design · 2023

Keep the physical exhibit at the centre.

The AR layer must help visitors understand an exhibit without competing with the physical object for their attention.

My role: I led research, synthesis, journey mapping, interaction design and prototype evaluation. I partnered with Roy and Mike on development.

Key decision: Make scanning an object into its story the primary path. Multilingual access supports that journey, while collections and a scavenger hunt remain optional.

What happened: A formative test with 10 prospective visitors informed clearer instructions and interaction feedback.

ROLE & OWNERSHIP

I led research, synthesis, journey mapping, interaction design and prototype evaluation. I partnered with Roy and Mike on development.

SCOPE

Interactive AR prototype · Museum visitor experience

Museum AR final experience preview
Experience overview · Research, design decisions, and validation below
THE CHALLENGE

Add context without competing with the exhibit.

Visitors move between physical objects, labels and digital information. Requiring them to learn a new interface at every exhibit would make the technology the focus of the visit. The design question was where an AR layer genuinely improves understanding, and when it should get out of the way.

01 / Discover

Understand the visit before adding a digital layer.

Field research, comparative patterns and visitor input

I combined field visits, visitor interviews, survey responses and comparative research to identify where digital support could help. The priorities were a clear entry point, understandable exhibit context and control over how deeply to explore.

What changed: The visitor journey mattered more than the novelty of an overlay. I mapped collection and onboarding through scanning, reading, optional play and return of the glasses, then kept exhibit discovery as the primary path.

Swipe or use the arrows to explore the research visuals; each image has a short explanation.

Secondary research frames the museum audience and visitor context.
Secondary research frames the museum audience and visitor context.
Existing museum technology shows how digital layers meet physical exhibits.
Existing museum technology shows how digital layers meet physical exhibits.
Comparative review of museum AR experiences and interaction patterns.
Comparative review of museum AR experiences and interaction patterns.
Additional references compare exhibit guidance and information density.
Additional references compare exhibit guidance and information density.
Exhibit inventory maps the visitor touchpoints available for an AR layer.
Exhibit inventory maps the visitor touchpoints available for an AR layer.
A closer look at existing exhibit labels and physical display constraints.
A closer look at existing exhibit labels and physical display constraints.
Affinity themes cluster visitor needs and open questions.
Affinity themes cluster visitor needs and open questions.
Survey findings show patterns in museum visits and technology expectations.
Survey findings show patterns in museum visits and technology expectations.
Interview notes group visitor reactions into recurring themes.
Interview notes group visitor reactions into recurring themes.
Journey map follows the visitor from entry through exhibit exploration.
Journey map follows the visitor from entry through exhibit exploration.
02 / Define

Give visitors a direct route from object to story.

Opportunity mapping and prioritisation

I prioritised scanning and exhibit interpretation over feature breadth. Visitors should be able to understand the object in front of them without first learning a complex interface. Language access, collections and the scavenger hunt extend that core experience.

4 research visuals · Swipe or scroll. Each visual includes a short explanation.

Synthesis map connects research themes to opportunities for exploration.
Synthesis map connects research themes to opportunities for exploration.
Prioritization matrix weighs visitor needs against effort and feasibility.
Prioritization matrix weighs visitor needs against effort and feasibility.
Exhibit content and touchpoints are mapped to the proposed AR experience.
Exhibit content and touchpoints are mapped to the proposed AR experience.
Information architecture connects onboarding, discovery and collection.
Information architecture connects onboarding, discovery and collection.
03 / Develop

Keep the interaction consistent across languages.

Early layouts and navigation

I used sketches and storyboards to compare entry, scanning, navigation and return paths before developing detailed UI. The multilingual screens retain the same structure and actions. Visitors can change how they access the content without having to relearn the interaction.

Storyboard tests the route from welcome to scanning and collecting an artifact.
Storyboard tests the route from welcome to scanning and collecting an artifact.
04 / Experience

Let visitors choose the depth.

Exhibit stories, language and optional discovery

Scanning opens the exhibit story. Visitors can read further, inspect an artifact, save a discovery or enter the scavenger hunt. These layers remain optional, with a clear route back to the physical display.

AR glasses concept places the exhibit view inside the visitor’s field of vision.
AR glasses concept places the exhibit view inside the visitor’s field of vision.
Gallery setting tests how guidance sits alongside real artwork.
Gallery setting tests how guidance sits alongside real artwork.
Overview of collection points embedded in the physical exhibition.
Overview of collection points embedded in the physical exhibition.
Welcome screen introduces the museum and starts the tour.
Welcome screen introduces the museum and starts the tour.
Language selection supports visitors before the tour begins.
Language selection supports visitors before the tour begins.
Collection prompt connects the visitor to an artifact in the gallery.
Collection prompt connects the visitor to an artifact in the gallery.
Localized collection prompt shows the same interaction in another language.
Localized collection prompt shows the same interaction in another language.
Artifact view combines the object, context and a path to learn more.
Artifact view combines the object, context and a path to learn more.
Localized artifact view maintains the same structure and actions.
Localized artifact view maintains the same structure and actions.
Expanded story adds historical detail without replacing the exhibit.
Expanded story adds historical detail without replacing the exhibit.
Japanese-language artifact story demonstrates multilingual content.
Japanese-language artifact story demonstrates multilingual content.
Collection view shows progress across discovered objects.
Collection view shows progress across discovered objects.
Second collection state shows locked and available items.
Second collection state shows locked and available items.
Collected artifacts become a browsable personal set.
Collected artifacts become a browsable personal set.
Object manipulation lets the visitor inspect an artifact more closely.
Object manipulation lets the visitor inspect an artifact more closely.
Completion moment acknowledges the finished collection.
Completion moment acknowledges the finished collection.
Prototype workflow connects a physical object to its digital overlay.
Prototype workflow connects a physical object to its digital overlay.
One prototype walkthrough: scan an exhibit, read its story, and explore the artifact.
05 / Validate

Use visitor questions to improve instructions and feedback.

Formative evaluation

I evaluated the Unity prototype with 10 prospective visitors, observing scanning, navigation and recovery. Their questions showed where the experience needed clearer instructions and feedback, including how to start a scan, understand its result and return to the main path.

The walkthrough above shows the experience tested; this evaluation focused on whether visitors understood the scan, navigation, and return path.

SOURCE MATERIAL

From fieldwork to an exhibition journey

The original museum proposal documents the fieldwork, visitor journey and service flow behind this concept.

View complete PDF
WHAT THIS WORK ESTABLISHED

Keep the exhibit as the measure of success.

The project established an exhibit-first journey and an evaluated interactive prototype. The key scope decision was to make digital interpretation support the visit rather than become the visit.

What I would test next: dwell time and return visits in a live gallery pilot.

Not yet measured: learning and engagement in a real visit, which would require a gallery pilot.