Too big, too small, too valuable: there are many exhibits in the museum that can only be experienced in a limited fashion. This exhibition explores how digitalization and artificial intelligence can enhance the experience of objects in museums in the future.

A chair that no-one can sit on anymore or a puppet that hangs silently by its strings: many fascinating objects are difficult to display in a museum. Some are too big, some too delicate; others cannot be touched or moved for reasons of preservation. Exhibiting objects is always a balancing act between the two main objectives of a museum: conservation and sharing knowledge. As a result, many exhibits can only be experienced by visitors in a limited fashion. But digital technologies offer ways to make otherwise inaccessible objects accessible to the public. This exhibition investigates the potential of digitalization and AI for museums of the future. Seventeen experiments transform the exhibition space into a lab for the future, and give visitors a chance to explore, among others, the largest digital image ever created. 

Supported by

Supported by the digitization initiative of the Zurich universities

In collaboration with 

EPFL Laboratory for Experimental Museology, Immersive Arts Space, Naturhistorisches Museum der Universität Zürich | University of Zurich, Museum und Visualization and Multimedia Lab der Universität Zürich | University of Zurich, ETH Zürich und dem Spatial AI Lab Microsoft, Swissnex, Freie Universität Berlin, Hochschule Mainz – University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Mainz Fachbereich Gestaltung, Mainzer Zentrums für Digitalität in den Geistes- und Kulturwissenschaften (mainzed), Institute of Computational Ancient Studies (CompAS), FU-Berlin, Museum Rietberg, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, Universität Zürich – Institut für Computerlinguistik, Minor Digital Play, Game Design, ZHdK Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Minor Filmisches Erzählen im virtuellen Raum, Game Design, Studio Boltshauser, ETH Zürich, Knowledge Visualization, ZHdK, ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Institut für Umweltpsychologie, Vesuvius Challenge, Stämpfli Kommunikation. Evaluation in collaboration with Citizen Science Zürich (UZH / ETH).