Due to the raging COVID-19 epidemic, museums are facing vital challenges in their existence and development. These challenges include preserving and promoting cultural heritage values, and being able to remain engaged with the public; this requires museums to adapt to the times, thus changing their current ways of displaying and applying exhibits in order to attract visitors.
The American Museum Association (AMA) conducted a survey of 760 museum representatives which showed that 33% of them were at risk of permanently shutting down the following fall. Research by UNESCO and the International Museum Council, which launched in May 2020, also stated that nearly 13% of global museums will no longer be able to reopen, since the COVID-19 pandemic closed nearly 90% of the museums around the world.
Some museums around the world still maintain the traditional form of a museum, which is a physical place that displays historical process, cultures, and antiques by passive listening, observing, and reading information via captions. However, most contemporary museums today aim to build a dynamic museum. These museums promote diversifying forms of practical experience for visitors by increasing interactivity and meeting the increasingly diverse needs of the public.
This change is still not enough, as evidenced by the fact that smart museums are now taking the throne in the digital age. In addition to searching for information, smart museums allow visitors to interact with artifacts and documents through immersive experiences, interactive screens, and holograms, creating an experimental environment that brings very real feelings to the viewers.
Museum renewal is a necessity in the industry 4.0 revolution. It is a complete breakthrough in the way museums work; it keeps pace with the times and serves the dynamic and audience. The application of Virtual Reality Technology is a great choice that will make a difference for museums, which is a viable solution to the critical challenges of this global epidemic.
Linh Thuy Nguyen
