Introduction

Our vision of a mediated museum is a cultural heritage archway which enables remote presence at museums and heritage sites. By means of innovative media and new hybrid spaces, museums are redefined and extended beyond physical and architectural constraints: synchronous video-mediated spaces provide remote access to cultural heritage sites and artefacts in their original settings. The designs support mediated interaction between visitors in different locations. As an archway, the mediated museum opens for public participation in the (re)definition, (re)collection and dissemination of cultural heritage, thus enriching curatorial practices.

The mediated museum is a collaboration between researchers in archaeology, architecture and media technology aiming to inform cultural heritage discourse and museum practices by exploring the contribution from presence design and public archaeology. We strive to develop an interdisciplinary research strategy by combining different methodologies such as participatory action research from archaeology; research by design; and user-driven innovation from the fields of architecture, design and presence research.

A pilot study was carried out in Stockholm in 2008. The mediated extension of the Museum of National Antiquities of Sweden enabled visitors to participate remotely in an archaeological excavation. The designs extended an exhibition space to a park area, enabling visitors and passers-by to interact and to be guided remotely in real time.

The Mediated Museum research group is currently seeking partners for user studies and research collaboration.