The SHIFT Webinar, organized by the Balkan Museum Network on January 28, 2025, brought together leading experts in the field of digital humanities to discuss the intersection of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), accessibility in museums, and innovative methods for cultural heritage preservation. This event underscored the pivotal role of digital technologies in reimagining the way cultural heritage is presented, accessed, and experienced.
Session 1: Digital Presentation of Cultural Heritage Using Virtual and Augmented Reality
(Presented by Prof. Dr. Selma Rizvić)
The first session, presented by the Sarajevo Graphics Group (SGG), provided an in-depth exploration of how VR and AR technologies are revolutionizing the presentation of cultural heritage. Founded in 2004 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, the SGG has been at the forefront of computer graphics, multimedia, and interactive storytelling. The session introduced some of the group’s most influential projects, illustrating their capacity to enhance public engagement with cultural heritage.
Among the notable projects presented was iMARECulture (2016–2019), a European Horizon 2020 initiative aimed at raising awareness of maritime cultural heritage through immersive VR experiences. The project pioneered hyperstorytelling, an innovative approach to interactive digital narratives, enriching the understanding of submerged historical sites. Another significant project was Mostar Cliff Diving VR (2018), which digitally reconstructed the Old Bridge (Stari Most) in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), allowing users to experience the 300-year-old tradition of bridge diving through virtual reality.
The session also examined other cutting-edge applications, such as Real Heroes (2020–2022), a Creative Europe-funded multiplayer VR experience exploring historical figures and narratives, and Trebinje Fortresses VR (2022), which virtually reconstructed Austro-Hungarian fortresses. The BH Heritage AR project (2023) was also presented, demonstrating how augmented reality postcards created by students are contributing to the digitization of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s cultural landscape.
Session 2: Enhancing Museum Accessibility through Digital Innovation
(Presented by Bojan Mijatović)
The second session explored how digital technologies can enhance accessibility for people with disabilities in museums, reinforcing the importance of inclusive design in cultural heritage spaces. Digitalization has transformed the way heritage is presented, allowing for multimodal storytelling that integrates 3D models, VR, and AR solutions.
A key focus was on physical and sensory accessibility, emphasizing how VR experiences can be tailored to individuals with diverse mobility needs. The session highlighted the implementation of haptic feedback, customizable audio descriptions, and sign language integration to create fully immersive and accessible cultural experiences.
A case study on the Mostar Cliff Diving VR experience demonstrated how members of the NGO “Ruka podrške” (A Halping Hand), an organization supporting individuals with motion disabilities, were able to virtually participate in cliff diving—an activity previously inaccessible to them. This initiative illustrated the potential of VR to bridge the gap between cultural heritage and inclusivity.
Session 3: SHELeadersVR – Digital Narratives of Female Rulers in the Balkans
(Presented by Prof. Dr. Selma Rizvić and Bojan Mijatović)
The third session delved into the SHELeadersVR project, funded through Creative Europe (2022–2025). This initiative aims to bring the stories of female rulers from the Balkans into the digital age through VR and AR applications. The project focuses on five influential figures:
- Jelena Gruba (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Milica Hrebeljanović (Serbia)
- Vojsava Tribalda (Albania)
- Izabeta Crnojević (Montenegro)
- Maria Paleologina (North Macedonia)
By integrating VR in museum settings and AR at archaeological sites, the project seeks to redefine the role of female leaders in historical narratives while enhancing audience engagement. The session covered various aspects of the project, including visual styling, 3D reconstructions, app development, and the creation of an immersive storytelling experience.
Additionally, the StećakLand project (2023–2025) was briefly presented, aiming to digitize and present medieval tombstones (stećci) in a virtual format, preserving a crucial aspect of the region’s heritage for future generations.
Session 4: SHIFT – AI and Machine Learning for Cultural Heritage Accessibility
(Presented by Razvan Purcarea)
The final session focused on the SHIFT project, which explores how AI and machine learning can increase accessibility and engagement with cultural heritage. SHIFT addresses critical challenges in the sector, such as the lack of accessibility and inclusion-by-design methodologies, as well as the missed opportunities to monetize cultural heritage content.
Key innovations within the SHIFT platform include:
- Haptic representation of paintings, allowing visitors to “feel” artworks through touch.
- AI-driven language models that offer real-time translations and contemporary interpretations of historical texts.
- Motion-sequence generation for animated foreground objects in digital reconstructions.
- Advanced text-to-speech (TTS) tools for affective narration, ensuring that cultural assets are interpreted in an engaging and emotionally resonant manner.
The SHIFT consortium comprises 13 partners from seven EU member states and one associated country, combining expertise from computer science, digital humanities, museum studies, and accessibility research. The project is expected to revolutionize the way cultural heritage is experienced, making it more inclusive, interactive, and engaging.
The SHIFT Webinar illuminated the transformative role of VR, AR, AI, and machine learning in the preservation and accessibility of cultural heritage. From interactive digital storytelling to AI-driven accessibility solutions, these technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to broaden engagement, enhance inclusivity, and foster deeper connections with the past.
Download presentations from the webinar.
01 Digital presentation of cultural heritage
02 How can digital technologies increase accessibility for people with disabilities in museums
03 SHELeadersVR project
04 SHIFT_Project Presentation
The webinar is part of the SHIFT project (Metamorphosis of Cultural Heritage Into Augmented Hypermedia Assets for Enhanced Accessibility and Inclusion) that is being funded by the European Union Horizon Europe program.
More about SHIFT project on: https://shift-europe.eu/