A 3D virtual reality technology or 3D virtual museum is designed to lure visitors and bring them memorable experiences.
A 3D virtual computer space is the representation of a real or imaginary space. Anything that is visible in a real space can be represented theoretically in a virtual 3D space, for example, buildings, persons, water, vegetation, sound… and various physical dynamics and interactions can be simulated.
With the increase of computing power and particularly of computer graphics, such virtual spaces are becoming more and more used, in applications ranging from various types of computer games to life-critical systems in industry, medicine, military or science.
Authors have experimented with one particular type of 3D virtual space, which is a 3D virtual museum. In this case, the virtual museum is a replica of a real museum. The system was developed in close collaboration with the specialists of the museum and is already in use inside the museum, as a mean to provide information and guide the visitors. The site architecture consists of 3D volume describing the building area that hosts the real museum. It includes the floor, the ceiling, the walls, columns, arcades, niches, various decorations, pieces of furniture …in the exhibited space.
Example of virtual exhibition at www.disanvanhoaphatgiao.egal.vn
The 3D virtual museum solutions allow visitors access and discover easily the interested objects, topics…that can be found in a real museum.
*The typical elements of a 3D virtual museum:
- 3D Space
- Video textures
- Exhibit objects 2D Hotspot, 3D Hotspot
- Lighting
- Mini-Map
- Sound, Auto guide
- Exhibit Content
Each exhibit object can have a lot of associated multimedia information of various kinds: text, pictures, audio, and video.
* A 3D and multimedia programming team will develop the software that:
- Display the 3D environment
- Display the 3D exhibit objects
- The virtual tour tools
- The 3D interactive tools
- The diagram in exhibit environment
- Virtual tour guide
- Auto guide
- Hotspot multimedia data check
- Internet integration
- Mobile integration
- Publishing CD/DVD
The project of 3D virtual museum for the Vietnam National Museum of History has employed the research methodology and technology, which has been used by other museums in the world. Anyway, it applies the latest technology that allows us to create more modern functions and with our own special identities.
Example of virtual exhibition at www.denco.egal.vn
Our intention of setting up a 3D virtual museum is not only as the pioneer in Vietnam but also applying the latest international technology.
The Vietnam National Museum of History, one among museums in the world has a number and various kinds of diversified antiquities, preserving about 200.000 objects collected from ancient time up to now, of which, there are many valuable collections of stone, bronze and pottery… 11/30 objects have been approved as of national treasures by Vietnamese Prime Minister. At first, Vietnam National Museum of History has built a 3D data for 2 thematic exhibitions that have been implemented in the real museum with the intention of serving and luring the visitors who are still unable to visit the real museum.
The exhibition of the Vietnamese Buddhist Cultural Heritage (www. disanvanhoaphatgiao.egal.vn) and the Vietnamese Ancient Lamps (www. denco.egal.vn) are the 2 first themes which have been 3D digitalized in the whole project of 3D virtual museum for the Vietnam National Museum of History.
By click the above links, you can “tour” freely and enjoy about 150 antiquities that are being presented in the real museum. Anyway, you can be updated with the information about those objects like the origins, chronology…; and the research articles and video clips that illustrate the exhibition in vivid ways, or what we cannot get in the real museum.
The latest solutions provide you a thorough look on the beauty of authentic antiquities, even feeling a crack and an extremely sophisticated inscription that you might be unable to realize in the real museum. The 3D virtual museum also provides you the communication and interaction on social networks like Facebook, Twitter for connecting you with the people who also love museums in the world.
With the intention of creating a 3D interactive virtual museum as the pioneer in Vietnam at the international level, our project has applied the latest technology of virtual museums in the world by studying the most advantageous technologies employed by international museums. Vietnam National Museum of History hopes that the project of 3D reality technology virtual museum will be continued and finalized to public in near future as our wish to bring Vietnamese national culture and history closely to the public./.
Thúy Hà
Translated by Tran Trang