The Stibbert Museum in Florence. Experimental approaches to 3D reality-based digital reconstruction for Virtual Museum and Digital Heritage

Within the framework of the contemporary evolution of museums as inclusive, participatory spaces for knowledge co-creation, the digitisation project currently ongoing at the Stibbert Museum in Florence intends to explore the integrated application of advanced digital survey techniques to Cultural Heritage valorisation. Through high-fidelity 3D reality-based acquisition and modelling processes, the research aims to digitally document and reconstruct a selection of objects and exhibition spaces – primarily the scenographic and identity-rich Hall of the Cavalcade. Developed in collaboration with the Museum administration and the Survey Laboratory of the Department of Architecture (DIDA) of the University of Florence, the project was carried out during educational workshops involving students, lecturers and researchers in a shared learning and research experience. The virtual reconstruction does not simply aim to replicate the museum physically but seeks to create a communicative ecosystem that enhances understanding through interactive and personalised storytelling. Particular attention is given to digital accessibility and inclusion, experimenting the use of 3D printing for tactile replicas. This approach outlines a sustainable and innovative vision of the “phygital” museum – where the digital complements, rather than replaces, the traditional visitor experience.