The Future of Heritage: Why Digitizing Art and Cultural Artifacts Matters

In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, the way we preserve and engage with human history is undergoing a profound shift. Museums and cultural institutions—long considered the guardians of our shared heritage—face increasing challenges in making their collections accessible to the public.

As LSU Doctor of Design student Meredyth Yorek emphasizes, “access to cultural artifacts and art is essential because it allows the public to understand human history, recognize the patterns that repeat across civilizations, and better inform how we move forward.”

Yet today, most of that history remains hidden from view.

Researchers are looking for ways to share human history with the public, and digitization presents possibilities. 3D technology is enabling the creation of digital museums that equalize access to viewing artifacts and cultural heritage. LSU digital art faculty and students are innovating and advancing these efforts, part of a global movement looking toward the future. The aim is to give access to priceless artifacts to people worldwide, including communities in Louisiana who otherwise might never get to view them.

A Hidden 95% of Human History

Despite their mission to educate and inspire, museums typically display only a small fraction of their collections—often just 5-8%. The remaining 95% resides in storage, unseen and unknown to the public. Yorek warns that what is displayed is often shaped by specific curatorial narratives, meaning that visitors may be missing vital perspectives and insights that could deepen their understanding of the past.

This limited visibility stems from familiar constraints: limited exhibition space, the high cost of display, and the delicate condition of many artifacts. Some objects—particularly those made of fragile or sensitive materials—may never be exhibited at all.

“Protecting and preserving our cultural heritage is vital to understanding our future and our humanity,” Arne Flaten, Professor of Art History and Dean of the LSU College of Art & Design.

Protecting and Preserving Cultural Heritage

Without access and understanding of cultural artifacts, art, and historical objects, cultural heritage will become lost to communities around the world.

Historically, stolen antiquities have been taken from communities worldwide, and today many people don’t have equal access to arts & cultural institutions such as museums where the historical objects of their ancestors are housed, he said.

With the recent opening of the new UNESCO’s Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects, global access to these objects is now more accessible than ever before.

Without the physical constraints of a brick-and-mortar exhibition space, the possibilities are limitless.

Digitization as a Pathway to Accessibility

Digital technology is transforming these limitations into opportunities. New imaging tools such as photogrammetry and LiDAR allow specialists to create highly accurate, non-invasive 3D models of cultural objects. These models preserve the artifact’s form and surface details while eliminating the risk associated with handling fragile originals.

Yorek’s own research with the LSU Museum of Art highlights this potential. Their collection of ivory artifacts, for example, cannot be easily displayed due to strict conservation protocols and limited gallery space. Through 3D digitization, however, the museum can safely and ethically share these objects with the public in virtual environments.

“Virtual technologies also enable us to curate and interpret objects in ways that are impossible in traditional museum settings,” said Yorek.

While digital preservation presents its own challenges—such as the long-term maintenance of digital data—it offers an unprecedented avenue for interactivity, learning, and public engagement. A 3D artifact can be placed into the hands of anyone with a smartphone, website access, or VR headset – anywhere in the world.

Reimagining Context Through Virtual Worlds

Digitization does more than make hidden artifacts visible—it allows us to restore their original context. Yorek’s work with the LSU Rural Life Museum involves a fragile, 1,000-year-old Indigenous dugout canoe that may not survive relocation or future display

Such contextualization is impossible in traditional museum galleries, where space and conservation concerns limit interpretation. Digital environments, by contrast, make the impossible possible.

The LSU Rural Life Museum is dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of materials from the cultures of 18th and 19^th-century rural Louisianans, said Katherine Fresina, LSU Rural Life Museum Curatorial Director.

A next step of object preservation is digitization. “The LSU Rural Life Museum is excited to work with Meredyth Yorek as she works with digitizing delicate objects and buildings in the collection,” Fresina said.

“During her work with the indigenous dugout canoe in the museum collection, Meredyth illustrated why digitizing art and artifacts matters,” Fresina said. “The dugout needed to be moved from its current display area and due to the fragility of the boat, we were concerned about damage and loss during the move. Meredyth presented the idea of scanning the boat to retain the data, illustrating the reasons behind digitizing objects and artwork. The nature of the dugout makes preservation challenging.”

“Scanning objects like this one will ensure the data is preserved for future research. This also allows fragile objects to be on display digitally, keeping the object preserved and allowing museum visitors to engage with the digital version.”

From Viewing to Experiencing: Immersive Engagement

Even more transformative are innovations that borrow from video game design. Instead of static displays, Yorek’s thesis project with the LSU Museum of Art explores how game engines can build interactive museum experiences. For the museum’s ivory collection, she has designed an escape-room–style digital gallery in which users unlock rooms, earn rewards, and explore artifacts by solving challenges.

This interactive approach reshapes museum-going, turning passive viewing into active participation. It also helps museums engage younger audiences who are accustomed to digital interactivity and immersive storytelling, Yorek said.

“Digital twins – highly detailed, interactive virtual replica of a real-world space, object, or system – create new ways to make information usable,” said Jason Jamerson, assistant professor of digital art. “Digital twins will continue to enable innovation by making reality navigable and understandable via technology.”

Shaping the Future of Cultural Connection

Technological advances represent a bold future for museums and cultural heritage. Digitization democratizes access, allowing people everywhere—not just those who can physically visit museums—to explore and learn from the past. Immersive technologies deepen that access, offering new ways to interpret, contextualize, and interact with artifacts.

3D technologies dramatically expand what is possible for cultural accessibility, Yorek said. “It allows us not only to view objects that cannot be displayed physically, but also to understand them in richer, more meaningful contexts. Digitization increases cultural knowledge, while immersive design techniques offer new, lasting forms of engagement. Together, they provide powerful tools for shaping the future of how we connect with our past.”

Digitization is not merely a technical upgrade; it is a fundamental transformation in how we preserve, share, and connect with human history. By embracing these tools, museums and cultural institutions can ensure that the stories of our past remain alive, accessible, and relevant for future generations.

More:

UNESCO Virtual Museum Of Stolen Cultural Objects Is Designed To Vanish 

The World’s First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects Wants Its Collection to Shrink, Not Grow)