Abstract:

The development of new computer-based tools and 3D programs contributes to the development of virtual reality (VR) technology. Increasingly, VR is used to create virtual expositions and virtual tours that are part of virtual museums (VMs). Visitors can view digital art models and explore historic reconstructed places using advanced graphic tools. The virtual museum becomes: a way to reach a wider audience, a source of knowledge that extends information gained during the visit, and a digital collection of museum artifacts accessible to people with a disability or who live too far from cultural centres.

The paper presents the procedure of creating virtual expositions, beginning with:
(1) the selection of 3D modelling tools for selected rooms and exhibits,
(2) placing them in a 3D modelling environment,
(3) mapping their surfaces with real bitmaps, and
(4) creating a virtual scene. The projection was tested on a smartphone using a VR headset.

The described procedure was used to create a VR presenting a hudjra room along with the equipment being a component of Mirza Ulugbek's madrasah located in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. In modelling the objects their photographs together with their measurements were used. In addition, when a person located in VR interacts with particular objects, their detailed information is provided in the form of text.
This article demonstrates that the virtual museum is a very effective solution for communicating cultural and historical content through the use of a gamification approach. The authors demonstrate that it is possible to prepare a low-cost virtual museum exposition.

Keywords:

Computer graphics, virtual reality exhibitions, museums, gamification.