May 18 is International Museum Day, an annual day sponsored by the International Council of Museums, which this year is exploring the potential of museums to bring about positive change. Matterport, Inc.’s digital twin platform is enabling museums to digitally transform their spaces, helping them increase access to the world of art, culture, and history. With a digital twin, museum operators can create powerful virtual learning experiences that increase access to those who cannot spend the time or money to travel, and in some cases introduce new revenue opportunities. Since March 2020, almost 7.3 million people have visited museums virtually using Matterport.
In honor of International Museum Day, here are three iconic museums using Matterport to create virtual experiences to engage with and educate more people around the world.
George Eastman Museum
Founded in 1947, the George Eastman Museum located in Rochester, New York is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the largest film archives in the United States. The museum is located on the National Historic Landmark estate of George Eastman, the founder of Kodak and pioneer of popular photography, and holds unparalleled collections—encompassing several million objects—in the fields of photography, cinema, and photographic and cinematographic technology, and photographically illustrated books. The museum is now accessible through its Matterport digital twin. Virtual visitors can explore current and past photography exhibitions enriched by detailed spatial tags and integrated audio, or explore Eastman’s historic mansion and the newly renovated visitor center.
"The George Eastman Museum began experimenting with new forms of digital outreach and engagement in 2020, including creating virtual experiences using Matterport,” said Elizabeth Chiang, Staff Photographer at the George Eastman Museum. “The response was phenomenal; we saw a 48 percent increase in video views, over 10,000 visitors, and 88 percent satisfaction in virtual programming through these efforts. As a film and photography museum, image quality was an important factor in our decision to choose Matterport. The images Matterport provides are gorgeous and the resulting digital twin of the Museum is something artists and visitors can fully immerse themselves into.”
The Museum of Flight
With over 160 aircraft and spacecraft, tens of thousands of artifacts, and millions of rare photographs, the Seattle-based Museum of Flight is the world’s largest independent, non-profit air and space museum. To reach new visitors beyond their region, the museum captured Matterport digital twins of not only galleries but some of its most iconic aircraft. Today, virtual visitors using Matterport can explore cockpits and interiors of over a dozen of the Museum’s most iconic aircraft, including Concorde, the first Boeing 747, the first Air Force One jet, and a NASA Space Shuttle Trainer.
“We have used Matterport for many years as most of the aircraft in the Museum are closed to visitors for preservation purposes,” said Peder Nelson, the Museum’s Digital Engagement Manager. “Using Matterport, we give anyone the opportunity to experience those unique aircraft. Not only online, but even on-site as a way to virtually step inside the airplane in front of them. Our virtual experiences continue to be an important way to connect with more visitors, provide accessibility and drive awareness for The Museum of Flight. Matterport digital twins have also helped us generate new revenue through paid online virtual experiences. Additionally, digital twins of our aircraft are also helping to support our Accessibility initiatives, having provided access to more than 400,000 visitors.”
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
Opened in 2014, the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum is located on the second floor of Cardinals Nation across from Busch Stadium, and was created to celebrate the rich history of baseball in St. Louis and honor the players and personalities who have had the greatest impact on the franchise. Featuring authentic artifacts, replica stadiums and interactive experiences, the Cardinals Museum boasts one of the world’s largest team-specific collections of memorabilia and photographs, while the Cardinals Hall of Fame commemorates the organization's greatest players, coaches, executives and broadcasters. Winners of 11 World Series titles, the Cardinals used Matterport to create a virtual experience that allows fans to connect and learn about the team's great heritage.
“The St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum hosts thousands of visitors in-person every year, but we recognize that not everyone can visit in person,” said Amy Berra, Manager & Curator of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum. “Having a Matterport virtual replica of the museum allows baseball fans the ability to visit from anywhere in the world to learn about the history of the club and some of our greatest moments.”
“At Matterport, our mission is to make every building and space more valuable and accessible through the creation of digital twins,” said Bill Linehan, Head of Global Strategy for Travel and Hospitality at Matterport. “Cultural institutions have evolved and today, attractions that draw thousands of daily visitors are being explored virtually through Matterport digital twins. We are pleased to play a role in helping to promote in-depth learning and to empower visitors to explore museums whenever they want.”
