Digital heritage dissemination and the participatory storytelling project #iziTRAVELSicilia: the case of the Archaeological Museum of Syracuse (Italy)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the participatory and crowdsourcing project #iziTRAVELSicilia could be a key to the dissemination of 3D models on cultural heritage. This project has been recognized as a best practice both in territorial digital marketing and in digital promotion and valorisation through storytelling and crowdsourcing culture. #iziTRAVELSicilia has already involved thousands of people, producing more than 180 museum and tour audio guides. It has become a real model of participation in the co-creation of cultural values. In this paper we briefly present the project and the case of the Archaeological Museum ‘Paolo Orsi’ in Syracuse (Italy), as best practice on digital dissemination through platforms such as Google Street View and izi.TRAVEL itself, revealing how this platform has been already largely used for the dissemination both of existing 3D models and for new 3D models, such as those made by USF IDEx for the ‘Paolo Orsi’ Museum. Specifically, a collection of 26 ancient sculptures has been virtualized via laser scanning and digital photogrammetry in a participatory experience of measurement science. The global dissemination of those 3D models through izi.TRAVEL’s platform and other alternatives platforms will represent a significant contribute to the digital accessibility of the Museum of Syracuse but also the starting point of a metrological 3D database of ancient Sicilian sculpture generated entirely crowdsourcing.