DH2025 - Digital Heritage International Congress 2025

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Text2Autochrome: Text guided autochrome synthesis using generative models
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Kühn, Paul Julius; Sinha, Saptarshi Neil; Nguyen, Duc Anh; Horst, Robin; Kuijper, Arjan; Fellner, Dieter W.; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Autochrome is an early color photography technique that is highly sensitive and prone to deterioration, limiting their public display. A limited collection of digitized autochromes exists, often with defects due to their fragile nature. We applied generative AI methods, specifically Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), to fine-tune diffusion models, enabling efficient use of computational resources. Our curated dataset of vintage digitized autochromes showcased various styles and served as the basis for training the LoRA model, resulting in the generation of digitized autochromes that preserved the original color filter effects and characteristic granularity. By leveraging generative AI, we can utilize the multi-modal capabilities of the model, allowing each user to generate images through concept-based prompts. This approach empowers users to creatively interact with the model, producing personalized images while maintaining the historical color fidelity and structure of autochromes. This capability also enables us to generate defect-free autochromes, which can be utilized for synthetic training in autochrome restoration efforts. We evaluated our approach using the CLIPScore metric for quantitative similarity and conducted a user study for qualitative feedback on the generated images. Our results show that the fine-tuned LoRA model effectively captures the essence of autochromes, producing visually appealing images that respect the historical aesthetic. Considering the potential for misinterpretation and ethical concerns surrounding text-to-image methods using deep learning with historical photographs, we are committed to enhancing transparency by releasing our model weights and training datasets, thereby empowering the community to better understand, evaluate, and address these important issues. Further we release an interactive demo together with the fine-tuned weights available via huggingface.
What can a historic black and white photograph tell us about the original colours of a painting? A case study on Edvard Munch's the Scream (1910?)
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Siozos, Panagiotis; Sandu, Irina Crina Anca; Stavroulakis, Petros Ioannis; Sotiropoulou, Sophia; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
We present a computational method that uses historical black-and-white photographs combined with recent multi/hyperspectral imaging to detect colour changes in artworks caused by exposure to environmental conditions or other factors over time. The method is based on the comparative study of a historical black and white photograph with a corresponding image derived computationally from the spectral data cube of the most recent acquisition with a spectral camera, by simulating the capture mode based on the sensitivity curves of the film. The proposed method is completed with the necessary calibrations and refinements of the simulation. In this paper, we present the application of the method to the painting of Edvard Munch's The Scream 1910(?) in the MUNCH Museum in Oslo, of which a historic black and white photograph taken with orthochromatic film in 1938 is held in the same museum. The comparison revealed significant differences in lightness, indicative of colour changes, such as fading in the yellow areas and unexpected brightening in the blue areas, a phenomenon not previously reported. The results provide new insights into the material ageing of The Scream and offer a valuable opportunity to study a historical photographic document that captured the painting only a few decades after its creation, preserving evidence of its original appearance that is no longer accessible through direct visual observation. Furthermore, the methodological approach demonstrated here broadly applies to other cultural heritage objects for which historical photographic records and modern spectral imaging are available, providing a non-invasive, data-driven framework for tracking colour and material changes over time.
Interactive and immersive discovery of diagnostic processes on multi-layered 3D collections on the web: the MuLaX tool
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Fanini, Bruno; Massidda, Marcello; Ferdani, Daniele; Bonifazi, Federica; Magrini, Donata; Iannaccone, Roberta; Barandoni, Cristiana; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Web3D technologies and recent standards allow nowadays to craft rich and interactive tools to present complex and multi-dimensional scientific data. The efficient visualization of 3D models enriched with analytical data acquired from archaeometric surveys on cultural heritage artefacts have become a fundamental aspect in digital preservation. Innovative scientific approaches and accessible interaction models enable experts and the general public to discover invisible or lost information (e.g. ancient polychromy on statuary or faded colors on paintings or textiles), edit and compare multiple datasets. In this paper, we present a Web3D tool called ''MuLaX'', designed and developed under the PERCEIVE European project: we describe its modular architecture, components and features offering users new ways to access, discover and examine multi-dimensional statuary collections directly online. The tool was developed on top of the open-source ATON framework, as plug\&play vertical application: it offers interactive discovery models for analytical/color data (layers), interactive annotation system for spot-analyses (microscope, X-ray fluorescence, etc.) or imaging (Visible-induced Luminescence, Ultraviolet-induced Visible Luminescence, etc.). Designed to handle multiple items (collections), MuLaX is also accessible on every device - from smartphones up to XR devices - and embraces modern web standards, formats and large open ecosystems to maximize interoperability and reuse. Furthermore, MuLaX explores dynamic image-based masks, providing easy ways to describe complex but network-wise compact semantic areas on top of the artwork, generated by other services or via interactive semantic painting. The Web3D tool also integrates with the PERCEIVE ecosystem, using its cloud to access items collection, analytical/color layers and semantic masks. This enables comfortable and flexible management by remote researchers and professionals, as well as remote processing of such data by online PERCEIVE services. In addition to a responsive UI, MuLaX also offers final users access to different XR presentation modes via WebXR, using spatial user interfaces for immersive inspection and discovery of artworks. The preliminary results of the considerable applicability of the tool were discussed in the context of the case study of Venus in a bikini exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) and studied within the PERCEIVE project, as well as ongoing extension of MuLaX tool to embrace artworks in the 2D domain (like paintings), thanks to its flexible architectural design.
Implementing Curiosity Hooks and Caring Practices in the Reconstruction of Lost Polychromy: Design Prototypes for Interactive Experiences.
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Bonifazi, Federica; Veggi, Manuele; Massidda, Marcello; Ferdani, Daniele; Pescarin, Sofia; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Engaging museum audiences with problems such as the conservation of monuments or the fading or lost colours of our Cultural Heritage remains a challenge, as traditional approaches often fail to establish lasting connections. Recent museological debates highlight a ''sense of care'' as a key perspective in fostering relationships between citizens and Cultural Heritage. The PERCEIVE Horizon project explores ''caring prototypes'' to enhance engagement with coloured collections. Building on research on curiosity-driven engagement, this study investigates design strategies for digital and hybrid prototypes, specifically tailored to engage visitors with the lost polychromy of ancient statuary. Our qualitative user research in museums and educational contexts reveals that audience feel to be involved most when actively solicited by an investigative process, rather than being treated as passive observer of reconstructions. We propose here a User eXperience (UX), interface (UI) and interaction (IxD) solutions inspired by a ''care'' theory. The theory is based on three concepts: ''care practice'', ''care as a process'' and ''effort''. The result is a modular interactive UX that guides visitors through the step-by-step reconstruction of lost polychromy, integrating archaeological, literary, and scientific data to foster a deeper connection with these fragile collections.
An Atlas-based Approach for Appearance-aware Virtual 3D Restoration and Simulation of Fading in Fugitive Textiles
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Sinha, Saptarshi Neil; Ciortan, Irina M.; Kneiphof, Tom; Kühn, Paul Julius; Doherty, Brenda; Burgio, Lucia; Palmer, Richard; Pinto, Catarina; Martel, Laura; Buti, David; Monico, Letizia; Klein, Reinhard; Kuijper, Arjan; Weinmann, Michael; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Simulating the discoloration of cultural heritage garments provides valuable insights into their history and supports their preservation. For this purpose, digital methods provide innovative solutions that can leverage the realism of aging processes without causing damage to the artifact. In this work, we propose a method to render color changes in two fugitive textiles housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum. We use a combination of novel atlas-based material segmentation and color restoration approaches to transfer appearance from textile mockups to the 3D models of the garments. The fading effects are induced with accelerated aging on mockups that are chemical proxies of the historic garments, with their aging monitored colorimetrically and spectrally, and their appearance measured with a total appearance capture device. Our proposed approach generates a colour-cue-based segmentation map over a 3D surface, followed by appearance transfer to segmented regions from mockups and fading simulations from spectral unmixing, along with appearance-aware restoration optimized using a reference image. By facilitating appearance-aware fading simulation in virtual 3D models in an interactive app, our approach supports a realistic visualization of colour change in the past and the future. We evaluate our method on two heritage garments - a 20th-century kimono and a 19th-century Victorian dress featuring different fabrics (silk and cotton) and dyed with natural and synthetic materials. In accordance with data collected through scientific analysis measurements, the proposed method effectively transfers a visual appearance that is both plausible and consistent with the data, providing both specialists and lay audiences with a range of fading simulations to support interpretation and restoration decisions.
Designing Authentic Digital Experiences
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Spotti, Samuele; Bonifazi, Federica; Massidda, Marcello; Pescarin, Sofia; Travaglini, Laura; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
The concept of authenticity has gained growing importance in the design of digital, hybrid, and XR experiences within the Cultural Heritage (CH) sector. In earlier research [PCS24], we examined authenticity through a multidisciplinary lens, combining a state-of-the-art review with empirical data collected via a Cultural Probe Kit (CPK) to explore user perceptions of authenticity in interactive experiences. From this, we developed a multidimensional authenticity framework, structured around three core dimensions: Self, Others, and World. This paper focuses on translating that framework into actionable design strategies through the PERCEIVE Co-design tool-a free resource composed of a card deck, board worksheets, and activity guidelines. Available as both a physical board game and a web app (in development), the tool supports designers and cultural experts through a step-by-step process to ensure authenticity is embedded in the experience design. By encouraging collaboration and creativity, it promotes the development of engaging, emotionally resonant digital experiences. Additionally, we created a custom GPT assistant to support iterative brainstorming and UX ideation around authenticity. The co-design outcomes were then used to shape the exhibition design strategy of Reconstruct & Relive, the final showcase of the PERCEIVE project (Ch.3).
Perceptive Enhanced Realities of Coloured Collections through AI and Virtual Experiences
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Pescarin, Sofia; Aga, Birgitte; Kiyomoto, I. Y. Arteaga; Barandoni, Cristiana; Bonifazi, Federica; Boracchi, Beatrice G.; Burgio, Lucia; Cerato, Ivana; Ciortan, Irina; Clay, Arthur; Fanini, Bruno; Fedon, Gemma Chiara; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Hardeberg, Jon Y.; Magrini, Donata; Massidda, Marcello; Panteleris, Paschalis; Papadopoulos, Giorgos; Pitikakis, Marios; Sandu, I. C. A.; Neil, S. N. Sinha; Siozos, P.; Sotiropoulou, S.; Spotti, S.; Stavroulakis, P.; Travaglini, L.; Trumpy, G.; Veggi, M.; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
PERCEIVE (Perceptive Enhanced Realities of Coloured Collections through AI and Virtual Experiences) is an European project dedicated to the study, analysis, interpretation, reconstruction, conservation and communication of colours in artwork and historical objects, within five different scenarios, including: lost polychromy of ancient sculptures, fading colours of paintings and works on arts, of textiles, of historical photo and film collections and colour of digital born art. This paper describes the methodology and presents the main results beyond the state of the art.
Early Stage of Community-Driven UI/UX Refactoring of the Open-Source ATON Framework
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Amadei, Chiara Florise; Massidda, Marcello; Menconero, Sofia; Gosti, Giorgio; Fanini, Bruno; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
The digitisation of cultural heritage has become a central practice in recent years, responding to the needs for the preservation, enhancement and study of cultural assets. The increasing production of digital resources has seen the development of online platforms for visualising and sharing 3D models and 360 panoramas, also facilitating access and management of this type of data. The democratisation of these tools, coupled with their increasing user-friendliness, has expanded and diversified the scientific communities involved, widening the catchment area from a single audience of experts to general users. This has led to the emergence of new needs on the part of the users involved, necessitating a re-evaluation of the logic underpinning the consumption of digital services. This paper analyses the case study of ATON: an open-source framework design for creating Web3D/WebXR apps interacting with CH objects and 3D scenes on the Web, which underwent a complete refactoring of the User eXperience (UX) and User Interface (UI) through the H2IOSC project. Starting with the analysis of the framework and its structure, we define which parts are involved in the complete refactoring. We discuss the milestones of the application's development from 2015 to the present, through the framework's increasing involvement in national and international project activities, highlighting the evolving user needs and implementations of new tools and functionalities through a bottom-up design approach. We first illustrate the community's role in the co-creation of ATON and its involvement in UX and UI refactoring activities. We present user research and design parts. Through the research plan, we describe the project from the objectives and research questions, debating the chosen methodologies, the target audience involved and the expected results. Finally, we present and discuss the choices related to the design process, covering the conceptualization of essential components, the development of the Design System (DS), and its implementation as a renewed built-in UI module. We also explore its integration into various ready-to-use blueprints and templates, analysing how it improves performance in the development phase. Additionally, we examine the trade-offs encountered in the components' abstraction level definition and the selection of suitable UI libraries by comparing existing solutions.
ChainPro - A Web3 Platform for Artists
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Bosco, Ferdinando; Croce, Vincenzo; Franca, Marcantonio La; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Blockchain Technology and Web3 solutions act as catalysts for innovation and creativity, providing artists with tools to experiment with new business models, services, and applications, free from the constraints of centralized entities. Digital innovation significantly impacts artists' ability to connect and create trusted communities, leveraging these technologies. Several platforms support the digitalization of creative arts, but Web3 platforms can revolutionize the sector by simplifying blockchain adoption, enabling the formation of Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAOs), fostering innovative business models, enhancing legal transparency, nurturing communities, and driving creativity and competitiveness. This paper explores how Blockchain, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and related Web3 technologies can empower Creators by providing greater ownership and control over their creative works. A state-of-the-art analysis identifies the technical requirements for integrating blockchain and NFT-based services for user engagement and innovative business models. Additionally, a user-centred design approach was adopted to collect user requirements for managing creative works ownership, Intellectual Property Rights and revenue distribution through smart contracts. The results led to the implementation and validation of ChainPro for Artists (ChainPro4Artists), a Web3 innovative platform that supports advanced blockchain technologies, including Layer 2 infrastructures (e.g., Polygon) and DAOs tailored for artist communities.
Rome Reborn: Status Report and Future of the Project
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Frischer, Bernard; Abdelaziz, Mohamed; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Rome Reborn is an international initiative launched in 1996 to create a digital model of ancient Rome as it may have appeared in 320 CE. The model serves two primary purposes: as a visual resource for virtual tours and as a tool for ''simpirical'' research-a hybrid method combining simulation and empiricism. We trace the development of the model through its four major versions and explain the historical and technological factors that shaped its evolution. We also outline ongoing work, including a final report situating the project within the history of visualizing ancient Rome and the creation of an online database documenting the evidence and decisions behind the reconstruction.
Spatialization, fusion and enrichment of Multimodal Imaging for Interdisciplinary Digital Heritage Studies
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Pamart, Anthony; Luca, Livio De; Veron, Philippe; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Digital Heritage (DH) has emerged as a dynamic and crucial concept for the future of Heritage Science (HS), at the crossroads of interdisciplinary fields. Nowadays, methods, tools and technologies for capturing reality play a predominant role in Cultural Heritage (CH) documentation framework. Indeed, the 2D/3D imaging and digitization techniques are massively employed today to survey, document, and study heritage artifacts. They offer numerous perspectives and avenues for investigation to enhance shared knowledge around heritage conservation and restoration. However, as the need for digital expertise expends in both scope and number, these various methods employed face the challenge of multimodality. This concept is at the core of this research, it is understood and justified by the growing need to cooperate with various digital resources (originating from multiple sensors, scales of observation, spectral or temporal layers) in order to feed and cross expertise. This paper explores 2D and 3D digitization strategies to enhance the potential of multimodal studies. The main contributions develop data-driven methods improving Spatialization, Fusion and Enrichment stages. Different types of approaches are proposed, aiming to better articulate the instrumental, computational and analytical phases in order to increase the informative potential of multi-source 2D/3D modelling. The strategy is demonstrated by a series of works and experiments enabling to construct and explore enriched multimodal data sets. The proposal offers reasoned and pragmatic solutions while the discussion anticipates emerging challenges such as semantic technologies, open science, artificial intelligence, and digital sobriety.
C3DHN - An evolutive French Ecosystem for heritage data preservation: methodology, technologies and community
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Laroche, Florent; Tournon, Sarah; Granier, Xavier; Chayani, Mehdi; Pamart, Anthony; Dutailly, Bruno; Quantin, Matthieu; Grimaud, Valentin; Eusebe, Sylvie; Marlet, Olivier; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
The preservation of 3D heritage data is a major challenge for scientific research and the enhancement of cultural heritage. This article presents the structured approach developed by the French community for conserving and utilizing these data, federated within a dedicated national infrastructure: the Consortium 3D for Digital Humanities (CST3D HN). Activities are organized around four main axes: a shared and common methodology, the use of standardized metadata and an open source software tool named Altag3D, the development of the French National 3D Data Repository Archive, and the structuring of a dedicated French scientific community in the form of a scholarly society. https://3dhumanities.hypotheses.org The CST3D HN methodology relies on proven principles for documenting and structuring 3D heritage data. It establishes standards to ensure FAIR principles, particularly interoperability, sustainability, and data accessibility. This methodological framework ensures rigorous project management and harmonization of practices among various involved institutions, extending beyond disciplinary specifics. Multimodal digitization has become essential in the heritage domain. However, point clouds and models can only make sense if associated descriptors are provided. Metadata management is an essential step to ensure data traceability and reuse. The open-source software Altag3D was developed by the entire community: it is based on a structured and interoperable metadata model. Our schema, initially limited to the fields of archaeology and cultural heritage, is now open to other areas of the human sciences. It is aligned with standard vocabularies and mapped to the Europeana Data Model (EDM). Altag3D allows to annotate, to document and to archive 3D models with respect to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) thus aiming for standardization of 3D heritage data. https://altag3d.huma-num.fr The third axis involves setting up the French National Conservatoire for 3D heritage data, which aims to centralize and preserve French 3D heritage productions. This Open Archival Information System (OAIS) infrastructure for research data in France is hosted by the CINES (Centre Informatique National de l'Enseignement Supérieur). Thanks to Altag3D which helps researchers to create their own OAIS Submission Information Package (SIP), 3D models can be stored for next generations; a guarantee of interoperability for at least 20 to 30 years is ensured. The Data Repository assigns a Digital Object Identifier to each submission and introduces numerous innovations, such as using the GLTF format for improved visualization of models. This initiative is part of a long-term conservation and open data strategy, promoting their exploitation by researchers, institutions, and the general public. https://3d.humanities.science These technological and methodological advancements would not be sufficient without the creation of a national scientific community dedicated to heritage 3D at the French scale. The Consortium brings together over 44 members, including academic, institutional, and industrial actors, promoting interdisciplinary exchanges and dissemination of best practices. Within this dynamic, creating a scholarly society aims to ensure the sustainability of this community, structuring its activities (workshops, scientific events, publications), and enhancing its integration within national and international networks.
I.PaC and semantic graphs to represent Italian Cultural Heritage
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Porena, Margherita; Bartoli, Margherita; Cerullo, Luigi; Negri, Antonella; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
I.PaC (Infrastructure and Services for Cultural Heritage) [CN23] is the technological core of the National Digital Ecosystem for Culture - Ecomic, an initiative developed within Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). It is designed to support the management, enrichment, and accessibility of digital cultural resources, and it is developed not merely as a data repository but as an advanced infrastructure that enables new models of interaction and valorization of cultural heritage. I.PaC represents the central hub of the ecosystem and it integrates and connects heterogeneous systems, allowing cultural institutions to ingest, manage, and reuse digital data through a comprehensive range of services. The infrastructure also provides services for digital asset management (DAM) and advanced content processing, allowing institutions to optimize digitization processes and improving the quality of their metadata. A key feature of I.PaC is the use of domain-specific and cross-domain graphs: these graphs allow to create relationships between cultural objects from different fields (archival, bibliographic, museum, and multimedia), enabling cross-domain navigation and a richer reconstruction of cultural contexts. On one hand the domain-specific graphs serve as vertical, in-depth models that structure and organize all the relevant information within each cultural sector. They ensure a high level of specialization and interoperability, since they are based on national and international description standard, and they enhance metadata thanks to AI technologies based on entity recognition, disambiguation, and data enrichment. Each domain graph retains its internal logic while benefiting from a shared semantic foundation. On the other hand, the cross-domain knowledge graph provides a transversal representation of information about cultural heritage, by modeling common entities and their relationships, which can then be reused across all domain-specific graphs. This approach enables the integration of information from traditionally separate disciplines, revealing unexpected connections. By implementing I.PaC's semantic graphs, Italy's cultural institutions can transition from static data repositories to dynamic, knowledge-driven platforms, creating new opportunities for accessibility and valorization.
Designing and developing ICH Atlas: A Trend Identification Platform for Digital Valorization of Intangible Cultural Heritage
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Lodovico, Chiara Di; Bertolino, Arianna; Spallazzo, Davide; Bollati, Ilaria; Cappellini, Greta; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Social media-based trend identification platforms powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are gaining considerable attention from scholars and industry professionals alike. These platforms analyze large amounts of user-generated data, identify the emergence and evolution of practices, and support data-driven decision-making. Although automatic trend analysis is growing, limited attention has focused on developing platforms that target digital transformation practices in Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). This paper introduces the development process behind ICH Atlas, a digital platform that displays and enables dynamic navigation of emerging trends connected to ICH-related professional roles, skills, and digital technologies and their expected growth based on global trends. The platform was the result of nine-month remote collaboration between a university-based design research group with expertise in cultural heritage and a trend forecasting company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics. Based on a qualitative analysis of meeting records, email correspondence, datasets, and platform prototypes, the paper outlines the platform's iterations. We trace the decision-making process development, encountered challenges, and coping strategies. Based on our reflections, we identify three tensions that might be of interest for industry-academia initiatives in the intangible cultural heritage sector: scaffolding vs ambiguity, interpretation vs granularity of data, tacit vs explicit knowledge.
Towards a Scientometric Understanding of Cultural & Digital Heritage: Multi Source Data Integration Pipeline & EC Funding Trends
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Ehrenberger, Walter; Münster, Sander; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
We introduce an ELT pipeline and a data model that integrates, sanitizes, unifies, and enriches multiple data sources to enable quantitative analysis of cultural and digital heritage. This results in 374,998 research outputs, 45,725 institutions and 19,558 projects after deduplication, including other entities and metadata. We developed scientometric use cases tailored for researchers and policy makers, and implemented a preliminary version of them in an interactive web app prototype. Using basic keyword filtering to identify relevant fields in our curated dataset, our analysis reveals that Digital Heritage funding surged 355% compared to Cultural Heritage's 137% growth (2015-2024), with Italy emerging as the leader in both fields. Computer Science dominates Digital Heritage (averaging 60% of funding), while Cultural Heritage maintains broader disciplinary distribution. Economics/Business show remarkable growth in both fields, suggesting increasing commercialization focus. These initial findings, as well as the use cases presented in the prototype, demonstrate the pipeline's potential while highlighting the critical need for sophisticated topic modeling and classification systems as well as further enrichment of the data to unlock deeper scientometric insights.
Determining a General CH Digitization Process Based on a Scoping Review
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Kröber, Cindy; Münster, Sander; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
The digitization of cultural heritage (CH) serves a range of critical purposes, including preservation, accessibility, research, and education. It also plays a key role in raising public awareness about the value of cultural assets, while fostering community engagement through thoughtfully developed digital heritage initiatives. This paper presents a qualitative analysis based on a scoping review of recent CH digitization literature, aiming to identify and synthesize key themes and approaches. The findings are clustered and abstracted to outline core steps in the digitization process, forming a structured framework. For each step, associated tasks and guiding questions are defined to support implementation. This process-oriented overview offers practical value for the planning and execution of new digitization projects. It also provides strategic guidance on resource allocation and stakeholder engagement, including timing, methods, and rationale for involving communities, tourism sectors, and other relevant actors.
From Black Books to Burners: Street Art as Cultural Heritage
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Mcinerney, Patrick; Cronin, Kieran; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Street art occupies a unique space between contemporary art and cultural heritage, characterized by dynamic public expression and inherent ephemerality. The vulnerability of street art to environmental degradation, vandalism, and erasure creates urgent challenges for its preservation. This paper examines how digital archiving can reconcile street art's transient nature with its cultural value through human-centered systems design and critical heritage frameworks. We analyze emerging methodologies for documenting its lifecycle-from sketches to final works-including heritagisation processes, community participation, and semantic technologies. Focusing on the mementoArtem Digital Street Art Archive, we demonstrate how the Arches Heritage Management Framework-using CIDOC-CRM, photogrammetry, and georeferencing-enables the integration of diverse data sources, semantic interoperability, long-term preservation and public engagement with these records. This work is carried out in collaboration with the INSYTE-Cooley Research Laboratory, the Department of Computing and Mathematics, South East Technological University, Ireland, and with the assistance of the Getty Conservation Institute, LA, USA.
3D Digital Silk Road - the Project and Its Results Overview
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Milosz, Marek; Milosz, Elzbieta; Montusiewicz, Jerzy; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
The aim of the "3D Digital Silk Road" project was to carry out research and popularization work in the field of 3D digitization of cultural heritage in Uzbekistan. The project involved five universities: Lublin University of Technology (LUT) from Poland and four Partners from Uzbekistan: National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Samarkand State University, Urgench State University and Chirchik State Pedagogical Institute. The project is a great example of interdisciplinary cooperation between computer scientists from LUT and Uzbek historians and museum experts. The work related to 3D scanning objects was carried out in museums. During the project a methodology for scanning large architectural objects with heavy tourist traffic was developed, implemented and improved. The main result of the project is the website (https:silkroad3d.com) and a perpetual archive of 3D scans. During the project many additional tasks were carried out.
A Holistic Digital Ecosystem for Sustainable Cultural Heritage Management in Türkiye: National Museum Information System (MUES)
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Aygün, Hakan Melih; Yüceil, Irmak Günes; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
This paper presents Türkiye's National Museum Information System (MUES), a comprehensive digital platform managing 3.7 million assets in 248 public museums and 286,000 assets in 347 private museums. MUES digitizes the entire heritage lifecycle-from excavation to conservation, exhibition, and storage-standardizing workflows to boost efficiency, cut costs, enhance preservation, and combat loss and illicit trafficking. Compliant with cultural heritage laws and data governance, it offers institutional authorities granular control through a no-code, user-friendly interface, ensuring transparency and accountability. Its modular, interoperable design supports scalable adoption and integration with international heritage platforms. Beyond institutional use, MUES democratizes cultural heritage by providing real-time access to researchers, policymakers, and the public, fostering an inclusive, participatory ecosystem. Aligned with WSIS goals, MUES serves as a sustainable, replicable model for global digital heritage governance and collaboration.
Introducing Sociodata in Virtual Museums: A Holistic Approach for Sustainable Development in Cultural Landscapes
(The Eurographics Association, 2025) Pisani, Sharon; Miller, Alan; Cassidy, Catherine; Clarke, Loraine; Oliver, Iain; Gomes, Goncalo; Campana, Stefano; Ferdani, Daniele; Graf, Holger; Guidi, Gabriele; Hegarty, Zackary; Pescarin, Sofia; Remondino, Fabio
Topic: Virtual museums are powerful tools for preserving and promoting cultural heritage (CH) while enhancing accessibility and engagement. Yet, many focus on digitised artefacts without fully capturing their socio-cultural relevance or their connection to sustainable development. The Virtual European Rural Artisans (VERA) Platform addresses this gap by creating digital cultural landscapes that connect heritage, community, and sustainable development. It links the public with artisans and cultural institutions, encouraging a holistic understanding of heritage as a dynamic socio-cultural phenomenon. Context: The development of European Data Spaces enables broader sharing of heritage data. Projects such as Europeana and the ECCCH demonstrate the potential of interoperable, open-access cultural data and services. VERA aligns with these by embedding `sociodata' -- a new layer of contextual data that captures the relationship between the community and the heritage artefact, sustainability aspects, and evolving narratives surrounding heritage objects. Relevance: Sustainable development and CH are deeply interconnected. The SDGs emphasise safeguarding CH (SDG11.4), inclusive economic growth (SDG8) and quality education (SDG4). However, many virtual heritage initiatives lack a direct link to socio-economic sustainability. By allowing community groups to interact within a shared digital space, the VERA Platform promotes cultural sustainability, creative heritage tourism, and economic development. Its integration with EU data spaces ensures open, reusable cultural data for research, education, and policy. Innovation: The unique contribution of this research is the emphasis on social metadata collected through a holistic sustainability-oriented virtual museum infrastructure. This research introduces `sociodata' which captures threats and actions that promote sustainable development within cultural landscapes. The VERA Platform is an example of sociodata being utilised in a digital cultural space. This article illustrates how various stakeholders are utilising VERA to share knowledge, showcase craftsmanship, and promote sustainable practices.

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