Museums & Galleries
On a warm afternoon in St. Petersburg, Florida, a museum-goer lifts a lobster-shaped telephone and hears a voice crackle to life. It’s Salvador Dalí himself or rather, an AI-powered avatar of him, responding to a question about melting clocks with surreal wit. At the Dalí Museum, the interactive installation “Ask Dalí” exemplifies how museum digital transformation is reshaping our engagement with culture. What was once science fiction is now embedded in the museum experience in 2025.
The catalyst? The pandemic. After 2020’s lockdowns, 98% of museums prioritized digitizing collections and investing in digital platforms. What began as a workaround has since matured into a renaissance of digital innovation in museums. From AI-powered apps to real-time language translations, today’s museums are becoming dynamic spaces that speak directly to individual visitors.
At the Dalí Museum, the interactive installation “Ask Dalí” exemplifies how digital transformation in museums is reshaping our engagement with culture.
Personalized Journeys and Visitor Control
Forget cookie-cutter audio guides. In 2025, personalized museum experiences will have become the norm. At leading institutions, smart kiosks and apps adjust content in real-time based on a visitor’s interests. Using RFID tags or AI-based profiling, exhibits can offer tailored content, from reading levels to humour style. One system even lets an artifact speak in Shakespearean prose or Homer Simpson’s tone, depending on the user.
Personalization also fuels accessibility. AI-driven systems can:
- Translate exhibit text into dozens of languages
- Stream audio directly into hearing aids
- Display sign language interpreters
- Offer descriptive audio for blind visitors
At the Strong National Museum of Play in New York, a navigation app by Mapsted helps visitors plan time-sensitive tours across 190,000 sq. ft. of space. Whether you’re after vintage arcade games or historic toy houses, you can design a visit that matches your interests.
Globally, this trend continues. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has introduced an AI-powered “art explorer” that recommends artwork based on user memories or preferences, building a virtual gallery unique to each person.
Immersive Storytelling in the Digital Gallery
Static plaques are giving way to multi-sensory journeys. Digital storytelling in museums now integrates Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to animate exhibits. With a smartphone, visitors can overlay lost architecture on ancient ruins or watch battles reenact in real-time. VR setups go further: The Illinois Holocaust Museum’s “The Journey Back” transports viewers through ghettoes and concentration camps alongside survivors’ testimonies.
At Tokyo’s teamLab Borderless Museum, digital art spills across walls and floors, responding to visitor movements. Butterflies scatter, fish morph—no headset needed. Such environments turn spectators into participants.
AI and holography are taking this a step further. In the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s “Survivor Stories Experience,” visitors can ask holograms of survivors questions. Sophisticated AI matches queries to pre-recorded answers, simulating a live conversation across generations.
These technologies don’t just dazzle, they deepen empathy. A growing number of museums now explore using AI avatars of historical figures to educate and engage, though they navigate ethical boundaries carefully.
In Los Angeles, the world’s first museum for AI-generated art is underway, showcasing how machine creativity intersects with human vision. Even “selfie museums” are evolving into participatory storytelling spaces.
Smarter Spaces: IoT and Museum Infrastructure
Behind the scenes, IoT in cultural institutions is optimizing the way museums function. Smart systems monitor climate, lighting and occupancy to protect artifacts and improve visitor flow. Sensors can:
- Adjust humidity around delicate paintings
- Predict maintenance needs before failures
- Alert when galleries become overcrowded
At L.A.’s Hammer Museum, looser temperature controls backed by digital monitoring reduce energy usage without compromising preservation (AAM). These adjustments reflect a broader trend: museums operating like micro smart cities.
Security, sustainability and energy savings are all being enhanced through IoT. Smart cameras protect high-value exhibits while intelligent lighting systems conserve electricity when galleries are empty.
This infrastructure shift makes museums more resilient. It allows staff to focus on curation and storytelling, while technology quietly handles logistics. As one expert noted, it’s about using tech to make museums more accessible, not replacing the human element.
Conclusion
As we move further into 2025, the digital and the human converge in new and profound ways. The hush of traditional galleries has given way to the soft hum of interactivity. Visitors scan QR codes, explore 3D models and engage with exhibits that respond to them in real-time.
Yet, the soul of the museum remains: connection. Visitor experience in museums today is richer, more personal and participatory. The walls can talk. The exhibits can listen. And the museum becomes a dialogue, not a monologue.
By combining together AI, immersive media and storytelling, museum digital transformation isn’t just revolutionizing how we learn, it’s revolutionizing how we feel, reflect and belong.
If you found this blog helpful, don’t miss our blog post on 10 Most Beautiful Museums Around the World: Architectural Wonders and Cultural Treasures or watch our video on Maximize Engagement at Your Museum or Gallery With Location-Based Technology to learn more.
Key Takeaways
- Museum digital transformation is redefining how institutions engage with visitors.
- AI and mobile tech enable personalized museum experiences tailored to individual preferences.
- Digital storytelling in museums deepens empathy and emotional connection.
- IoT in cultural institutions enhances sustainability, security and operational efficiency.
The overall visitor experience in museums is now more inclusive, interactive and human-focused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is museum digital transformation?
A: It refers to the integration of technologies like AI, AR/VR and IoT to improve how museums engage visitors, manage collections and operate more efficiently.
Q2: How are museums using digital storytelling?
A: Museums use AR, VR and AI avatars to create immersive and emotionally resonant experiences that bring history, art and culture to life.
Q3: What is an example of personalized museum experiences?
A: Apps that adapt tours based on visitor preferences or age groups or exhibits that speak in different tones and languages based on user profiles.
Q4: How is IoT being used in museums?
A: IoT devices help monitor environmental conditions, manage visitor flow and enhance security and energy efficiency in museum spaces.
Q5: What role does Mapsted play in staying ahead of museum technology trends?
A: Mapsted provides indoor navigation solutions that allow visitors to find exhibits with minimal hardware, enhancing accessibility and engagement.
