The digitization of museum collections has significantly expanded public access to cultural heritage through interactive virtual reality (VR) tours. These web-based experiences provide valuable opportunities for remote engagement with cultural content and are increasingly adopted by institutions worldwide. In this paper, we take a closer look at two such case studies: the Museum of Education and the Museum of Medicine, of the University of Crete. Both museums have implemented VR-based tours that digitally preserve their collections and present them through interactive, web-accessible platforms. However, they often fall short in addressing the needs of users with disabilities, limiting inclusive participation and highlighting the accessibility gap in current immersive systems. To bridge this gap, this project introduces an accessible, web-based version of the university of Crete’s virtual museum systems, designed to offer inclusive navigation and interaction for users of all abilities. Built as a single-page Angular application, it incorporates features such as keyboard navigation, screen reader support, high-contrast visual elements, and responsive design, ensuring compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Through a user-centered design approach, the system presents multimedia content, including text, images, videos, image galleries, and interactive 3D exhibits, in an intuitive and engaging interface. This work showcases how modern web technologies can enhance immersive digital experiences while ensuring universal accessibility, offering a scalable and adaptable framework for future digital cultural heritage applications.

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A Web-Based System for Comprehensive and Accessible Navigation to Exhibits of a Virtual Museum

  • Despoina Athanasiadou,
  • Asterios Leonidis,
  • Maria Korozi,
  • Margherita Antona,
  • Constantine Stephanidis

摘要

The digitization of museum collections has significantly expanded public access to cultural heritage through interactive virtual reality (VR) tours. These web-based experiences provide valuable opportunities for remote engagement with cultural content and are increasingly adopted by institutions worldwide. In this paper, we take a closer look at two such case studies: the Museum of Education and the Museum of Medicine, of the University of Crete. Both museums have implemented VR-based tours that digitally preserve their collections and present them through interactive, web-accessible platforms. However, they often fall short in addressing the needs of users with disabilities, limiting inclusive participation and highlighting the accessibility gap in current immersive systems. To bridge this gap, this project introduces an accessible, web-based version of the university of Crete’s virtual museum systems, designed to offer inclusive navigation and interaction for users of all abilities. Built as a single-page Angular application, it incorporates features such as keyboard navigation, screen reader support, high-contrast visual elements, and responsive design, ensuring compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Through a user-centered design approach, the system presents multimedia content, including text, images, videos, image galleries, and interactive 3D exhibits, in an intuitive and engaging interface. This work showcases how modern web technologies can enhance immersive digital experiences while ensuring universal accessibility, offering a scalable and adaptable framework for future digital cultural heritage applications.