Implementing Curiosity Hooks and Caring Practices in the Reconstruction of Lost Polychromy: Design Prototypes for Interactive Experiences.

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.