Extending Cultural Heritage. A Touch-Free Mixed Reality System for Engaging Museum Spaces and Rapid Content Authoring

This paper presents an immersive Mixed Reality based system designed to enhance museum experiences by integrating interactive projections and gesture-based interactions without the need for handheld or wearable devices. Unlike previous XR solutions that often exclude users due to physical or cognitive barriers, this project introduces a customizable and scalable Content Management System (CMS) designed with accessibility and sustainable cultural tourism in mind. The system empowers museums to rapidly create inclusive digital exhibits that adapt to diverse visitor needs while reducing hardware and maintenance costs. As museums increasingly incorporate digital and interactive technologies, the MiRA system provides a sustainable and adaptable solution that supports cultural heritage interpretation, addressing usability challenges while fostering inclusive and engaging experiences. The project followed a mixed quali-quantitative approach, including best practice analysis, questionnaires, and scenario prototyping. Usability tests were conducted through pilot installations at cultural sites, integrating feedback from museum professionals and visitors. The project successfully developed scalable CMS and interactive templates, allowing museums to create adaptive digital storytelling experiences. Findings highlight the need for improved customization options, motion sensitivity adjustments, and scenario refinement to better accommodate diverse user needs. MiRA demonstrates the potential of XR in transforming cultural heritage experiences, offering a flexible, device-free approach to immersive museum engagement. Future work will focus on enhancing system adaptability, expanding its application to other cultural and commercial contexts, and refining usability for broader accessibility.