Decolonizing Cultural Heritage: Virtual Museums and Co-Design with Marginalized Communities in Italy

Museums play a central role in informal learning and are increasingly reclaiming their social mission (Poce, La ricerca empirica al museo: metodologie, strumenti e funzioni, 2020). In recent years, many institutions worldwide have embraced a paradigm shift inspired by decoloniality (Mignolo and Walsh, On decoloniality: concepts, analytics, praxis, University, 2018), pioneering practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. A key driver of this transformation has been the adoption of co-design practices within the framework of the participatory museum (Simon, The participatory museum, 2010). Digital technologies, particularly 3D scanning, are expanding these possibilities by enabling broader access to cultural heritage and fostering new forms of engagement. This paper presents an ongoing project that explores the role of 3D digitization in democratizing heritage access through co-production methodologies. The initiative involves the creation of a virtual museum featuring 3D models of South Asian artifacts, complemented by multimedia content co-created with migrant-background communities in Italy. The project follows a participatory approach to developing mediation tools, selecting narratives, and structuring digital storytelling, ensuring a plurality of perspectives. Beyond digital representation, the project aims to assess the social impact of these activities, investigating their effects on participants’ well-being and sense of inclusion. By integrating qualitative and quantitative evaluation tools, it provides insights into the potential of digital heritage to foster intercultural dialogue and shared ownership. Ultimately, this contribution highlights how technology, combined with participatory methodologies, can support the decolonization of heritage narratives and the creation of more inclusive and equitable cultural institutions.