Greetings, dear META-MUSEUM community,
Welcome to the third edition of the META-MUSEUM newsletter!
We are pleased to share the exciting advancements carried out by our consortium across Europe that explores the transformative nature of cultural heritage. In this issue, you’ll discover how our teams are investigating new ways to measure emotional engagement with heritage using advanced sensor technology and digital infrastructure. We also highlight our training modules, which are designed to equip cultural professionals with new skills based on the TransforMEANS Theory. Finally, we take you on a tour of the recent European conferences where our partners have been sharing our latest research findings.
To explore each of these updates in more detail, simply click on the links provided. For real-time news and announcements, follow us on our social media channels!
Enjoy the read!
Discover Advancements Across META-MUSEUM Work Packages
Our latest update showcases significant progress. Our teams are developing integrated assessment models and surveys that measure confidence, resilience, and emotional engagement. We’ve achieved a major milestone in digital infrastructure, with a complex database architecture and the selection of advanced neurophysiological sensors (including EEG, GSR, and force plates) to capture real-time, multi-sensory data on visitor responses. This includes the development of the new M4 platform, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor emotional responses in real time and create more personalized and engaging experiences for visitors. These innovative methods are already being put to the test in successful status quo measurement sessions at cultural sites: Museo Egizio, MAC Barcelona, and MuséoParc Alésia, gathering crucial insights from participants. This interdisciplinary approach, integrating neuroscience, psychology, and the connection between mind and body, highlights our commitment to showing cultural heritage as a living, physical experience that encourages emotional resonance and cognitive transformation. Read more about advancements across META-MUSEUM work packages.
In Our Spotlight
In the spotlight is a key outcome of the META-MUSEUM project: our new training modules designed to equip cultural professionals—from museum mediators to curators—with a fresh set of skills. Based on the TransforMEANSTheory, these modules teach the strategic design of emotional and cognitive components of cultural experiences, managing everything from space and multisensory elements to storytelling to enhance visitor participation. We are excited to report that the first test of this module at the Piranova International Summer School in May received positive feedback and strong engagement from a diverse group of professionals. Looking ahead, these training workshops will be delivered via accessible webinars to reach even remote museums. After the project ends, META-MUSEUM Competence Centre will continue providing expertise and training for years to come. Read more about the first try-out of the training modules by clicking here.
META-MUSEUM on the European Stage
META-MUSEUM consortium partners are actively shaping the future of cultural engagement by sharing their cutting-edge research at major European events. In Warsaw, the UNI JENA Team introduced the project at Europeana 2025, presenting our innovative “toolbox” for digital co-creation and transformation, which promotes deeper public connection with cultural heritage. Simultaneously, at a symposium in Athens co-organised by MIET, KMOP showcased our interdisciplinary methodology that bridges neuroscience and the humanities, offering a new perspective on visitors’ emotional and cognitive responses. This was complemented by a presentation from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on their neuro-physiological study, which uses advanced sensors to measure how heritage elicits embodied and affective reactions. Together, these contributions showcase META-MUSEUM’s significant contribution to cultural heritage research in Europe, reinforcing our commitment to understanding heritage as a living, transformative experience and underscoring our role in shaping a human-centered cultural environments. Click here for more details about presentations.
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