MCN 2024

Engaging young audiences in museums is key to sparking their creativity and deepening their connection to cultural heritage. By integrating immersive technologies, in-person visits can evolve into interactive adventures, enticing young people with captivating learning experiences.

In this session, explore how the V&A Learning team uses design-led participatory practices to develop their public programmes. Discover two compelling case studies showcasing how digital try-on experiences have elevated visitor interactions with museum objects, creating memorable and educational moments for young audiences.

Diva of Tomorrow: A Digital Costume Try-on Experience
The V&A hosted a try-on experience where visitors could wear digital garments created by talented young fashion designers, inspired by the V&A Diva exhibition. This event resulted from a month-long Digital Fashion Course for a cohort of young people aged 18 to 26. A design brief challenged students to celebrate the creativity of iconic performers and to create a digital costume that reflects their vision of the 'diva' identity.
Throughout this course they were introduced to new digital technologies to help them envision, investigate, and realise a digital outfit with a focus on sustainable practice and digital innovation. 
At the showcase, students presented their work to the public, explaining their creative process from inspiration to final design. Visitors were able to experience the digital garments first-hand through augmented reality filters and see themselves as Diva Characters on the museum’s large screens.

Drop in Design: Digital Tal-nori was a family-friendly engagement activity for visitors at the V&A South Kensington. Inspired by the Hallyu! exhibition, the V&A Families team worked with Seoul-based creative studio, Commoners to design an AR experience. This case study will unpack the V&A's approach to platforming creative technologists as well as inspiring creative confidence in young visitors.