Integrated Survey for Community Engagement


Wessex Archaeology and the Churches Conservation Trust have undertaken a joint project to assess the value of combined digital survey to engage local communities in heritage assets.

The project was carried out at the Old Church of St Nicholas, Uphill, a site not often open to the public, during the Heritage Open Days 2015. The aim was to carry out archaeological investigation using a combination of laser scanning, Total Station Survey, Reflectance Transformation Imaging, excavation and geophysics to inform the CCT about the building, but also to encourage local volunteers to participate in the survey and be trained in survey and excavation techniques. Processing of the raw data was carried out on site allowing the volunteers to see the products of their work and a selection of this work formed an exhibition on the final open day.


Paul Baggaley and Damien Campbell Green will be at Digital Past to discuss the project and whether such an approach can lead to sustained engagement.

Registration is open!

Registration for Digital Past is open and, as spaces are limited, early booking is advised. 

Two-day delegate tickets can be booked at Eventbrite at a cost of £89, covering lunch and refreshments. This will give access to the wide range of talks, discussions, workshops and demonstrations available over the two days, held within a friendly and informal atmosphere that aims to promote the exchange of ideas and facilitate networking. There will also be the opportunity to take part in the 'Unconference' session on the first afternoon, allowing delegates not on the formal timetable to give presentations on projects, research, ideas or issues within or outside the strict themes of this year’s event.

Two sizes of exhibition stand are also available for booking, giving the opportunity for displays and demonstrations of projects or products at the heart of the conference venue. 

Lastly, but by no means least, you can book for the conference meal to be held in the Wedgewood Suite at the St George's Hotel on the evening of the 10th. A delicious three-course menu, prepared by their award winning chef, will be provided at 7 pm. 

We look forward to seeing you in Llandudno! 

Virtual Reality at the British Museum...

While a growing number of cultural heritage sites are using virtual reality to enhance visitor experiences, examples of this technology within museums are far fewer. Lizzie Edwards, Education Manager at the Samsung Digital Learning Programme at the British Museum, will be talking about the findings from their 'Virtual Reality Weekend' in August, an early iteration of the use of VR in a museum.

 

Bronze Age round house interior: Photo Soluis Group Limited

 

The talk will cover the exploration of the potential of Samsung Gear VR headsets and Virtual Reality environments to assess how they might deepen engagement with museum collections for children, young people, school group and families. Based around 3D scans of three Bronze Age objects, the experience invited users to explore multiple interpretations of each object's function and purpose while locating the objects in the context of a virtual Bronze Age round house.

                        British Museum: Photo Benedict Johnson                                                       Sussex Loop: Photo Sketchfab
 

Lizzie will discuss the testing of the experience, the use of different platforms and the feedback received. She will also place VR within the context of other digital engagement methods used in museums to assess its relative value in providing engagement opportunities.