Supporting Social Presence and Inclusion in Museum XR: An Adaptive and Collaborative Approach

Museums are increasingly adopting Extended Reality (XR) technologies to enhance access to cultural material; nevertheless, many applications still emphasize individual experiences, overlooking social interaction and inclusivity. This research aims to explore how a collaborative, inclusive XR experience can enhance communal exploration of cultural heritage while accommodating diverse user needs. An inclusive and collaborative XR experience was developed for the Antiquarium di Boscoreale, located within the Parco Archeologico di Pompei. The proposed approach integrates immersive visualization, inclusive interface design, and an adaptive suggestion layer to facilitate widespread access to a digital replica of the selected element. The recommendation system facilitates attention direction and content modification without establishing rigid pathways. A user study involving 28 people examined the experience regarding presence, social presence, usability, inclusivity, and the perceived effectiveness of adaptive recommendations. The findings indicate a high level of satisfaction. This suggests that collaborative and adaptive XR could enhance museum experiences.