USER EXPERIENCE EVALUATION OF IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL CONTEXTS: THE CASE OF THE VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF THE TIBER VALLEY PROJECT

Features like interactivity, storytelling and sensory immersion are typical of virtual environments; they lend themselves well to the field of Cultural Heritage because (a) they create the right conditions for a fruitful learning experience which "alert" many receptive channels; the latter stimulate strong emotions that allow creating mental connections between what we see, what we feel and what we have in our memory. They also (b) provide physical or simulated mobility that stands at the basis of any informal learning experience ( so said "learn-by-doing"); in this sense, natural interaction applications and tangible interfaces are designed to let the user feel more embodied in the virtual space. They (c) make curiosity and interest arise in a spontaneous form, gradually shaping the memory and the understanding of what we are experiencing. From these premises, the Virtual Museum of the Tiber Valley project has been used as case study to conduct a user experience evaluation.

Virtual technologies have proved be a valuable support for the knowledge and fruition of the Cultural Heritage. The way they are employed shapes the affection and emotional involvement of the public to which the experience is addressed. On one side, Cultural Heritage represents the historical legacy of a group of people; on the other side, it is also something constantly changing, a process of social appropriation of cultural identity.