“Touchpoints” connect the public with museums
DNO - Alongside automated audio guides, QR codes providing integrated information and digital promotion, several museums in Da Nang are introducing photobooths in exhibition spaces to refresh the visitor experience and create new “touchpoints” that connect the public with museums.
Refreshing the museum experience
On a weekend morning, French visitor Cynthia and her family explored the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, where they tried its photobooth service. With staff assistance, they selected a frame, took photos and received printed souvenirs in less than five minutes. Photos can also be downloaded via QR code and shared on social media.
The museum has introduced photobooths as part of efforts to make exhibitions more interactive, providing accessories such as national flags, pith helmets and khăn rằn (Krama- Southern Vietnamese checkered scarves) to add cultural touches to visitors’ photos.
According to Ha Minh Phuoc, Head of the Communications and Services Division at the Da Nang Museum, photobooths offer a simple and engaging way for visitors, particularly young people, to interact with museums, preserve memories, and share their experiences online.
After a period of operation, the service has attracted thousands of visitors, especially students and young travellers. The widespread sharing of photos on social media has also helped promote Da Nang’s museums and bring cultural and historical values closer to younger audiences.
Bringing the public closer to heritage
At the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, photobooths are part of broader efforts to promote digital transformation and create more engaging ways for the public to connect with heritage.
According to Le Thi Thu Trang, Director of the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, the museum considers technology an important tool for both heritage preservation and visitor engagement. Technology has gradually been applied to artefact management, exhibitions, education and communications.
The museum has expanded its digital presence through its website and social media while producing more short videos, infographics and visual stories about artefacts, heritage sites, and Champa culture and art.
The museum is also exploring artificial intelligence (AI) to develop heritage education materials for children and an AI chatbot-integrated automated audio guide system to enhance the visitor experience.
Looking ahead, the museum plans to accelerate its digital transformation toward becoming a smart museum. Key priorities include 2D and 3D digitisation of artefacts, particularly its 12 national treasures, as well as the development of online exhibitions and digital cultural experiences.
These initiatives will allow people who live far away or cannot visit the museum in person to explore its collections through more interactive formats.
Meanwhile, the Da Nang Museum is also expanding the use of technology to preserve, exhibit and promote cultural and historical heritage.
According to Ha Minh Phuoc, Head of the Communications and Services Division, digital tools offer museums new opportunities to make exhibition content more visual, accessible and engaging, particularly for younger audiences.
However, he said that technology does not replace the core value of museums- the artefacts, historical stories and cultural values preserved over time. Instead, it serves as a bridge connecting the public with heritage through new forms of access and interaction.
When appropriately applied, technology can narrow the gap between heritage and the public, stimulate interest and make cultural values more relevant to contemporary life.
For Da Nang’s museums, this combination of heritage and technology is opening new avenues to attract visitors while ensuring that cultural treasures remain accessible to future generations.