Master Thesis – Gian Dion Dubberke

CULTURAL - AR - Unity

Project
Master Thesis

Topic

“Inclusive Storytelling Tool for Cultural Spaces – The Role of Augmented Reality in transforming Museum Experiences”

Developed with Unity for Smartphone AR

Goal

Develop a Tool that supports the AR Storytelling creation process. Use the Tool to explore how AR can transform an active Museum Exhibition

The application was built for storytelling-specific content creation and should utilise existing technologies that can be applied on a large scale in a museum context and expanding on existing digital and physical materials.

Year

2024 - 2025

Responsibilities

Research
Concept
Development
at location

Patners

Solo project

Process

Creating a Bridge Between AR Storytellers and Museums
During a field project in Naxos, Greece, I noticed a gap between AR story developers and cultural institutions. This inspired me to conceptualize an AR storytelling tool that could serve as a bridge between creatives and clients. To explore its real-world potential, I partnered with the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, aiming to understand how museums could benefit from immersive AR experiences—especially in reconstructing and contextualizing historical content.

Navigating Real-World Constraints
Developing the tool revealed both technical and organizational challenges. While Unity and Vuforia offered a solid technical foundation, adapting the tool to museum needs meant prioritizing accessibility, modularity, and ease of use for non-experts. Logistical issues—such as delayed exhibit access, production holds, and shifting museum workflows—meant I had to handle most of the content creation myself and rethink deployment strategies.

From Prototype to User Testing
Despite setbacks, I built a working prototype and tested it through three on-location demo phases, including a successful test with developers at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. Seven testers created their own AR stories in under an hour, validating the tool’s usability. A final showcase at the Humboldt Forum sparked strong interest from curators, especially in its potential for reconstruction and inclusive storytelling. While full museum integration remains a future challenge, the project delivered a functional MVP and a solid foundation for further development.