Virtual visits as a gateway to real visits to Kosovo museums

Virtual visits, beyond providing access to the country's museums, even those that are far away, are also considered an incentive for physical visits, serving as a powerful promotional tool. The organization "EC ma dnyre", among other such projects, has recently equipped the Prizren Castle Museum with its virtual version. And it aims to provide each museum with this version as a gateway to the real visit

The implementation of virtual visits to cultural heritage spaces in the country is considered an important step towards modernizing their experience. Beyond offering access to the country's museums to foreigners, it is also considered an incentive for physical visits, serving as a powerful promotional tool. The organization "EC ma ndryshe", among other such projects, has recently equipped the Prizren Castle Museum with its virtual version. And it aims to provide each museum with this version as a gateway to a real visit. 

Previously, this virtual visit advantage was given by "EC..." to the Museum of the Albanian League of Prizren and the Archaeological Museum of Prizren through their program "Cultural Heritage for All: Preservation, Education, Development and Innovation", which, according to the explanation, aims to build a more open, innovative and inclusive cultural environment, where cultural heritage is not only preserved, but transformed into a common value for the community and its development.

Like the visualization of these two cultural institutions, the one for the Prizren Castle Museum offers the virtual visitor every detail of its entire space. Each click on the images there is a step towards getting to know the museum institution, the Castle and its history, and the historical context of the city and the country. And this starts from ancient times. 

The virtual visitor is initially confronted with images of the Castle and the picturesque landscape of the entire historic city of Prizren, the first Albanian capital since the Ottoman conquest of the 15th century. From the entrance, he encounters illustrations of the Castle then and now, full of documents, presentations of prominent historical figures and important exhibits. Among them are weapons from the Middle Ages to those of the Ottoman conquest, various containers for food and tools for its processing. Other containers date from the Iron Age onwards. 

Simply put, the virtual vision of the Museum is like being physically present. It can get blurry as you move away, but the materials are crystal clear if you click on them, and even the explanatory materials about the artifacts there have been digitized. 

The executive director of the organization "EC ma dnyre", Valon Xhabali, said that the implementation of 3D virtual visits for these museums is an important step towards exploring museums, regardless of distance or physical limitations. According to him, this new approach transforms the museum experience and makes it more accessible and interactive. 

"For 'EC Ma Ndryshe', the integration of technology in museums also serves as a powerful tool for raising awareness and preserving cultural heritage, presenting it in contemporary formats that approach younger generations. Furthermore, it eliminates geographical and physical barriers, making it possible for everyone, including the disabled community, to have access to these cultural spaces," he said. 

He stressed that one of the organization's goals is to make virtual access accessible to people with special needs, through "easier navigation, better readability, and supporting materials." He noted that conducting a virtual visit is a complex process that takes several months. 

"Realizing a 3D virtual visit to a museum is a complex process that includes several steps, from collecting historical documents, digitization and technical modeling. Depending on the size of the museum, the number of exhibits and architectural complexity, such a project usually lasts from 3 to 4 months. For larger museums or more complex collections, the process may require even more time. This includes the phases of scanning, 3D modeling, information integration and usability testing," Xhabali announced in a written response to KOHĖN.
He said that professional work is important for these projects and that care must be taken to preserve the authenticity of the space. According to him, the implementation of these projects is complex and requires support, although “EC Ma Ndryshe” is technically prepared to expand this practice to every museum in the country. That the success of this process requires institutional will and sustainable financing. 

"For 'EC Ma Ndryshe', the cooperation of cultural institutions including historians, archaeologists, curators, etc. is very important, to convey the historical context of each museum as clearly as possible. Information is obtained from the responsible institutions and officials and then the visual narrative is realized, always taking maximum care to preserve the authenticity of the space, to reflect the physical reality as accurately as possible, without distorting the originality of the monument or artifacts," he said. 

Virtual visits became a global trend during the pandemic. Cultural institutions, including museums, created platforms so that the public could be there even where they could not be. Even in extraordinary circumstances. So did museums, and this trend was practiced in the country shortly after. 

"It is true that virtual visits became a global trend during the pandemic, when museums and cultural institutions were forced to close completely. But what we have seen in recent years is that interest in these experiences has not declined, on the contrary, it has become a sustainable practice that cultural institutions around the world continue to use as a tool for promotion, education and inclusive access," said Xhabali. 

In October 2022, a virtual tour of the “Adem Jashari” memorial complex in Prekaz was published. The project was implemented by Alban Kasumi and supported by the Ministry of Culture. A similar virtual tour was also made possible in the Mitrovica city museum in early April of the same year, as a promotion of values ​​and an opportunity to spread them further.

Xhabali said that their initiative came after seeing that the use of virtual visits increased after the launch and continues to remain stable.

"Based on visit measurements, the most virtual 3D visits were to the Archaeological Museum of Prizren, followed by the number of virtual 3D visits to the Albanian League Complex of Prizren. Meanwhile, we expect that over time the number of visits to the Prizren Castle Museum will gradually increase, given that it has recently been launched," he said, saying that virtual visits are not simply a temporary replacement due to the pandemic, but a sustainable component of the new way of promoting cultural heritage. 

He calls them "gateways to real visits." 

A visit to a museum, even a virtual one, is considered educational and understandable, and becomes even closer to the public by being accessible through technological means. The organization "EC..." aims to implement this practice in all museum institutions in the country. 

"Regarding the expansion of this practice, the long-term goal of 'EC Ma Ndryshe' is for 3D digitization to be implemented in all museums in Kosovo, as we believe that every museum, regardless of size, theme or location, should have the opportunity to be presented in a contemporary manner and be accessible to the general public, especially for those who cannot physically travel to the monument," said the executive director of this organization, Valon Xhabali. 

He emphasized that this project has multiple values ​​for the promotion of monuments and cultural heritage. 

“…the digitization of artifacts, explanatory materials and museum space creates a very structured and clear experience, which helps visitors understand history even before visiting the physical museum. Therefore, this virtual experience can be seen as a complete and complementary reflection of the real visit. It does not replace the physical experience, because the authenticity and atmosphere of the monument remain unique, but complements it by providing the visitor with better information, orientation and preparation”, said Xhabali, among other things. 

The virtual visits are being implemented within the framework of the "Cultural Heritage for All: Conservation, Education, Development and Innovation" program, which focuses on the preservation and sustainable use of cultural heritage assets, supporting digitization, documentation and the creation of solutions that help protect monuments for future generations. 

"It also aims to increase cultural education, involving young people, schools and local communities in activities that strengthen the recognition and appreciation of heritage. At the same time, it is committed to cultural and economic development through the use of heritage as a resource for cultural tourism and opening up new opportunities for the community. The innovation component is also essential in this program, as the integration of new technologies makes heritage more accessible, more attractive and in line with international trends", explained the leader of the organization "EC...", Valon Xhabali.