Experiencing art by means of 3D printed replicas: enriching the interpretation of pot oiseau

Digitally fabricated artefacts or 3D replicas have the potential to enrich the interpretation of cultural assets by enhancing visitors’ engagement with collections. However, it is still not well understood how replicas work as interpretative means and what are the actual visitors’ attitudes towards them. The contribution of this paper is the development and evaluation of a 3D replica within a realistic interpretative scenario. This research deploys a case study focusing on a 3D printed pot representing an “authentic” reproduction of a pot made by Pablo Picasso, currently exhibited at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery. By detailing the research processes and evaluation results, CH professionals can better perceive the dynamics of replicas as interpretative means within realistic situations; understand their positive contributions and weaknesses; and deploy methods and investigation themes, as presented in this paper. In this way, cultural heritage institutions and especially museums can be assisted when introducing replicas to support their audiences. The developments presented in this paper are part of a larger research project which proposes experience designs or experiential frameworks for the provision of 3D replicas to audiences. Our findings highlight that while there is enormous potential, there is also a need to re-educate people on how to engage with cultural heritage through new interpretative frameworks that are less rigid than those traditionally used in museums.