EUreka3D-XR

Valentina Bachi

Schleppdampfer "Putbus" by Oswald Lübeck | �Deutsche Fotothek, Germany | Public Domain.

https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/440/item_VIKU4ABYOTU5VVYTDLHJP42KFIUN4QAP

The EUreka3D initiative

EUreka3D (2023-2024) and EUreka3D-XR (2025-2026) are two projects coordinated by Photoconsortium International Association and co-funded by EU under the Digital Europe Programme.

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EUreka3D focused on supporting CHIs with 3D digitisation, promoting quality and 3D digitisation guidelines and developing a European-based digital infrastructure.

EUreka3D-XR continues the initiative with a focus on transforming cultural contents (e.g. 2D, 3D, video, texts, maps, stories) into compelling narratives and extended reality (XR) scenarios.

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12 partners from 8 EU countries and Switzerland participate in EUreka3D-XR.

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Promoting high quality 3D digitisation

The 3D Digitisation Guidelines are available for free download from the EUreka3D website.

The Online Course is going to be accessible on the Europeana Learning Platform.

Webinars, presentations and ad-hoc consultancy are delivered to CHIs.

European-based digital infrastructure for 3D

EUreka3D Data Hub:

• Safe storage
• Federated AAI
• PIDs
• 3D viewer
• Interoperability with europeana.eu

Transforming digital contents into experiences

EUreka3D-XR supports the common European data space for cultural heritage with additional tools and resources, focusing on enabling CHIs create their XR experiences.

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The goal of the project is to deliver:

• 5 open-source digital tools for the data space to reuse 3D digital content
• 3 use cases and XR scenarios to demonstrate within concrete applications benefits and success stories realised with the EUreka3D-XR tools
• New contents in the data space: a rich corpus of open access digital cultural contents, editorials and training resources
• A programme of capacity building events and activities

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5 tools x 3 demonstration scenarios

A sneak peek into the tools

The 5 tools are used in 3 demonstration scenarios, that serve as a proof of concept, case studies and inspirations for other CHIs to create their XR storytelling.

In Bibracte (NTUA and Bibracte)

We are designing a tour scenario that employs AR to reveal what is no longer visible at the archaeological site, where the very few physical remains may not be fully understandable or interesting to the visitors.

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We do this with the AR Tour Builder + AR Tour Experience, an integrated dual tool.

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AR Tour Builder (editor tool for curators)

AR Tour Experience (user app)

Navigation on the site

Multiple types of content associated with a certain location (POI)

• 3D
• Audio
• Images and videos
• Textual documents
• Links to external content
• Quizzes and educational resources

All the above is powered with multilingual support.

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POIs - 3D object visualization

• Visualisation on 3D viewer (e.g. decorations and objects now preserved elsewhere, missing structures) via touch screen (zoom, rotation etc)
• Visualisation on AR viewer, i.e. overlay on the physical environment as captured by the mobile camera with view dependent on body motion (distance, angle etc)
• Access to complementing contents

In Girona (Swing:it and CRDI)

We are reconstructing the lost walls of the medieval city with the AI 3D Builder:

• Based on solid scientific research and archival materials
• Integrated with additional drone capture imagery and AI support
• 3D reconstruction is verified with human-in-the-loop validation
• Published as open access content for any (re)use and aggregated in Europeana
• 3D reconstruction pipeline available as open access tool for any CHI, with guidance on how to use the tool.

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We will then position the reconstructed walls in a VR tour + walking tour in Girona city, with the 3D XR Studio:

• Online editor to create tours
• Mobile app for VR experiences onsite
• Virtual tour for online access

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In Cyprus (MIRALAB and CUT)

We are recreating the life of the Saint Neophytos Englistra monastery in Paphos.

The entire location was digitised, especially for digital preservation purposes (being a monument at risk). We want to take one more step and allow visitors onsite and online to e-meet Saint Neophytos and hear from him the stories of his life.

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We are creating avatars of the monks with the Avatar Builder pipeline, and using the avatars in VR and AR experiences.

• Accurate reconstruction of the appearance and speech of the Saint and his monks, based on scientific research that also engaged the monastic community onsite.
• The content is made available as open access; the avatars will be published on Europeana as animated 3D models.
• The software will be made available openly for reuse along with guidance and procedural support for creating an avatar and placing it in VR/AR experiences.

Next appointments

Thank you for your attention

valentina.bachi@photoconsortium.net

eureka3d.eu

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Save the date!

Demonstration of the EUreka3D-XR pilots

Girona 29 January, 2026