iMARS 2026: PlaceMUS XR and StratiGraph shaping the future of cultural heritage

On 9 June, the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria hosted the second edition of the conference “iMARS – Journey into the Future of Cultural Heritage: Intelligent Systems for Sustainable Monitoring, Recovery, and Conservation.”

The event, organised by IPCF–CNR in collaboration with the Museum and promoted by the CNR Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies as part of the CHrossLab activities, brought together researchers, university professors, museum and archaeological site directors, institutional representatives, companies, and associations involved in the enhancement and promotion of cultural heritage.

The event focused on innovation and technology transfer applied to cultural heritage, including non-invasive technologies, smart materials for sustainable conservation, anti-counterfeiting solutions, and accessibility.

In this context, 3D Research presented two projects representing the future of digitalisation in the cultural sector: PlaceMUS XR and StratiGraph.

During the session “Digital systems and immersive technologies for cultural heritage: experiences and perspectives,” Marco Cozza (CTO of 3D Research) illustrated how these projects can support innovation in the cultural heritage sector by creating new forms of engagement, collaboration, and research.

PlaceMUS XR (Digital Journey across Musical Places in Europe and Extended Realities) offers new ways to explore and experience European musical heritage. Through the use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), the project develops user-centred experiences designed to engage visitors on cognitive, aesthetic, and emotional levels. Its goal is to accelerate the digital transformation of cultural heritage by promoting more participatory experiences and facilitating the sharing and reuse of digital content.

StratiGraph (Knowledge Graphs for Stratigraphy) aims to innovate archaeological and palaeontological documentation through open-source tools integrating knowledge graphs, artificial intelligence, and in-field 3D documentation. The project supports more accurate, interoperable, and sustainable workflows, simplifying the transition between on-site data acquisition, data management, and knowledge sharing.

The participation of 3D Research in iMARS provided an opportunity to demonstrate how these two projects can contribute, through different approaches, to the future of cultural heritage documentation, preservation, and access.