Over several years the Museum of Cultural History (MCH) has been creating 3D models of artefacts, landscapes and archaeological excavations to support scholars and specialists operating within different subjects at MCH. These models were used for public outreach, conservation research and for assisting archaeologists and conservators in the process of documentation and visual analysis.
Despite the possibility to generate high-resolution 3D models of any type of artefact or material, it is essential to consider that these records are the result of an interpretative process, and their potentials (or limitations) are linked to the research goals posed before their acquisition and creation. In order to reach a broader community of scholars, 3D models need to be made with shared concepts, and they need to be published using platforms capable of functioning as an asset for posing research questions across different disciplines.
INTER-Action aims to critically address this issue, identifying novel protocols for the creation of 3D cross-disciplinary models constructed upon different research agendas and specialist needs. This initiative will lead to the identification of the characteristics needed to produce interoperable 3D models, and it will promote interaction across the different research groups operating at the Museum of Cultural History.