{"id":12260,"date":"2025-09-23T07:35:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T14:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/?p=12260"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:31:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T17:31:34","slug":"how-to-support-learning-access-and-engagement-programs-for-museums-and-heritage-with-thinglink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/how-to-support-learning-access-and-engagement-programs-for-museums-and-heritage-with-thinglink\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Support Learning, Access and Engagement Programs for Museums and Heritage with ThingLink"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Museums and heritage organizations have always faced the challenge of making their collections both accessible and engaging, while also safeguarding them for future generations. With ThingLink, even the smallest institutions are able to create immersive, multilingual, and interactive digital experiences that bring artifacts, stories, and places to life for both local and global audiences. Discover how this UNESCO award-winning technology is empowering cultural organizations to preserve the past, while inspiring lifelong learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ThingLink&#8217;s UNESCO Prize<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, and the UN specialized agency for education. It leads the Education 2030 Agenda, which aims to \u201censure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ThingLink is a past Winner of UNESCO\u2019s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize, which recognizes individuals, institutions and organizations that use digital technologies to expand educational and lifelong learning opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This award reflects ThingLink\u2019s core mission, which has always been to <strong>democratize<\/strong> not only the <strong>creation<\/strong> of immersive learning content, but also to the <strong>access<\/strong> to the knowledge, understanding, skills, and experiences that are provided when this content is shared.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UNESCO sums up the core value of content created and shared with ThingLink:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cThrough [ThingLink], learners can virtually access environments beyond their physical reach, to develop cultural awareness and engage in experiential learning.\u201d <\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/unesdoc.unesco.org\/ark:\/48223\/pf0000380189\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UNESCO<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s for this very reason that in addition to its use in K12, technical and higher education, ThingLink has increasingly been adopted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/museums-and-galleries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">museums, libraries, cultural and heritage organizations worldwide. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"tl-cta-block\"><h3>New Flexible ThingLink Creator Plans<\/h3><p>Flexible monthly subscriptions from only $29 let you start creating immersive, interactive ThingLink experiences for your museum or heritage site. AI-powered integrations and tools included. Learn more, compare plans or sign up for a free 7 day trial below.<\/p><button class=\"tl-button tl-button--white tl-button--small tl-cta-block__button\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/plans\/business-create\">learn more and compare plans here<\/button><\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How ThingLink can support cultural exchange &#8211; UNESCO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In their 2021 publication \u201c<strong>ThingLink Visual Learning Technology: an immersive learning tool for accessible quality education\u201d, <\/strong>UNESCO wrote about the role that ThingLink can play in<strong> <\/strong>the preservation and dissemination of world cultural heritage. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em>\u201cPreserving and digitalizing items of cultural heritage has so far relied on locally built databases and servers, which make them extremely vulnerable to the impact of a physical disaster. Image annotation provides cultural organizations a possible way to digitalize images with rich metadata that is searchable, not only locally, but via the cloud. This makes archives safer and allows benefits such as research collaboration.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <em>Imagine: A small local museum in Africa labels images with titles and descriptive text, and a local archaeologist records brief audio clips with observations of each item. Through ThingLink, the museum can now make parts of its archives available to remote colleagues, researchers in other countries \u2013 or even the public\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/unesdoc.unesco.org\/ark:\/48223\/pf0000380189\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>ThingLink Visual Learning Technology : an immersive learning tool for accessible quality education, UNESCO 2021<\/strong><\/a><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In short, ThingLink adds value for any heritage organization by providing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rich, layered storytelling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One single artifact can carry multiple voices and interpretations using a range of media: a curator\u2019s audio or video description, an archaeologist\u2019s field notes, first hand oral history, a young person\u2019s response to the object, and so on. ThingLink provides a digital canvas where these perspectives can all coexist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global research and public access<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once published, annotated images, 360 scenes, 3D objects and virtual tours can be shared with professionals and the public worldwide, bridging geographical barriers and sparking new levels of engagement and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Below: An interactive 360 degree video of traditional turf harvesting techniques, created by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/new-ways-to-use-thinglink-for-employee-training-and-virtual-tours-historic-environment-scotland-case-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Historic Environment Scotland<\/a> with ThingLink, and shared as public access learning. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/videocard\/1500157031665893378\" type=\"text\/html\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why else are museums and heritage bodies worldwide adopting ThingLink?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The dilemma for any museum or heritage site is how to tell the stories of their artefacts, exhibitions and places in a way that is accessible, engaging and meaningful &#8211; to as many diverse audiences as possible. Access has to be balanced with the equally crucial task of caring for the items and keeping them safe, in optimal conditions to ensure they are preserved for many future generations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The difficult balance of these two vital responsibilities &#8211; \u201cshare\u201d and \u201ccare\u201d &#8211; is not just the work of famous and wealthy institutions. It\u2019s a burden carried too by very modest organizations, with stretched budgets, and workforces bolstered by legions of volunteers. For these places, there has so far been limited scope to create rich digital catalogues, or interactive and multimedia displays, let alone virtual or augmented reality (VR and AR) experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ThingLink, however, is designed to be simple, intuitive, and accessible, and is enabling local museums with limited resources to share their collections in dynamic new ways.<em> <\/em>With ThingLink, even the smallest of the institutions that take care of our precious cultural heritage can build immersive digital environments that not only preserve artefacts and buildings, but make them both easily accessible to a global audience, and newly engaging to real-life visitors.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Below: Promotional video for the interactive simulation created with ThingLink by the Stuhr Museum, Nebraska. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/how-stuhr-museums-blizzard-scenario-brings-history-to-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read more here.<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/view\/scene\/1708060962906440293\" type=\"text\/html\" frameborder=\"0\" webkitallowfullscreen=\"\" mozallowfullscreen=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>The ease by which ThingLink interactive and XR content can be created means that the same virtual tour of an exhibition, for example, can easily be automatically translated into multiple languages (currently 30) by the viewers. Creators can also clone any piece of content, from a single richly annotated image, to an entire virtual tour or course, and clone limitless versions that are suitable for different audiences. That might be K-12 learners, professional academic specialists, community learning groups, or museum volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, <a href=\"https:\/\/support.thinglink.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/24782995017239-Creating-accessible-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">built-in accessibility features<\/a> such an Immersive Reader and Accessibility Player give visitors and learners multiple ways to interact with content in the way that suits their needs best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ThingLink Capture: Scan and annotate any physical object to add to a virtual collection or exhibition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>ThingLink Capture is a free mobile app designed for creating 3D scans of real-world objects and spaces using any LiDAR-enabled iPhone or iPad. Users can generate detailed 3D models by scanning any real-life object, then uploading these models to ThingLink to enrich them with interactive elements. Once uploaded, the 3D models can be further annotated and shared, enabling the creation of digital 3D collections or exhibitions. Watch the video below to see ThingLink Capture in action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-wistia-inc wp-block-embed-wistia-inc\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"ThingLink Capture Video\" src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/s1ujixh2yi?dnt=1#?secret=KsSKWIUXRH\" data-secret=\"KsSKWIUXRH\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ThingLink is helping museums bridge the physical and the digital, the past and future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By lowering the barriers to digital storytelling, ThingLink continues to align with UNESCO\u2019s mission to expand educational opportunities and support cultural exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In doing so, it ensures that the world\u2019s cultural heritage doesn\u2019t just survive &#8211; but thrives, connecting people across borders, generations, and disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/museums-and-galleries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ThingLink for Museums, Galleries and Heritage Sites<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/plans\/business-create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"ThingLink Creator Plans for Museums\" class=\"wp-image-12193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums-576x324.jpg 576w, https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ThingLink-Creator-Plans-for-Museums.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ThingLink&#8217;s new, flexible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/plans\/business-create\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creator Plans <\/a>are ideal for museums and heritage Organizations who want to start creating XR content.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Museums and heritage organizations have always faced the challenge of making their collections both accessible and engaging, while also safeguarding them for future&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":12268,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[663,665,521,554,664],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12260"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12260"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13209,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12260\/revisions\/13209"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thinglink.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}