How Museums Use Augmented Reality with Artivive

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Museums like the Albertina, Belvedere, and KHM are using Artivive to add a digital layer to their physical collections — and visitors are loving it. Here's what that looks like in practice, why it works, and how your museum can do it too.

Picture this: you're standing in front of an Egon Schiele painting at the Belvedere in Vienna. You pull out your phone, open an app, and point it at the canvas. Suddenly, X-ray images appear showing the hidden sketch underneath. The painting literally shows you what's going on beneath the surface.

That's augmented reality (AR) in action, and museums are starting to use it—more and more. Artivive is the platform that's making it all possible, and it's a lot simpler to set up than you might think.

Whether you're a museum director, a curator, or just the go-to person for anything digital, this guide is for you. We'll show you what AR looks like in real museums, why visitors love it, and how you can get started.

With Artivive you can create Augmented Reality Books

Discover the future of books with Augmented Reality

Are you an author looking to add a new dimension to your storytelling? Are you an educator wanting to make learning more interactive? Or are you a creative professional eager to explore the world of augmented reality?

If so, you'll understand the challenge of creating engaging and impactful content. Artivive's platform helps you design amazing AR Books to promote your work and connect with your audience, even without any technical experience.

Our extensive library of AR elements and AR templates makes it simple to add animations, videos, and interactive elements to your AR Book. Customize the AR experiences to reflect your unique style and bring your vision to life.

How to Get Started (It's Easier Than You Think):

Real Museums, Real Results: 3 Great Examples

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to AR in museums. Some use it to teach, some use it to wow, and some use it to go viral. Here are three real examples of what's possible — from x-raying old masters to making centuries-old portraits crack a smile.
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Belvedere Museum, Vienna - What's Hiding Under the Paint?

The Belvedere took a really clever approach. Their restoration team had years of X-ray scans, infrared images, and macro photography of Egon Schiele's paintings locked away in archives, the content most visitors would never get to see. With Artivive, they put it all out there. Scan any of eight Schiele works, and you can see exactly what was going on beneath the surface: the sketches, the changes, the conservation history. It turns a regular gallery visit into something that feels genuinely exclusive. They also used Artivive for their 300th anniversary, setting up an AR selfie wall in the Marble Hall that visitors couldn't stop sharing on social media.

Art History Museum (KHM), Vienna - Art That Speaks Up

The KHM teamed up with Artivive and Absolut Vodka for something genuinely moving. Viennese artist Tyrone Egbowon reimagined the old painting The Feast of the Bean King as a celebration of diversity and inclusion. Through the Artivive app, the figures in his reimagined version actually come to life and share their personal experiences of discrimination in Vienna - and their hopes for a more inclusive future. It's a great example of how AR can turn a static artwork into a conversation that actually matters.

Vienna Tourist Board - A Whole City Smiles

To celebrate World Smile Day, the Vienna Tourist Board partnered with Artivive to do something across five major museums at once: the Belvedere, KHM, Wien Museum, Leopold Museum, and Albertina. Visitors could scan famous paintings and watch the famously stern faces of historical figures break into actual smiles, AI-generated by artist Diego Cataldi. People loved it, shared it everywhere, and it showed just how much reach AR can have when you think beyond a single institution.

Okay But… Does It Actually Work?

Yes, and there's data to back it up. Artivive's numbers show that visitors stick around up to an hour longer when there's an AR experience to explore. That extra time translates directly into more money spent in your gift shop and café, and a much higher chance they'll come back (and bring someone with them).Beyond the commercial side, AR genuinely changes how people engage with art. Instead of a quick glance and moving on, visitors slow down, investigate, and actually learn things. That's especially true for younger visitors, who honestly expect some kind of interactive digital experience when they walk through the door.

- Visitors stay up to 60 minutes longer per visit
- Extra revenue from AR-enhanced postcards, prints, and merch
- No hardware needed -. visitors use their own phones
- AR content can be updated any time without touching the artwork
- Organic social media sharing that spreads your story for free
- Younger audiences are more engaged and more likely to return
- Audio layers can support accessibility needs too