Experience of Historic Time: Virtual Heritage and the Search for Authenticity

Today, under the imperatives of rapidly developing information and communication technologies, the boundaries between real and virtual are blurred leading to profound changes in the way people live and act. To deal with the changes memorable and meaningful experiences are increasingly needed. Cultural tourism – one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world economy, is chosen as a context for researching how historic and cultural past can be experienced through the integration of technologies.
The paper considers how through various design means and the use of advanced digital technology, the many dimensions constituting the history of the place can be narrated, visualized and experienced.
The hybrid space created by the placement of a digital layer on the physical site holistically represents the bygone while providing a more tangible opportunity for exploration of the historic and social environment in which the heritage has existed. Within this framework, cultural heritage is discussed not as a static concept existing as a frozen point in a given time interval but as a dynamic structure which reflects the evolution of the place over time. The focus is placed on authenticity and the values that can be gained from this new type of interrelationship with the past.