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In an era where digital transformation is not merely a technological innovation but a complete redefinition of the cultural experience, the use of three-dimensional imaging tools expands the boundaries of cultural access, interpretation, and documentation. The way we perceive, approach, and “participate” in cultural heritage is shifting, moving from purely physical presence to the possibility of a new, open experience that employs technology not as a substitute, but as a catalyst for cultural connection.
Within this context, Matterport technology offers an innovative methodology for recording cultural spaces, allowing the production of photorealistic three-dimensional models that incorporate multimedia and documentary material. The virtual tours produced are not merely technical imaging tools, but emerge as multi-sensory narratives, accessible to audiences with different needs and starting points.
The possibility of reconstructing a cultural or physical space in virtual form, with navigational functionality, active control, and direct linking to interpretive and archival evidence, acts as a catalyst for the democratization of cultural knowledge. At the same time, it enhances the flexibility and sustainability of cultural management actions, especially in areas with geographical or operational constraints.
How can a contemporary visitor experience the journey taken by the ancient initiates toward Eleusis? myEleusis is an emblematic project of digital cultural innovation, focusing on the promotion of ancient Eleusis as a place of memory, experience, and cultural narration before, during, and after the visit. myEleusis.map offers a unique experience of navigating the route followed by the prospective initiates from Athens to the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore, along the Sacred Way. The interactive map highlights the significant landmarks and monuments along the route, presenting them through dynamic representations and rich multimedia content.
The digital map’s illustration, the result of thorough historical and archaeological research, provides a creative and aesthetically appealing representation of the cultural landscape. At the same time, the interactive functions integrated into the application invite the user to delve into the historical and mythological information, taking on an active role in the narration. The experience is designed to enhance the sense of connection with the place, even for those who are far - geographically or temporally - from ancient Eleusis. Here, narration, technology, and documentation converge to offer an access that is not limited to information, but transforms the user’s relationship with cultural heritage.
In the framework of the myEleusis project, the archaeological site of Eleusis and other archaeological sites were digitized using the Matterport Pro 3 3D camera, enriching the interactive map myEleusis.map with high-precision photogrammetric material. The creation of a complete digital twin of the site allows for remote or on-site navigation via mobile devices, effectively extending the boundaries of physical visitation.
The added value of the application lies not only in the technological depiction, but in the integration of well-documented interpretive and archival data that highlight the key points of interest along the route, from the City Eleusinion to the archaeological site of Eleusis. At the same time, the availability of the content in both Greek and English enhances intercultural accessibility and promotes intergenerational transmission of knowledge.
Thanks to this digital platform, visitors, students, and researchers can engage with local cultural information in a multisensory and participatory manner. The interactive tools offer navigation capabilities, the ability to zoom in on details, and access to additional multimedia content, enhancing understanding and engagement with cultural heritage.
According to the Recommendation of the Council of the European Union (2023/C 41/01), cultural participation presupposes the assurance of accessibility, availability, and intelligibility. myEleusis.map implements these prerequisites, providing digital proximity to cultural sites, regardless of physical or social distance. At the same time, it incorporates the principles of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), approaching archaeological sites as living fields of cultural production.
Three-dimensional representation, embedded in an interactive interpretive environment, emerges as a tool of sustainable cultural management. The cultural site is not merely recorded, but reinterpreted and offered anew to the public through the experience of virtual navigation.
myEleusis.map treats cultural heritage as a field of participation rather than passive viewing. Through interactive exploration, the user becomes an active agent of cultural experience, while the digital platform functions as a means of connecting with historical memory and local identity.
In a Europe that promotes digital inclusion and cultural democracy, such applications contribute to shaping a new paradigm of equitable cultural access—not as a substitute for physical experience, but as an extension of it into a field of participation, understanding, and shared memory.
Three-dimensional documentation is not limited to spatial recording, but constitutes an act of cultural curation: a tool that enhances documentation, deepens research, and creates a framework for educational and social activation. The possibility of a "digital return" to sites of memory and artistic actions allows for reflection and the creation of new narratives by diverse subjects.
Through technology, monuments are recorded with high precision and become accessible to different audiences, enriching the understanding of the relationship between architecture, society, and cultural identity. The material produced is utilized in research and educational contexts, functioning as a link between older and younger generations.
The creation of digital twins offers archaeological sites a "second life": beyond documentation, it enables the reactivation of memory, the composition of new meanings, and the production of contemporary content. At the same time, it repositions communities in the role of active interpreters and bearers of continuity, reinforcing the sense of cultural proximity and participation.
Such practices strengthen the intergenerational circulation of knowledge and enhance digital literacy, creating bridges between cultural past and present needs. In the broader context of European policies for the integration of culture into education, social cohesion, and local development, digital documentation functions as a lever for a sustainable, collective future.
The integration of technologies such as Matterport into cultural practices is inextricably linked to the priorities of the Green & Digital Deal in the cultural sector and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030, particularly goals 11.4 (safeguarding the world’s cultural and natural heritage) and 9.c (universal access to information and communication technologies). The use of such tools is not solely about technological innovation but enhances participatory memory policies, broadens cultural accessibility, and raises new questions concerning the ethics of documentation, interpretive accessibility, and the ownership of digital cultural repositories.
The application of three-dimensional imaging in cultural heritage is not merely a technical evolution, but a radical shift in how we approach the past. Through tools such as myEleusis.map, the experience of culture is no longer confined to passive consumption of information. On the contrary, it strengthens experiential engagement, active participation, and the interpretive freedom of each user.
Three-dimensional representation functions as a bridge between the archaeological site and the visitor; whether physical or digital. It creates a new form of “presence”, where physical absence does not imply disconnection but enables embodied and cognitive involvement. Cultural spaces are transformed into fields of dialogue and co-creation, bringing together different generations, experiences, and narratives.
As we move toward a future in which culture is approached as a dynamic field of social participation and not as a static repository, digital documentation is called upon to serve the principles of inclusion, accessibility, and innovation - not as a substitute for the in situ experience, but as an extension of its meaning, as a new language of reading, engagement, and performance of cultural memory.
Photo credits
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 © MENTOR in Culture
4 © Vaggelis Gkinis
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