On Thursday, July 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM, at the Norman Castle in Aci Castello, the inauguration of “Castellum – Digital and Interactive Museum” will take place. This is the result of over three years of research and experimentation conducted at the site, which was transformed into a Living Lab within the Cultural Heritage line of the SAMOTHRACE project (Sicilian Micro and Nano Technology Research and Innovation Center – PNRR Mission 4 – Component 2 – Innovation Ecosystems).
A holographic display case, a touch table, an interactive totem, six VR and AR headsets, and various 3D prints of the artifacts exhibited in the showcases will become an integral part of the museum layout. This setup helps realize the “research-conservation-valorization” conceptual chain, which views innovative technologies as an essential infrastructure that enhances the system. These tools are instrumental in transforming cultural heritage sites into digital environments for continuous learning, accelerating and refining data collection and processing, and offering alternative, inclusive ways to experience the exhibits.
Following the institutional greetings at the 11:00 AM press conference and a presentation of the project activities by researchers from the University of Catania (Unict), Meridionale Impianti, and Xenia Progetti, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Mayor and a guided tour will take place at 11:30 AM.