Curatorial Play: Widening Access to the Devonshire Collection of Period Costume

This research explores digital methodologies for the exhibition and preservation of fragile heritage items, specifically focusing on a university-held collection of period costumes. As the designated custodian of these garments, the university faces challenges in balancing public accessibility with the physical preservation of textile artifacts that are sensitive to light and handling. This video records a working proof-of-concept for a digital gallery, developed to showcase the collection's potential for wider digital dissemination. While ongoing research within this project investigates high-fidelity "digital twins" produced through specialized low-light photogrammetry techniques to ensure material safety, this current iteration demonstrates a rapid-prototyping workflow. The featured 3D models were captured using the RealityScan mobile application and integrated into Unreal Engine 5. To provide a high-quality, immersive viewing context, the models are staged within a virtual environment based on an Evermotion gallery asset, allowing for cinematic curation and detailed object-focused exploration. This version of the digital gallery was successfully exhibited at events at Falmouth University and the Hall for Cornwall. The project serves as a foundational step toward a comprehensive digital archive that will eventually encompass the broader collection, providing a scalable model for heritage institutions to increase educational engagement through engagement with real-time 3D technologies.