Extended reality and gamification in the museum. Pathways toward the ecomuseum model

ter explores the potential of extended reality (XR) and gamification as strategic tools for reconfiguring the museum paradigm, thereby fundamentally redefining the interaction between museums, their surrounding contexts, and their audiences. Building upon recent contributions in museum studies, media studies, and heritage communication, it analyses how these technologies contribute to transforming the visitor experience and to broadening the museum’s spatial, social, and interpretative dimensions. XR enables immersive interactions that merge physical and digital dimensions, while gamification fosters play, engagement, and participation. Together, these approaches position the museum as a distributed cultural ecosystem aligned with the principles of the ecomuseum, enhancing accessibility, involvement, and territorial identity. The analysis of the MELA project exemplifies these dynamics within the Italian context, connecting theoretical models with emerging practices of digital and participatory museology.