Curation Features
The Curation Exhibitions platform uses advanced 3D software to create interactive, immersive and visually stunning virtual spaces. It has a variety of special features that are designed to give audiences the best expeirence possible. On this page you can find out more about some of these special features. Click the links in the list below to skip to that section.
- Interactive Exhibits >>
- Simple & Flexible Controls >>
- Multiple Gallery Versions >>
- Realistic Lighting >>
- Day & Night >>
- Décor & Furniture >>
- VR & Live Events >>
- Recording Videos & Taking Images Yourself >>
- Professional Video Production & Images >>
- Instant Teleporting & Navigation >>
- Multi-Language Support >>
- The Gallery Management System >>
- Web Integration & Online Stores >>
Interactive Exhibits
All of the exhibits and content on display in a virtual gallery is interactive. This includes pictures, video screens, audio players and 3D models. A gallery may also include custom-made interactive objects.
It is easy to interact with any object simply by clicking or tapping on it. Depending on the type of item, this will cause you to:
- Zoom-in for a closer look at pictures and videos
- Start playing a video clip or audio recording
- Start a 360-degree view of sculptures or other 3D objects
- Show further information about the exhibit or object
Present you with further options for what you can do next, such as following links or interacting with the object in other ways.
Simple & Flexible Controls
It is easy to move around and explore the 3D gallery space. There are several ways to do this, and each user will have their own preference. Moving around a virtual gallery is done in one of three ways:
- Mouse & Keyboard: Click and drag with the mouse to look around and use the keyboard to move around. You can either use the arrows keys or the WASD keys to move forward/back/left/right.
- Mouse Only: Move the mouse over the floor of the virtual gallery and double-click to move there instantly. There is no need to use a keyboard.
- On-screen Button: Tap or click on the buttons to move and look around. This does not require a mouse or keyboard, and is used on touchscreen or mobile devices. These buttons can also be used with a mouse.
Users can change their movement speed and the sensitivity of the mouse and keyboard keys by going to the settings menu.
Multiple Gallery Versions
Virtual galleries can be copied. Each copy of a gallery can then have different content on display. This means that if you purchase a Curation gallery, you can then re-use it an unlimited number of times without needing to remove the previous version.
In a real gallery, you would need to take down one exhibition before putting up another one. In the virtual world you do not have this problem. You can simply create a new empty copy of the gallery and start making a new exhibition. Your audience will then be able to explore your new exhibition, as well as all your previous exhibitions. This is much more cost-effective, as it only costs one third of the cost of purchasing a new virtual gallery.
For example, if you choose a ready-made gallery with the Curation Basic Package, this might cost £270 (check our prices page for full costs). You will then be able to add new copies of the gallery and make new exhibitions at a cost of £90 each.
All of these versions of the gallery will then be part of the same app and will be accessible to your audience in the same place. If you are planning to create a new exhibition every month, or every season, you will pay much less for each subsequent exhibition than you do for the setup of the first.
If you are interested in creating multiple exhibitions over a longer period of time, we also offer some subscription options that are even more cost effective. These subscriptions also include other free features and price reductions on other services that you may want to use. You can find out more about subscriptions on the Pro & Master Subscriptions page.
Realistic Lighting
Our software uses realistic lighting and shadowing. This means that our virtual galleries have a high degree of realism and visual quality. Each virtual gallery space includes electric lighting, in addition to light from the sun.
When we create a new gallery we spend time making sure the lighting is well-designed, as this gives the 3D space character and atmosphere. Lighting can also be used to highlight the exhibits and content on display in the gallery. This is especially important for sculptures, furniture and other 3D models.
Day & Night
Each virtual gallery has the option of having a realistic day & night cycle. This means that the light from the sun (and moon) will move and change as time passes. We usually set this up so that each 24 hour cycle only takes about 24 minutes in the virtual world. This is so that people viewing the virtual gallery can experience it in the daytime and nighttime, and see how the lighting and atmosphere changes.
This feature is complimented by the use of realistic electric lighting inside the virtual gallery, so that the art, sculptures and other exhibits on display also look great at night.
Using the day & night cycle is optional, and so is the speed at which time passes. Virtual galleries with windows and skylights are likely to be affected more by the changes in sunlight and moonlight.
Décor & Furniture
Virtual Galleries are not just used for displaying artworks and exhibits. The gallery space itself can be decorated and filled with other objects such as plants, display stands, partitions, floor coverings and furniture.
The type of materials used for gallery floors, walls and fittings can be customized. This includes wall coverings such as wallpaper, plaster, tiles, concrete and paint…all in a range of colours. Floors might be made of concrete, carpet, wood, marble or tiles. Door frames, windows and other fixtures can have almost any type of finish or colour.
There are also unlimited possibilities when it comes to interior design and how items are arranged inside a virtual space. A typical art gallery style might include seating, potted plants, display stands, plinths or custom-made installations. More complex dioramas and interactive displays can also be made in 3D, much like the kind of thing you might find in a modern museum. The possibilities are limitless.
Curation Exhibitions software can be used to design any kind of space. We can even help you to find specific 3D models to match your vision or to match a real item that you have seen. Whether you are recreating a real location or creating something new, it can be filled with props and décor to make it look realistic and full of character.
VR & Live Events
Virtual galleries can also be developed for live, immersive and interactive events.
This might involve creating big-screen experiences that a whole room full of people can enjoy. Alternatively, you might want to give your audience a fully immersive experience by putting on a virtual reality headset.
If you would like to put a virtual gallery on a big screen, then this is already possible with a regular virtual gallery. However, if you want a large audience to be able to interact with the 3D virtual experience then you might consider using different methods of interaction, such as a custom-made control panel (as an alternative to a keyboard), floor pads (to control movement by standing on them), or gesture control (to control movement via hand movements)
Another example of a customized live setup would be to project the 3D virtual gallery onto multiple screens, giving your audience a 360-degree view in all directions.
Virtual reality is the most immersive kind of 3D experience, and each user will require a VR headset. We typically develop VR galleries for Quest 2 or 3 headsets as they are fully mobile and do not need to be connected to a computer while in use. If you would like to make a virtual gallery for VR then please contact us to find out more.
Recording Videos & Taking Images
It is quick and easy to produce high-quality videos and rendered images using any virtual gallery. Whether you are using PC or Mac, you can easily record yourself as you move through a virtual gallery space, or you can take screenshots.
We make this process easier by including some special features as part of our software. Virtual gallery owners will be able to activate “flight mode” when they are exploring their virtual gallery. This allows them to hover above the ground, as if they are flying a drone through the gallery. This “flight mode” also makes your movements smoother, and this helps to create more professional video recordings. You will essentially be able to pilot a flying camera and record images as you do.
The Curation software includes other features to assist with video recording and taking images. You can hide all elements of the user interface, including the control buttons and menu buttons. You can also hide the exhibit information that pops-up when looking at an image, video or 3D model in the virtual gallery.
Video production is essential for sharing and promoting your virtual gallery online, as it is an incredibly popular part of today’s multimedia world. When you create a virtual gallery you are also creating a way to easily produce a huge amount of eye-catching content. Many people prefer to have a passive experience, rather than an interactive experience. They would rather watch a video than control their movement through a virtual gallery. It is therefore essential to cater to this audience and to also provide content that is easily accessed through mobile devices and social media on-the-go.
If you do not wish to record your own videos, we can do this for you. You will receive two professionally edited video tours when you create a new virtual gallery. You can read more about this in the section below.
Professional Video Production & Image Rendering
Every new virtual gallery that we make includes two free videos, professionally edited by us. This is part of the Curation Basic Package. One video is less than one minute long and is ideal for short social media posts. The other video is usually 2 to 5 minutes long and gives a better view of all the exhibits and items on display inside your virtual gallery. This length of video is more suitable for adding to a web site, email link or YouTube channel. We also include a pack of rendered images with every new virtual gallery as part of the Curation Basic Package.
As mentioned in the section above, you can easily take further images and record more videos yourself. If you prefer, we can record and edit additional video tours for you, according to your specifications. Simply tell us how long you want the video to be, and what to focus on. We can also add branding or a watermark to the video, or add credits to the start or end of the video.
Instant Teleporting & Navigation
One of the many advantages of a virtual gallery is that users can instantly move between galleries and exhibitions with the touch of a button. If you have a virtual gallery with more than one exhibition on display, your audience will be able to access all of the different versions of your gallery through a simple menu. From this menu they can select where they want to go. It only takes a few seconds to travel through time and space. For example, your audience could quickly move between your Spring, Summer and Winter exhibitions.
Alternatively, you might have multiple virtual galleries with different architecture and layouts. Your audience will be able to move between them quickly in the same way.
If you are creating a custom-made gallery then we can also integrate this teleportation system into the design of your gallery. For example, if you have stairs or an elevator in your virtual gallery, your audience would be able to walk to the stairs or elevator and instantly travel to whichever floor or version of the gallery that they want to. This system does not need to be realistic to the real world. For example, you could have five exhibitions, in five different spaces, and simply by walking to any staircase, your audience can quickly teleport to any of your exhibitions instantly.
Multi-language Support
Curation Exhibitions has support for multiple languages. Users can select their preference from the settings menu.
The user interface and currently includes English, French and Spanish language translation.
Curators and exhibition designers have the option of adding detailed information to each of the exhibits on display. Every picture, video or model can have information attached to it, and this can be in any language.
Every item in your gallery can also have an audio recording attached to it. This means that audio guides can also be used to present information to your audience.
The Gallery Management System
You can make changes to your virtual gallery online, without needing to contact Curation. This is optional and you may prefer to make all of your virtual exhibitions with our expertise and assistance.
Our online Gallery Management System (GMS) allows you to add, remove and edit the contents inside your gallery. You can move things around and change the way they are displayed, such as the framing and lighting of each piece. You can do this with any of the pictures, videos, audio recordings and 3D models in your gallery. You can also use this system to add new images to your virtual gallery without needing our help.
If you use the GMS to edit your gallery, you will still need to contact us when adding new 3D models or video and audio files. This is so that we can ensure that they are in the correct format and can be imported and loaded quickly inside the virtual gallery. All of the multimedia content that has already been added can be moved and edited by you via the GMS.
After you have set up your first exhibition and had a consultation call with a virtual gallery designer, you then have the option of using our Gallery Management System for your future exhibitions.
The GMS is particularly useful for clients who intend to make multiple exhibitions over a long period of time. It is also useful for gallery owners who want to be able to make changes quickly, such as to remove items that have been sold, or to make real-time updates during a live or online event.
We offer quarterly subscriptions, at two price levels. Each of these subscription options is designed for long-term users who intend to have multiple exhibitions. These subscriptions offer unique cost savings, and they include the use of the GMS with other Curation services. You can find out more about subscriptions on the Pro & Master Subscriptions page.
Web Integration & Online Stores
A virtual gallery can be integrated with other web pages and services online. It is also able to integrate the items on display in a virtual gallery with an online e-commerce store.
Every picture, video or 3D model in a virtual gallery can have accompanying information and external links attached to it. The information on display might include sales details and prices, as well as a link to the product page in an online store. Our virtual galleries do not handle purchases directly because of the additional security needed for making payment. However, they can take your audience directly to a page where purchases can be made and payments can be processed. It is possible to integrate our virtual galleries with any type of online store.
The links attached to each item in a virtual gallery can be used to take your audience to any page on the web. For example, they might take your audience to the web site of an artist, gallery or organization taking part in the exhibition. This could either be a web link or a link to a social media profile. It is also possible to add QR codes to each item in a virtual gallery, so that also have the option of scanning them with their mobile device.
The links included in a virtual gallery can also be used to make direct connections with your audience, such as by redirecting them to an online form, a chat window, a video stream or a comments page. This is a good way of gathering feedback or engaging with your audience in different ways, or for gathering contact details and making connections.
