Why Should Museums Use Multi-User Virtual Worlds Like Second Life?
Given that the practice of using 3D visualization, animation, and in some cases single-user virtual worlds is accepted and established for exhibit development and research by museums, why should museums consider publishing and maintaining multi-user virtual spaces? It’s certainly ‘safer’ not to. Multi-user means you have to think about real-time interpersonal communication which, for the Web, has mainly been the realm of chat, videoconferencing, and games. Even if you don’t create multi-user games or game-like content, you might not have experience thinking about Internet content and exhibit design in the context of how multiple visitors experience the same content together. Many feel a need to create a more social Internet and widen the on-line exhibit aesthetic to include more of this element. For educational and museum communities, a social Internet can allow you to stay in touch with community members and casual audiences and design and present content that’s relevant for and inter
