Museum Without Walls: Immersive Digital Reconstruction and Cross-Media Curation of the Yuanmingyuan Zodiac Heads

Abstract

This thesis studies an immersive, cross-media exhibition about the Yuanmingyuan Zodiac Heads, presented in July 2025 at The Art and Media Lab, The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario. The exhibition uses three media: AR Posters, a VR 360 Guided Tour, and a free-explore Unity scene. This research creation project connects this practice to Malraux’s idea of museum without walls and Menotti’s projects, to discuss contemporary, platformed versions of imaginary museums as its extension. It uses Benjamin’s mechanical reproduction to explore how aura shifts through the replicas. It argues that digital tools can extend the museum beyond the building, support audience understanding of challenging historical narratives, and create a new kind of presence through embodied viewing with a digital aura. At the same time, digital heritage faces risks: over-entertainment, authenticity questions, and platform dependence. This project suggests a practical model for curating contested heritage with accessible, public-facing tools.