MUZZEUM — Augmented Reality and QR codes enabled mobile platform with digital library, used to Guerrilla open the National Museum of Serbia

Serbian National Museum has been closed for past 10 years for renovation. Furthermore, certain inadequate actions of the Government and national cultural institutions have been made. A group of activists decided to make a statement and perform a virtual exhibition in front of the National museum by using QR codes and Augmented Reality. This paper focuses on technical and social implications of consumption and implementation of QR codes and Augmented Reality in terms of museology, cultural heritage, objects and relationship they create with people who are their potential consumers. In the case study, we are tackling here, we investigate the transformation in definitions of space, artifacts, visitor and the power of representation in terms of museology. Since the artifacts which represent the Serbian national heritage of the highest rank are being held in museum depots far from the eyes of the public for such a long time, the project team has produced QR codes which will bring some of the masterpieces back to its audience. The objects from different museums will be represented by special ARQR codes outside of the museum building, reachable by smartphones. This socially engaged project sends direct message to the wider public that usage of IT, mobile technologies, Augmented Reality and QR codes can potentially transform the way we communicate cultural heritage.