Investigating Spatial Augmented Reality Technology in the Cultural Heritage Sector: A Scoping Review

Digital technologies have been widely adopted in the Cultural Heritage sector over the past few decades. Many museums, galleries, historic sites, and other cultural institutions now host multimedia exhibitions or temporary installations in which technology plays a significant role in shaping the visitor experience. Among these, Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), have been extensively applied and studied. Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR), a branch of AR, has also become increasingly present in cultural contexts; however, the academic literature still lacks a comprehensive and systematic review of studies addressing its use. Furthermore, various methods of inquiry and evaluation have been employed to assess SAR applications in cultural institutions, both from the perspective of visitors and from that of cultural practitioners and stakeholders. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, collected a total of 47 papers that introduce the academic perspectives on SAR in the cultural domain. It reports its definitions, applications, documented benefits, and the different evaluation approaches identified in the literature. Through a snowball sampling methodology, the collection has been expanded to include 33 additional studies. After the screening process, the authors reviewed 34 papers, presenting the gaps identified in the literature and outlining suggested directions for future research.