The university galleries at north carolina a & T state university will expand access to their collections by offering students, faculty, researchers, and the public a curated, immersive, and…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University $100,000 on September 1, 2026, under the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program (CFDA 45.309) to expand access to the University Galleries' collections through a curated, immersive virtual exhibition.

The recipient will digitize and prepare collection assets, design and develop a 3D virtual environment, and create an AI-powered virtual interpreter grounded in curator-approved content. The project will establish an advisory board to provide strategic guidance on museum interpretation, collections stewardship, digital heritage practice, user experience, and responsible use of emerging technologies. Work is performed in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028. The project will demonstrate a model of access for university galleries at North Carolina A&T, as well as for other HBCUs and museums, by showing how selective digitization, immersive virtual exhibition design, and carefully bounded AI-supported interpretation can improve access and educational use of collections.

The university galleries at north carolina a & T state university will expand access to their collections by offering students, faculty, researchers, and the public a curated, immersive, and interactive virtual exhibition. Project activities include digitization and preparation of collection assets for virtual exhibitions, design and development of the 3D virtual environment, and development, testing, and refinement of a virtual interpreter powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and grounded in curator-approved content. The project will engage with an advisory board to offer strategic guidance on museum interpretation, collections stewardship, digital heritage practice, user experience, and the responsible use of emerging technologies. The project will result in a practical and innovative new model of access for university galleries at ncat, as well as for other hbcus and museums, by demonstrating how selective digitization, immersive virtual exhibition design, and carefully bounded AI-supported interpretation can improve access and educational use of collections.