A virtual school museum: how to build one with a phone
6 min read
Many schools have a display case of old objects, rocks, tools or award-winning work that few people see. Scanned with a phone and grouped into a collection, they become a virtual museum anyone with the link can open, at home or on open day.
1. Inventory
List the objects: what they are, where they come from, who donated them. Start with 10–15 representative objects that are easy to scan (matte, not transparent).
2. Team
A group of students coordinated by a teacher: some scan, some research, some write the texts. Roles can rotate.
3. Scanning
Work in a bright room with the object on a table covered by a finely patterned cloth. Gloves for fragile items; the object stays still, the students move around it.
4. A card for each exhibit
- Name and period (only what is known for sure).
- Origin and donor, if they agree to be named.
- Two or three details to look for on the model.
- A question for visitors.
5. The exhibition
Add the models to a collection named after the museum. The link goes on the school website (embed code), and the QR code on posters, next to the real display case or in the school leaflet.
For objects borrowed from museums or collectors, get written consent before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
- Do we have to publish everything?
- No. Collections open only with their link; you decide who gets it.
- What about shiny objects?
- Polished metal and glass scan poorly; photograph them conventionally or choose other exhibits.
- Can visitors see exhibits in AR?
- Yes, from their phone: the AR button places the exhibit on the table in front of them.