Montegrotto Terme, the Museum of Thermalism gets 3D viewers to tell the story in virtual reality

There is a museum in the Padua area that is enriching the visitor experience by making 3D viewers and virtual reality available to its visitors. We’re talking about the Museum of Ancient Thermalism and the Territory of Montegrotto Terme, in the Euganean Hills, which is preparing to revolutionize the way people discover the millennia-old history of its health-giving waters. On Sunday, December 15, in the museum’s spaces at Villa Draghi, visitors will be able to try a free preview of a new virtual reality experience, made possible thanks to state-of-the-art 3D viewers.

Guided by archaeologists from theLapis association, which manages the museum on behalf of the Municipality of Montegrotto Terme, participants will be taken on an immersive journey to discover the geological origins, cultural impact and economic development related to this precious natural resource.

An innovative project between history and technology

This initiative represents an important milestone for the Museum, the first in Europe entirely dedicated to thermal waters, thanks to a path that spans geology, medicine, archaeology and history. The eight 3D viewers, acquired through the European Interreg Central Europe program, are part of a larger project for sustainable management of the natural heritage of thermal waters, consolidating the Museum’s role as a center of cultural innovation.

The network of collaborations that made this innovation possible includes BIOCE Unique Management (Bacino Idrominerario Omogeneo dei Colli Euganei), Terme Colli Marketing, Centro Studi Termali Pietro d’Abano, the University of Padua and the Municipality of Montegrotto Terme. Starting in January 2025, the viewers will be permanently integrated into the museum itinerary, offering visitors an interactive experience that will enrich the exploration of the past and present of thermalism.

“A demanding project and a good challenge that thanks to the collaboration, know-how and contributions put in place by each of the entities involved, together we managed to win, delivering to the public a product that is dynamic, evolved and potentially capable of being enriched with new developments in the future,” explains Aldo Buja, president of Gestione Unica BIOCE. “For example, by integrating the virtual narrative with the 3D graphic elaborations of the archaeological area of Via degli Scavi in Montegrotto Terme, already created by the University of Padua. This would make it possible to enhance visits to the site with a leap into the history of our thermalism: imagine the suggestion of being able to admire the splendor of what the ancient Roman baths were two thousand years ago.”

“The viewers made available at the museum lend themselves to multiple educational-promotional purposes and will benefit the entire Terme e Colli Euganei tourist destination diffusely,” adds Umberto Carraro, president of Consorzio Veneto Terme Colli Marketing: “since they are portable devices, it will be possible to make this 3D spa experience usable also in schools, as an innovative pedagogical tool, or during national and international tourism fairs or, for example, during territorial animation events, to intercept guests and citizens in an engaging internal marketing action and growth of tourism awareness for our spa product and its history.”

A virtual journey through the Venetians, Romans and modernity.

The immersive experience is narrated by an... exceptional guide: Aponus, the deity linked to the thermal waters of the Euganean Hills. With her voice, visitors can explore the long journey of thermal water, from its underground journey to its rise to the surface. The tale spans the ages: it starts from the muddy shores of an ancient lake and passes through the baths of the Veneti and the Romans, to immerse itself in the splendor of a Roman villa on the Via Neroniana, whose archaeological excavations are located right next to the Museum.

There is no shortage of links to the present: the experience concludes with a look at modern swimming pools and spas, highlighting the historical and cultural continuity that has allowed thermalism to be a valuable resource today for both wellness and the economy of the area.

The virtual journey will be available in both Italian and English, thanks to multilingual software developed for the project, making it accessible to international tourists as well.

The introduction of the 3D viewers marks a crucial moment for the Museum of Ancient Thermalism and the Territory, which is confirmed as a cultural and tourist reference point for Montegrotto Terme and the entire Euganean Hills area. Through the use of technology, the Museum aims to make history more engaging and accessible, through an experience that combines innovation, research and enhancement of local heritage.

“This is an important step forward in the enhancement and promotion of our thermal heritage,” explains Riccardo Mortandello, mayor of the City of Montegrotto Terme. “An initiative that not only enriches the museum experience, but demonstrates the area’s ability to innovate and tell its thousand-year history through new digital technologies. The installation of 3D viewers will allow visitors, whether tourists, students or researchers, to concretely immerse themselves in the history of our spas, understanding the evolution of an area that has always characterized the identity of the Euganean Hills. An operation that confirms the Administration’s commitment to promoting spa culture as a distinctive and attractive element of our municipality. I thank all the entities that have collaborated on this project, demonstrating once again how institutional synergy can generate innovative initiatives of high cultural and touristic value.”

Montegrotto Terme, the Museum of Thermalism gets 3D viewers to tell the story in virtual reality

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.