Virtual Egypt: 3D Teaching with Museum Collections

A museum talk with Rita Lucarelli, Associate Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. With the growing availability of 3D and virtual reality technologies—such as photogrammetry, 3D scanning and immersive modeling—educators now have powerful tools to enhance object-based learning beyond the traditional classroom.

In this lecture, Rita Lucarelli will explore innovative strategies for incorporating 3D and VR technologies into teaching with university collections, using case studies from the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. She will demonstrate how digital replicas, immersive applications and collaborative projects can deepen student engagement with Egyptian material culture, from archaeological context to artifact function and curatorial interpretation. The presentation also considers the benefits and challenges of integrating these technologies into Egyptology and Art History curricula.