As part of the Denk:Mal! exhibition, monuments located around the world were to be transported to the Landesmuseum in Detmold and incorporated into the museum’s collection. But how could these monuments be presented to visitors in an innovative and engaging way — beyond traditional photography or images?

The monuments should be viewable from all angles and displayed with the highest possible level of detail. Which medium meets these requirements? At KIO, we developed a customized solution for this: In the first step, selected monuments are digitized — and the resulting 3D copies, known as digital twins, can then be displayed as holograms in the museum. The next step was to develop a suitable machine capable of displaying the holograms at an appealing size.

The monuments selected for the exhibition were flown over and photographed from multiple angles using a drone. This resulted in several hundred to thousands of photos being taken of a single object. These photos were processed and assembled into an initial 3D model using traditional photogrammetry.

The resulting models were then post-processed, as the volume of data was enormous! Otherwise, subsequent use in standard 3D workflows would have been very difficult. This procedure was repeated for all monuments, resulting in digital copies of the originals, complete with exact dimensions, coloring, etc.—in short, a true digital twin.

During the first phase of the project, technical tests were conducted and prototypes were developed in the KreativInstitut’s XR Lab. Based on the findings, the hologram display case was digitally rendered and designed using CAD software. During our development work, we were able to improve the projection method used, allowing us to increase the projection volume of the hologram by 37%. This represents a significant advantage over conventional approaches because virtually the entire surface of the pyramid can be used to display the hologram.

Three hologram display cases were installed as part of the exhibition. To determine their final locations within the museum and simulate corresponding escape routes and circulation areas, we also used our AR application. This allowed us to simulate and test the hologram display cases as digital objects at various locations in the museum, using their actual dimensions. This made it easier to determine the final placements in collaboration with curators and exhibition designers.

As part of our development, we were able to significantly improve the projection volume — and further enhance the immersion of the holograms, as they emit light onto the floor of the pyramid themselves, appearing as floating light objects within the glass enclosure. The interactive layer allows visitors to interact with each display case. In this way, we actively integrate the objects and the viewers into the exhibition.

The exhibition officially opened in November and was featured by WDR via a live broadcast on local TV! Other television stations and print media also reported on the successful exhibition. The digital, virtual presentation formats we developed attracted an above-average number of visitors to the museum. Even weeks later, and to this day, we and the museum continue to receive positive feedback about the successful and modern exhibition, which can still be experienced at the Landesmuseum Detmold until April 26, 2026. We at KreativInstitut are delighted to successfully support the local cultural and creative industries and would also like to express our gratitude for the outstanding collaboration.

You can currently experience the holographic display cases at the Lippisches Landesmuseum in Detmold. We also went back there for our team day!

The exhibition runs until April 26, 2026, and there are still more digital and virtual exhibits from the KIO to discover. You can also encounter a massive hologram, standing 3.50 meters tall, and meet Arminius Ernst von Bandel (the builder of the Hermann Monument) in the VR experience to help him complete the monument!

Don’t miss the special guided tours at the museum, such as the one on April 21, 2026: Here you can learn more about the technical background and engage in a dialogue with us—we look forward to seeing you!