WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has launched an ambitious pilot project aimed at digitally preserving the island’s stories, cultural heritage and historical objects using advanced 3D technology.
The initiative brings together the Jewish Cultural Historical Museum, NAAM Foundation, the Mongui Maduro Library and the University of Arizona.
According to organizers, the project is designed to make Curaçao’s history more accessible, interactive and engaging for future generations.
An American research team is currently carrying out the first tests on the island using specialized imaging and recording technology. Participants are filmed in such a way that they can later appear as life-sized hologram-style digital projections, allowing future audiences to experience historical storytelling in a far more immersive way.
Instead of only reading history from books, children and visitors may eventually be able to interact with historical storytellers almost as if they were physically present.
At the same time, workshops are now being organized at NAAM Foundation, where participants are learning how museum artifacts and historical objects can be digitally scanned and preserved in 3D.
The broader ambition behind the project extends beyond Curaçao itself.
The Mongui Maduro Library hopes to develop into a leading digital heritage center for the Caribbean region — a central hub for research, preservation and documentation of Caribbean cultural heritage.
According to project partners, the Caribbean has so far benefited only minimally from the rapidly expanding global field of digital heritage science and immersive historical technologies.
The initiative fits into a broader trend of digital heritage preservation already emerging in Curaçao. NAAM Foundation has increasingly focused on digital transformation projects, including 3D archaeological models and photogrammetry-based heritage documentation.
Internationally, universities and museums have been experimenting with hologram storytelling and immersive historical experiences to bring local heritage to life for younger generations. The University of Arizona has previously participated in similar holographic heritage projects in the United States.
By combining local communities with international universities and researchers, Curaçao hopes to create a new regional network that amplifies Caribbean voices and stories globally while preserving heritage in a sustainable and innovative way.