Organized by
Invitation-only convening
IMX3 XR
Invitational
A gathering of museum and cultural sector leadership, exploring how immersive tools can deepen access, interpretation, and participation.
WhenTuesday, November 10, 2026
WhereMIT Museum
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Hosted by
In Partnership With
01 / The inquiry
A regional working conversation
How do we add technology
without subtracting humanity?
Museums hold far more knowledge and learning potential than any gallery can reveal at once. Extended Reality (XR), digital twins, and immersive platforms can open new dimension of institutional collections and extend learning experiences that deepen the relationship between people, place, and content.
This Invitational brings together decision-makers from museums across New England to examine that possibility with curiosity and useful skepticism. The emphasis is on real institutional questions, practical demonstrations, and ideas that can move toward action.
Site host perspective
Museums connect people, objects, and stories. Technology should be a bridge that enhances these connections, leading us deeper into the embodied and social experience. We’re excited to host this gathering of creative leaders and navigate the future of immersive technology in museums together.
Lindsay Bartholomew, MIT Museum
A quick language guide
Two terms to know.
XRExtended reality
A catch-all term for experiences that add digital elements to the world around you or place you inside a digital environment.
Think of: Using a phone to see how a virtual sofa would look in your room, or wearing a headset to enter a virtual gallery.
Immersive technologiesA broader category
Tools designed to make you feel present inside an experience, often by surrounding you with responsive images, sound, or information. XR is one type of immersive technology.
Think of: The difference between looking at a picture of a place and stepping into a room-sized version that changes as you move.
Questions in the room
What becomes possible?
Access that goes deeper
How can immersive experiences adapt to different languages, abilities, levels of interest, and locations?
Layers inside the object
What becomes possible when audiences can enter a fragile artifact, an unrealized plan, or a story beyond the gallery label?
Participation after the visit
How might a museum relationship continue after someone leaves the building, or invite the public into active research?
Feasibility in practice
What would it take to prototype, fund, evaluate, and sustain XR work without overburdening institutional teams?
02 / Who it’s for
Senior cultural leaders shaping what comes next.
The room will bring together roughly 30–40 invited leaders from museums and cultural institutions across New England. The group is intentionally cross-functional, with people who can connect emerging ideas to institutional priorities and implementation.
- Interpretation + curatorial
- Exhibitions + collections
- Education + public programs
- Technology + digital strategy
- Executive leadership
03 / Prospective schedule
10 AM–6 PM
From shared questions to institutional possibility.
Session order and presenters may evolve as the program is finalized. Additional arrival details will be shared with confirmed participants.
10 AM–4 PM
Gathering
A catered lunch will be provided
01
Welcome + Framing
A shared starting point and framing question to guide the day.
02
Spotlight: MIT Museum
Notes from the field as our site host shares their perspective on public participation, layered interpretation, and the museum as a public lab.
03
Keynote: An XR Sector Primer
We take a concise look at the current landscape of extended reality, digital twins, and cultural access, guided by an expert in the field.
04
Community Dialogue: Points of Possibility
A guided discussion among attendees, surfacing collective opportunities, inspirations, skepticisms, and possibilities for the future of human-centered digital engagement.
05
Case Study: IMX3
An in-depth, hands-on look at how XR and immersive technologies have been used in real-world settings to build community and extend connection to both people and place.
06
Workshop: Institutional Visioning
Envision XR activations that meet the unique needs of your institution and audiences, identifying realistic and achievable pathways to bring them to life.
4–6 PM
Networking
07
Curator Walkthrough
Join MIT Museum curator Lindsay Bartholomew for a guided tour through the museum’s latest exhibitions.
08
Social Hour
Space to compare ideas, identify collaborators, and continue the conversation over refreshments.
Programming note
Sessions in development
Individual presenters and complete session details will be announced as they are confirmed.
04 / RSVP
Join the conversation
Reserve your place in the room.
Attendance is limited and curated to support a candid, useful exchange among peers. Please respond below and the organizing team will follow up with confirmation and event logistics.
NOV10
2026
MIT Museum