Background

Digital Heritage is a premier international event that unites multiple heritage domains and conferences under one platform. The idea for this event dates back to 1998, when it was first discussed as “Virtual Heritage” during a meeting in Japan with UNESCO, the VSMM Society, and other key organizations. It was officially formalized in 2013 at UNESCO by leaders from Virtual Systems & Multimedia, Eurographics GCH, VAST, and VMUST. Supported by the European Commission, UNESCO, and ICOMOS, Digital Heritage has become a critical platform for the intersection of digital technologies and cultural heritage.

As the leading global event on digital technology for documenting, conserving, and sharing heritage—from landscapes and monuments to museums, collections, and intangible traditions—the Digital Heritage International Congress offers a unified stage for major world conferences, workshops, and exhibitions. The event features keynotes from cultural leaders and digital pioneers, tech expos, research demos, scientific papers, policy panels, best practice case studies, and hands-on workshops.

Covering fields such as computer science, cultural preservation, archaeology, art, and more, it brings together professionals from across domains. Whether they are educators, technologists, researchers, policy makers, or curators, participants gather to explore and debate the potentials and challenges of digital technology for cultural heritage, ensuring vibrant dialogue and collaboration among leaders from diverse backgrounds.

The first two editions of the congress were hosted in culturally significant cities, with support from major international and national bodies like UNESCO, the European Commission, the French Ministry of Culture, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competition, and the Italian and French National Research Councils (CNR and CNRS). Key federated events included:

  • International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia (VSMM)
  • Eurographics Symposium on Graphics and Cultural Heritage (GCH)
  • UNESCO’s Memory of the World
  • ArcheoVirtual Exhibition on Virtual Archaeology and Museums
  • Digital Art Week (DAW)
  • Int’l Meeting on Archaeology, Graphic Informatics, Heritage & Innovation (ARQUEOLOGICA 2.0)

Special sessions also included contributions from CAA, CIPA Heritage Documentation, Space2Place, and the ICOMOS Digital Interpretation Panel, among others. Furthermore, the congress provided a platform for major European heritage projects to organize workshops, tutorials, and meetings.

Congress Concept

The Digital Heritage Congress and Expo are centred on five core digital topics and five heritage themes:

Digital Topics

  1. Digitization and Acquisition
  2. Computer Graphics and Interaction
  3. Analysis and Interpretation
  4. Theory, Methodologies, Preservation, and Standards
  5. Digital Heritage Projects and Applications

Heritage Themes

  1. Built Heritage
  2. Culture & Traditions
  3. Museums & Collections
  4. Libraries & Archives
  5. Art & Creativity

Each congress typically spans 4-5 days with parallel sessions and a major exhibition.