With a solid academic foundation in Cultural Studies from Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University and practical experience in both gallery and museum settings, Irena is passionate about merging technology with art to enhance emotional connection and well-being in cultural institutions.
At NEMO’s European Museum Conference 2025, Irena Mijatovic will facilitate the workshop "Caring conversations: Emotional support through avatars in museums” on Tuesday, 28 October.
Workshop abstract:
Caring conversations: Emotional support through avatars in museums
In this interactive workshop, you'll explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital avatars can help museums offer emotional support and create more empathetic experiences for visitors. Using the Kollwitz-Avatar Project as a case study, we’ll dive into the development of AI-driven personas designed to enhance visitor well-being, especially in sensitive areas like grief, trauma, and emotional connection with art.
You’ll gain practical insights into how AI can simulate empathy, and you'll have the chance to design your own digital personas tailored to your museum's audience. The session includes group activities like empathy mapping, persona design, and drafting dialogues to understand how to create emotionally resonant interactions.
The workshop will also touch on important ethical considerations, including the challenges of bias, emotional nuance, and the responsibility museums have when using AI for emotional support. By the end, you'll walk away with strategies and a deeper understanding of how digital avatars can enrich visitor experiences.
You don’t have to work in a digital department to benefit from this workshop since it is ideal for museum professionals, educators, digital designers and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of technology and visitor care in cultural institutions
This workshop is organised by the NEMO Working Group Digital Transformation.
