CYARK

Interpretation Education Program: Our work in 2024 continued to expand access to cultural heritage through virtual experiences that reduce geographic and financial barriers to learning these stories. CyArks efforts to support equitable access to heritage continued through several initiatives. Program work included: Changing Landscapes Exhibition, Boston (USA) In 2024, CyArk partnered with the Museum of Science, Boston to develop Changing Landscapes: An Immersive Journey, a groundbreaking exhibit that transported over 400,000 visitors to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites threatened by climate change. As part of this experience, CyArk brought its technical expertise and global network to help the museum create an exhibit that was not only visually striking but grounded in authentic narratives from the communities connected to these places. This combination allowed visitors to better connect with these far-flung places, fostering empathy and inspiring climate action. The exhibit opened in January 2024 as part of the museums Year of the Earthshot and allowed visitors of all ages to engage with climate solutions and resilience strategies for cultural sites Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Selenge (Mongolia) As part of the U.S. State Department-supported Community Heritage Exchange Initiative (CHEI), CyArk worked with the Mongolian Film Institute and 11 community participants to create a 3D guided tour of the 18th-century Amarbayasgalant Monastery. In 2024, CyArk provided remote training in 3D capture and storytelling, after which local trainees documented the monastery using drone and terrestrial photogrammetry. The team developed an immersive virtual tour featuring scripted narration and interviews with community members to share the sites significance with a broad audience. The tour, published on CyArks Tapestry platform, is accessible in English and Mongolian and showcases the monasterys enduring spiritual legacy and resilience. Lamanai High Temple, Orange Walk (Belize) Under the CHEI program, CyArk collaborated with Belizes Institute of Archaeology to empower local heritage professionals in creating a virtual tour of the ancient Maya site of Lamanai. In 2024, CyArk delivered training via video sessions in 3D documentation and place-based storytelling. The Belizean team captured the iconic High Temple with terrestrial and drone photogrammetry, producing a 3D model of the pyramid amid the jungle. They also scripted a guided tour augmented by interviews with community members to convey Lamanais rich history and cultural importance. The resulting Tapestry experience, available in English and Spanish, connects virtual visitors to the splendor of this Maya city and highlights the value of the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) in safeguarding such heritage. Preah Vihear Temple, Preah Vihear (Cambodia) CyArk partnered with Cambodian heritage professionals to create a virtual tour of the mountaintop temple of Preah Vihear. This work was carried out through a digital documentation and storytelling workshop supported by the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh as part of the Community Heritage Exchange Initiative. Local participants, with CyArks guidance, documented the ancient Khmer temple and collected community narratives. The resulting Tapestry experience (in English and Khmer) offers an immersive virtual voyage through this impressive World Heritage site, sharing its history and the ongoing efforts to preserve it for future generations. Angel Island WWII Confinement, California (USA) CyArk, in collaboration with California State Parks and the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, developed a virtual tour focusing on the 700 Japanese American men who were unjustly incarcerated at Angel Island during World War II. Using high-resolution photographs and 3D lidar data of the former detention barracks and mess hall, the online experience transports users to the historic site and shares personal stories from the Taken From Their Families exhibit at Angel Island. Funded in part by the National Park Services Japanese American Confinement Sites grant, the virtual tour brings this important yet lesser-known chapter of American history to a wider audience, ensuring that visitors who cannot travel to the island can still walk through the barracks virtually and reflect on the impact of these wartime experiences Pauli Murray Family Home, North Carolina (USA) CyArk traveled to Durham, NC to complete a 3D documentation of the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice, the childhood home of civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray. Working closely with the Centers staff, CyArk collected high-resolution scans and assembled audio/video interviews with Murrays relatives, scholars, and activists to enrich the virtual tour. Supported by Iron Mountains Living Legacy grant initiative, the resulting Tapestry experience allows users to virtually explore the restored house and grounds while hearing stories about Murrays life and legacy. This project helped the Pauli Murray Center broaden access to the site (which opened to the public in 2024) and share Murrays trailblazing contributions to civil and human rights with a global audience. USS Utah, Pearl Harbor (USA) The National Park Service at Pearl Harbor National Monument, Pacific Historic Parks and CyArk collaborated to develop a Tapestry experience of the USS Utah in order to provide greater access to the site and its stories. Newly acquired 3D data of the memorial and the above water portions of the wreck were combined with previous documentation of the submerged sections of the wreck collected by the National Park Service Submerged Resources Center. This data was used as the backdrop to share the story of the USS Utah through visualizations, historic images and sound clips as well as interviews with National Park Service interpreter, Naval Historian and oral histories of survivors. The resulting experience allows visitors a entirely new perspective on the memorial and its history. Elphanta Caves, Gharapuri Island (India) CyArk partnered with the India Study Center in Mumbai to digitally document the main cave of the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. The project employed advanced techniques such as LiDAR and photogrammetry to capture the entire cave structure with exceptional accuracy, resulting in a highly detailed 3D model. This comprehensive digital data supports ongoing preservation efforts and serves as the foundation for an interactive online educational experience hosted on CyArks Tapestry platform. This experience includes engaging video interviews with community members and academic experts, offering rich insights into this monumental site that symbolizes dedication and faith. By bringing the Elephanta Caves to a global audience, this project ensures that anyone, anywhere, can explore and learn about this remarkable cultural treasure.

Conservation Management and Training Program In 2024 CyArk worked across a number of digital documentation projects aimed at supporting the conservation of cultural heritage, including providing training in 3D documentation to institutions and individuals. Program work included: Endangered Wooden Architecture Program The Endangered Wooden Architecture Programme is a grant-giving program that offers grants for the documentation of endangered wooden architecture. CyArk has worked with Oxford Brookes University since program inception to develop training materials, standardize equipment, and provide training to grantees. In 2024, CyArk conducted training workshops with grantees from Romania, Chile, India, Indonesia, China and Sierra Leone. Preserving Ukrainian Legacy, Ukraine CyArk continued development of partnership with Ukrainian NGO Archac, aimed at enhancing the 3D documentation skills of Ukrainian cultural heritage professionals. Conducted at Jagiellonian University in Poland, an additional training equipped new participants from cultural institutions with skills to document endangered cultural heritage. Heritage Documentation Training Grant Program Following the success of its inaugural cohort, CyArks Heritage Documentation Training Grant program continued in 2024 to empower more heritage professionals with 3D mapping skills. The grant offers a select group of individuals intensive online training in photogrammetry and data processing, along with mentorship on real-world projects. In late 2024, CyArk opened a new application cycle for this program, aiming to build a broader global network of practitioners who can document and protect cultural sites. Ten new participants were selected from an international pool of applicants to begin training (starting December 2024) in cutting-edge 3D documentation techniques. CyArk Short Courses Based on the success of CyArks training programs, CyArk launched a new series of short courses aimed at professionals wanting to apply CyArks methods to their own projects. CyArk held the two initial courses in this paid training program in 2024.