When visitors walk into Oslo’s Munch Museum today, they are not just admiring the works of Norwegian master Edvard Munch. They are interacting with them. Sitting before a digital tablet, they sketch their own drawings. Artificial intelligence then compares each sketch with more than 7,000 drawings from the museum’s archive, revealing unexpected artistic connections.
The experience has been created by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). It shows how AI is transforming museums from static repositories of artefacts into immersive cultural spaces. Rather than replacing the traditional museum visit, the technology encourages visitors to engage more deeply with art, history and heritage.
The Munch Museum houses nearly 42,000 paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and personal objects bequeathed by Munch to the city of Oslo. Its AI-powered drawing experience turns passive observation into active participation. Visitors discover similarities between their own sketches and the artist’s work, deepening their appreciation of his legacy.
Museums around the world are embracing similar innovations. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, for instance, has developed an AI-supported discovery platform that connects visitors’ interests and emotions with artworks from a collection of around 80,000 objects and 500,000 books. Instead of relying on specialist knowledge, users can explore the collection through curiosity and personal interests. The platform also enables remote access, making the museum’s vast collection available to researchers and the public alike.
These initiatives highlight AI’s growing role in reshaping the museum experience. Personalised recommendations, interactive storytelling, multilingual guides and conversational interfaces make exhibitions more engaging. They also encourage visitors to spend more time exploring collections. By turning passive viewing into active learning, museums can attract younger audiences and make history, science and culture easier to understand.
AI is equally valuable behind the scenes. Museums hold millions of fragile manuscripts, paintings and artefacts that require constant care. AI can help digitise collections, reducing the need to handle original objects while expanding public access. Computer vision can detect early signs of deterioration before damage becomes irreversible. Machine learning can also help curators catalogue collections and identify relationships between objects that might otherwise remain hidden.
The benefits extend beyond museums. Better visitor experiences can increase footfall, encourage repeat visits and boost cultural tourism, creating economic opportunities for local communities. Digital access also enables students, researchers and people unable to travel to engage with collections from anywhere.
India has begun taking encouraging steps in this direction. At Bengaluru’s Museum of Art & Photography, visitors can interact with an AI-powered conversational persona of MF Husain, developed by Accenture Labs. Drawing on the artist’s interviews and writings, it answers questions about his childhood, artistic influences and creative journey. Tribal Freedom Fighters Museums are also exploring AI for archival curation, digital storytelling and augmented reality experiences.
Yet these efforts remain fragmented. Building AI applications requires significant investment, skilled talent and high-quality data. India should therefore focus on developing common digital capabilities that can be shared across museums. Intelligent cataloguing, multilingual visitor services, digital preservation and interactive learning platforms can reduce costs while accelerating adoption.
The scope should extend beyond conventional museums. India’s temples, monuments and heritage sites preserve living traditions alongside historical artefacts. Linking related collections across these institutions would help visitors discover deeper historical and cultural connections. AI-powered language platforms such as Bhashini and Adi Vaani can further democratise access by enabling visitors, researchers and curators to engage with cultural content in multiple Indian languages.
The writer is chairperson, GTT Foundation.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the author’s own and do not reflect the official policy or position of Financial Express.
