Viewer2Explorer: Designing a Map Interface for Spatial Navigation in Linear 360 Museum Exhibition Video

The pandemic has contributed to the increased digital content development for remote experiences. Notably, museums have begun creating virtual exhibitions using 360-videos, providing a sense of presence and high level of immersion. However, 360-video content often uses a linear timeline interface that requires viewers to follow the path decided by the video creators. This format limits viewers’ ability to actively engage with and explore the virtual space independently. Therefore, we designed a map-based video interface, Viewer2Explorer, that enables the user to perceive and explore virtual spaces autonomously. We then conducted a study to compare the overall experience between the existing linear timeline and map interfaces. Viewer2Explorer enhanced users’ spatial controllability and enabled active exploration in virtual museum exhibition spaces. Additionally, based on our map interface, we discuss a new type of immersion and assisted autonomy that can be experienced through a 360-video interface and provide design insights for future content.