Imagine a world where museums and cultural institutions can easily share their treasures with a global audience, regardless of size or resources. This is the promise of EUreka3D (European Union’s REKonstructed content in 3D), a project supported by the European Union's Digital Europe Programme.

EUreka3D, an EC-funded project which ended in December 2024, was designed to empower the Cultural Heritage (CH) sector in its digital transformation. Many institutions, particularly smaller ones, struggle with the complexities of modernisation, from updating internal workflows and enhancing digital asset use to retraining staff and developing new ways to document cultural artefacts. A key element of this transformation is the move towards a unified, cloud-based IT infrastructure. EUreka3D has established this infrastructure, creating a network that connects institutions and fosters collaboration. At the heart of this network is the EUreka3D DataHub, a virtual service centre providing access to essential resources like knowledge sharing, data storage, and high-performance computing. By leveraging existing research services like EGI Check-in, EGI DataHub, and cloud computing, the platform streamlines the entire lifecycle of digital objects, from creation and management to archiving, preservation, and sharing, with a special focus on 3D records. 

The EUreka3D platform and DataHub are designed to serve both cultural institutions and the public. The process begins with "Capture," where specialised equipment like cameras, sensors, and laser scanners digitises physical objects. 

This results in three types of data:

These data categories are then uploaded to the EUreka3D DataHub, which comprises three core components:

Once the data resides in the EUreka3D DataHub, it's ready for "Delivery."  This can happen in two ways:

By simplifying 3D digitisation and fostering data sharing, EUreka3D has started creating a more accessible and interconnected cultural heritage landscape. This initiative ensures that our shared history is preserved for future generations and made available to people around the globe.

Building on the success of the EUreka3D project, EUreka3D-XR is taking cultural heritage a step further – into the immersive world of extended reality (XR). The project, starting soon, will increase the availability of 3D and XR experiences within the European data space.
EUreka3D-XR will leverage the foundation laid by EUreka3D, including its guidelines, recommendations, and DataHub, while also implementing capacity-building initiatives specifically focused on XR creation. The goal is to empower cultural institutions to create captivating and educational immersive experiences, making cultural content more accessible and engaging for researchers, students, tourists, creatives, and the public alike.