This article aims to critically examine AI as both an active and innovative tool in artistic creation, investigating its evolving role in shaping artistic practices, expanding creative possibilities, and redefining the boundaries of human–machine collaboration. It traces the historical, conceptual, and technological integration of generative AI in art, particularly in relation to Modernism’s challenge to traditional norms. It also examines the ethical, social, and philosophical implications of AI art, focusing on issues such as authorship, legitimacy, and AI’s role in the cultural landscape. Through the analysis of two representative works—Refik Anadol’s Unsupervised and Anna Ridler’s Mosaic Virus—one mainstream and the other critically engaging with AI art’s social impact, the study examines the balance between technical innovation and conceptual depth, emphasizing transparency, originality, and human-centered approaches. Employing an extended literature review across chapters, the discussion synthesizes diverse sources to critically engage with ongoing debates. Ultimately, the article advocates for human–AI collaboration, emphasizing responsible integration to enhance creativity without losing the human essence of art. It offers highly valuable insights into the current debates surrounding AI in art and effectively guides the integration of AI into future creative practices.

This paper charts AI’s transformative path toward advancing sustainability within art museums, introducing a Human–AI compass as a conceptual framework for navigating its integration. It advocates for human-centric AI that optimizes operations, modernizes collection management, and deepens visitor engagement—anchored in meaningful human–technology synergy and thoughtful human oversight. Drawing on extensive literature review and real-world museum case studies, the paper explores AI’s multifaceted impact across three domains. Firstly, it examines how AI improves operations, from audience forecasting and resource optimization to refining marketing, supporting conservation, and reshaping curatorial practices. Secondly, it investigates AI’s influence on digital collection management, highlighting its ability to improve organization, searchability, analysis, and interpretation through automated metadata and advanced pattern recognition. Thirdly, the study analyzes how AI elevates the visitor experience via chatbots, audio guides, and interactive applications, leveraging personalization, recommendation systems, and co-creation opportunities. Crucially, this exploration acknowledges AI’s complex challenges—technical-operational, ethical-governance, socioeconomic-cultural, and environmental—underscoring the indispensable role of human judgment in steering its implementation. The Human-AI compass offers a balanced, strategic approach for aligning innovation with human values, ethical principles, museum mission, and sustainability. The study provides valuable insights for researchers, practitioners and policymakers, enriching the broader discourse on AI’s growing role in the art and cultural sector.

The article focuses on the analysis of a reel post uploaded on the Basil & Elise (B&E) Goulandris Foundation’s Instagram account on the occasion of the exhibition “Nouveau Réalisme”, presented at the homonymous museum in 2023. It aims to investigate the role and function of communication messages in the digital environment of the post-COVID-19 era and especially in that of social media (SM). The article addresses various parameters related to the wider context of the message production, its role in the Foundation’s communication strategy as well as the influence of the pandemic crisis and its effects on the planning of this strategy as regards the utilization of SM. Moreover, an interpretation of the communication message based on the decoding of its symbolic meaning is proposed through the use of the visual and sociological communication model of Barthes. Finally, the message’s reception by the public is detected. The complexity and polysemy of communicative act, which is revealed through the analysis, indicate both the need for a combined interdisciplinary approach and the crucial importance of considering its variables (the message itself as well as its production and reception contexts) in a holistic manner.

Despite extensive research on technology-mediated visitor experiences, a holistic approach to the smart museum remains underexplored. This paper addresses the gap by examining novel technologies through a cultural lens, particularly their role in enhancing modern museums. We defined the concept and profile of the 21st-century smart museum based on a synthesis of findings from 83 papers and museum reports (2014–2024) on the modern museum, the museum experience, and the integration of innovative technologies. , Of these, 54 articles focused on six main technology categories—Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Robots, Fusion, and others (Blockchain, Holography)—were reviewed. From the intersection of museums and technology in the digital era, 15 key characteristics emerged, outlining the ideal smart museum. This paper aims to serve as a framework and guide for cultural managers, museum professionals, and designers in creating and implementing smart museums.

This study explores the growing global focus on sustainability in museums and cultural institutions, examining how digital marketing can support both sustainability and cultural identity. It provides insights into best practices, strategies, and challenges faced by cultural organizations, offering recommendations for improving sustainability and digital marketing in the Greek cultural sector. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review to establish the international context, an observational analysis of global leaders mainly focusing on the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Metropolitan Opera (the Met), and primary research through a 30-question survey answered by 26 Greek cultural institutions. The findings reveal that leading global cultural organizations effectively use digital strategies to promote sustainability, enhancing cultural identity, brand, and economic resilience while advancing environmental stewardship and social justice. Greek cultural organizations, primarily facing financial and technical constraints, struggle with strategic integration and digital marketing, with few exceptions. The study concludes that the benefits of sustainable digital marketing outweigh the challenges, as it can significantly enhance cultural values and drive sustainability across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. By adopting a deeper understanding of sustainability and a more strategic, holistic approach, Greek organizations can amplify their impact, strengthen their presence, and contribute to long-term sustainability goals.

Despite extensive research on technology-mediated visitor experiences, a holistic approach to the smart museum remains underexplored. This paper addresses the gap by examining the intersection of museums and digital technologies through a cultural lens, with a focus on their role in redefining the museum experience. The concept and profile of the 21st-century smart museum were shaped through a synthesis of findings from 143 scholarly and institutional publications, combining 118 research outputs (2012–2025) across seven technological categories —Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Fusion, Blockchain, and general Digital Technologies— with a complementary body of theoretical works (1989–2025) that strengthen its conceptual and cultural foundations. From this synthesis, 15 key attributes emerged, outlining the ideal smart museum model. Anchored in theoretical and institutional frameworks, these attributes conceptualize the smart museum as a culturally embedded, technologically enhanced, and human-centered institution. The paper provides a conceptual framework and strategic guide for cultural managers, museum professionals, and designers developing smart museum practices in the digital era.