Mapping the Convergence of Metaverse and Generative AI in Cultural Heritage: Supplementary Materials

The convergence of Metaverse-enabling technologies and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is creating new opportunities for the preservation, interpretation, visualization, and experience of cultural heritage (CH). This study presents a scoping review of Metaverse and GenAI-enabled cultural heritage following the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. A systematic search of ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink identified 50 primary studies published between January 2022 and April 2026. Based on the synthesized evidence, we propose a multidimensional taxonomy covering CH application domains, Metaverse technologies, GenAI technologies, heritage types, target users, and interaction environments, complemented by analyses of limitations, user evaluation practices, and future research directions.The findings show that education and training (78%), visualization (66%), preservation (56%), and cultural heritage interpretation (50%) are the leading application domains. Virtual Reality (VR) is the predominant Metaverse technology (66%), while OpenAI technologies constitute the most frequently reported GenAI ecosystem (42%). However, the evidence reveals a maturity gap between technological innovation and empirical validation. The most common limitations concern empirical validation and generalizability (52%), AI reliability and domain knowledge (36%), system performance and scalability (32%), and prototype and system maturity (24%). Only 50% (25 studies) reported user-centered or perceptual evaluations, predominantly focusing on short-term usability, engagement, learning, and presence, with limited attention to longitudinal outcomes, cultural authenticity, AI trustworthiness, accessibility, community acceptance, and real-world deployment. Future research should prioritize rigorous longitudinal validation, culturally grounded and trustworthy GenAI, improved immersive interaction and accessibility, richer heritage data, scalable and interoperable deployment, multimodal integration, and stronger community and professional participation. By integrating technological, cultural, methodological, and user-centered evidence and mapping identified limitations to future research priorities, this review provides an evidence-based framework for advancing reliable, culturally authentic, inclusive, and responsible Metaverse and GenAI applications in cultural heritage.