AR and VR in Museums

Virtual reality is increasingly being used as a tool in museums to create immersive experiences that can interact with viewers and send them deeper into the past than ever before. Possible applications include:

• Navigating historical ships or ancient ruins.
• Taking timed tours.
• Even experiencing sensations or events that may have been missed.

The use of virtual reality technology has the potential to educationally and emotionally integrate users within a museum setting and bring historically significant content to life with an engaging experience. VR can also help to enhance existing exhibitions and create new ways to engage people with ancient artefacts, stories, and cultural experiences. Museums are in a unique position to be able to provide immersive and personalized experiences that may have been previously unavailable to the public.

Firstly, we need to understand the differences between virtual and augmented reality.

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive experience where users find themselves inside a simulated environment, such as a 3D game or virtual world. The user interacts with the environment through specially designed software and hardware, such as an Oculus Rift headset or hand controllers.

Augmented reality (AR) overlaps digital content in a physical environment. Unlike virtual reality, AR does not completely replace the physical environment but enhances it. AR technology is used in gaming, education, and retail applications. Common examples include

• overlaying graphics onto physical objects,
• viewing 3D models in the real world with devices such as the Microsoft HoloLens, and
• displaying information on top of camera footage in camera apps such as Pokémon GO.

Augment Reality in Museums

Augmented reality can be used to enhance the museum experience for visitors by providing additional interactive layers to the exhibits. This could allow museum-goers to visualize 3D renderings of cultural artefacts, explore timelines and maps, or even gain insight into the scientific principles behind the artefacts. AR technologies could also be used to create virtual guides or holographic storytellers that could accompany visitors throughout their tour. Additionally, users could even scan objects in the museum and view additional layers of information regarding the history, symbolism, and significance of these pieces. This technology could also be used to provide virtual or audio tours.

How Museums are using Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) technologies allow museums to create immersive, interactive experiences that allow visitors to explore, learn and engage in exciting ways. Museums worldwide are embracing this technology to offer educational and entertaining experiences that feature objects and artefacts from their collections. AR is allowing museums to bring to life objects on display, as well as bring history to life with interactive content, virtual galleries and 3D visualization tools. AR can also be used to create engaging guided tours and interactive wayfinding systems. For example, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has implemented a variety of AR experiences, such as an interactive quiz in their Discovery Room and an AR scavenger hunt. Other museums have also experimented with AR as a way to offer virtual guided tours and interactive labellings, such as the National Gallery in London or the Art Institute of Chicago. By augmenting the physical experience with virtual elements, museums are providing a unique, interactive visit for their visitors.

Augmented reality in museums: advantages, disadvantages and uses

Advantages

• Enhances the museum experience – Augmented reality at a museum can provide visitors with a fun and educational experience by overlaying additional digital information about the museum’s pieces and artwork. 
• More engaging – By providing an interactive and engaging experience, AR can draw visitors away from their phones and other gadgets, helping to keep them engaged in the museum experience.
• Increased reach to a wider audience -AR allows museums to offer their exhibits and other materials digitally to a wider audience, potentially increasing visitor traffic.

Disadvantages

• Cost of implementing AR technology – Using AR at a museum also requires investment in the initial setup and potential maintenance costs.
• Security and safety risks – Since AR is interactive, potential security and safety risks must be addressed, especially when it involves visitors interacting with exhibits and other materials.
• Issues with technology -AR often relies on cutting-edge technology, leading to potential issues when implementing it in a museum setting.

Uses

• Tour guide – AR technology can be used to provide interactive audio-guided tours of museum exhibits, providing visitors with historical context for the artwork on display. 
• Virtual showcases – AR can also be used to digitally create entire virtual showcases of collections, making them available to anyone anytime. 
• Educational activities – AR can also create educational activities that allow visitors to learn more about the museum’s exhibits and artefacts. For instance, through interactive puzzles overlaid onto pieces of artwork, visitors can gain exposure to larger topics and how the pieces relate to them. 
• Interactive gaming – By incorporating AR technology into games, museums can create an interactive gaming experience for visitors, engaging them in the museum’s stories and encouraging exploration of the exhibits. 
• Digital storytelling – AR can also provide a more engaging way of storytelling, augmenting the museum experience with digital elements that help create a more vivid story experience for visitors.

What does VR mean for museums?

VR (Virtual Reality) technology could revolutionize how museums do business. With VR, museums can explore new ways to engage visitors and provide them with innovative and immersive ways to explore and interact with collections. VR can transport visitors to different places and times, creating an extended and interactive experience that provides an immersive experience of history and culture. Furthermore, VR can be used to enhance educational experiences, creating engaging, interactive activities for students and families of all ages.

Virtual reality in museums: advantages, disadvantages and uses

Advantages

• Virtual reality can make museums more accessible to people who usually do not have the chance to visit in person either because of financial or physical restraints. 
• VR can be used to offer unique experiences and allow visitors to explore the museum in unprecedented ways.
• VR also allows for creative, interactive experiences. Visitors can interact with museum artefacts and explore distant locations as if they were present. 
• VR can also be used to create immersive experiences based on museum themes or topics.

Disadvantages

• Creating a virtual reality environment for a museum can be extremely costly.
• Technology can be unreliable and can create a poor user experience for visitors.
• Integrating new technology can also be challenging as hardware and software standards change. 
• Virtual reality experiences can be disorienting, leading to motion sickness or fatigue in some users. 
• As natural interactions between visitors and museum staff are replaced with technology, the museum experience can become impersonal.

Uses

• Virtual field trips: Museums can use virtual reality to take visitors on virtual field trips where they can explore real-world contexts and environments, examine artefacts and specimens, and delve deeper into the story behind an exhibit.
• Multimedia guides: Virtual reality can create multimedia guides to help visitors explore a museum more deeply, understand complex concepts, and accurately interpret artefacts and history.
• Interactive storytelling: Virtual reality can create interactive stories and educational experiences within the museum setting, helping visitors dive deeper into history and understand the context, narrative, and cultural norms behind the exhibits.
• Augmented reality: To enhance the visitor experience, museums can use augmented reality to provide additional layers of information about an exhibit, zooming in on details and allowing visitors to see the additional context, related artefacts, and more.
• Adding supplemental materials: Virtual Reality can add supplemental materials to existing displays and exhibits, providing visitors with an enhanced perspective and additional understanding of the materials.

Other unique characteristics of VR are:

1. Perspective. In VR applications, it is possible to choose (and to switch between) the perspective and how the user sees the virtual environment. Usually, in VR applications, the “first person” view is usually used instead of the “third-person” view, which is used in most multimedia applications. With first personal view, the user has more direct contact with the environment, which leads to immersion.
2. Immersion. The term describes a mental state wherein the user feels present/immersed in the virtual environment due to controlled sensory input. Technically speaking, immersion depends on the realism of the virtual world, how accurately a real or an imaginary environment is illustrated and how it is related to the application’s 3D graphics quality.
3. Choice. The user can choose how to interact or move through the environment. The user can explore and interact with the environment and its inhabitants. The user can make choices in the virtual environment, which can exist over time and in multiple visits to the environment.
4. Quality. VR applications are created with very high fidelity, meaning that the visual and haptic aspects of the simulated environment accurately portray their real counterparts. This helps to create a believable and consistent experience that users can easily understand. 
5. Interaction. In VR applications, the user can interact with objects and characters as if they were real by using virtual reality controllers or body-tracking devices. This type of interaction allows the user to create more meaningful experiences, as building relationships with the objects and characters in the environment is possible.

What are the Best Examples of Virtual Reality in Museums?

1. National Museum of Flight’s “VR Flight Experience” – The National Museum of Flight in Scotland offers a virtual reality historical tour where visitors can experience the historic aviation achievements of the museum. Through the experience, users can witness a British Aerospace Hawk T.1 fighter jet taking off and soaring through the sky while seated in a WWII-era cockpit.
2. LACMA’s “VRPainting” – The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s virtual reality painting experience uses Oculus Rift technology to transport visitors into a world created by artist James Turrell. With 3D technology, visitors can explore landscapes and immerse themselves in a painting in a virtual world.
3. Smithsonian’s Virtual Smithsonian – The Smithsonian Institution recently announced its first foray into virtual reality with its Virtual Smithsonian program, allowing users to explore museums, exhibits, and collections from their homes.
4. The National WWII Museum’s “D-Day Experience” – The National World War II Museum in New Orleans has unveiled an interactive virtual reality exhibit allowing visitors to return to the D-Day invasion. The experience uses state-of-the-art projection-mapped technology to allow visitors to experience being a soldier on the beach during the invasion.

Future of AR/VR in Museums

In recent years, augmented reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have significantly impacted museum studies and education. Today, museums use these immersive technologies to engage new audiences and make learning memorable, interactive, and exciting. AR and VR allow museum-goers to explore objects and artefacts without touching them directly or observing them from an angle that might be impossible in a physical setting. They also enable visitors to experience sights, sounds, and other sensory elements that would otherwise be impossible at a museum. 

The possibilities of how AR and VR can create impactful and engaging museum experiences are endless. AR and VR applications can be used to make interactive tours of museums, create virtual museum exhibits, and provide educational materials that can be explored with Virtual and Augmented Reality. There is also a great potential for creating social experiences within museums through collaborative VR.

As the world moves to a more digitized space, museums will likely continue to incorporate AR and VR technology as a way to provide more engaging, interactive, and immersive experiences. As technology advances, museums will have access to more and more possibilities for creating engaging experiences for their visitors. With expanded access to AR and VR tools and technology, museums can continue to bring history, culture, and science to life through an engaging and immersive interactive medium.

Effects of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality on Visitor Experiences in Museums

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are increasingly popular technologies used to enhance museum visitor experiences. By utilizing immersive content, viewers can feel immersed in the artwork, structures, and history presented before them and gain a deeper understanding of what they are seeing. Virtual reality and augmented reality allow visitors to explore displays in ways that were not possible before and can create a more interactive and engaging experience. With virtual reality, museums can create virtual tours, allowing visitors to see and explore virtual versions of exhibits and exhibits at larger scales. Similarly, augmented reality allows visitors to view the real world while overlaying computer-generated images and experiences to provide a unique perception of the space.

Both virtual reality and augmented reality can be used to engage visitors in more meaningful ways. They can provide vast amounts of knowledge, increasing the information available to viewers and allowing them to easily explore every detail of the exhibit. Additionally, this technology can educate visitors about the history and context of specific artefacts, allowing museums to provide an informative experience without displaying natural history artefacts. Virtual reality and augmented reality can also bring the museum to life with audio, visuals, and animations to make the experience more endearing and personal.

Virtual and augmented reality can significantly improve museum visitor experiences when used correctly. They can provide viewers with an immersive experience while exploring exhibitions and stimulating discussion. Many museums have already begun integrating these technologies, leading to opportunities for collaborations with other institutions and creating exciting new virtual and augmented reality experiences. With this, museums can virtually open their doors and draw in new visitors with inspiring experiences that are both entertaining and educational.

Immersive Interactive Virtual Reality in the Museum Space

Immersive interactive virtual reality (IVVR) is a rapidly growing technology that is transforming the museum experience. With IVVR, museums can allow visitors to experience historically accurate, three-dimensional virtual versions of artworks, historical events, environments, and more. With IVVR, visitors can explore and interact with immersive digital experiences. Museums can use IVVR to tell stories in unique and creative ways, convey more information to visitors, and provide in-depth exploration completely different from traditional museum experiences. IVVR allows museums to create interactive and experiential learning opportunities that can be used with physical exhibits to create a truly unique museum experience.

In one of the reports that we have read- Virtual Reality in Museums: Exploring the Experiences of Museum Professionals by Maria Shehade and Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert. The report examines the museum through the eyes of the professionals working within the system. 

The use of virtual reality (VR) technology in museums is quickly becoming popular as a supplement to traditional exhibitions. VR is the computer technology that allows users to be immersed in a virtual environment rather than the physical world. Museums now rely on this technology to create interactive experiences, allowing visitors to explore unknown worlds and environments and gain a more immersive experience of an exhibition or collection. This technology has the potential to revolutionise the traditional visitor experience, allowing for more powerful storytelling, facilitating interaction with art and artefacts, and facilitating experimentation and exploration in ways that have yet to be fully explored.

Although VR technology is often seen as a tool for engaging with visitors, it can also help museum professionals further their education and understanding of different objects and collections. In order to gain insights into how museum professionals are leveraging this technology to explore objects and collections, this research paper aims to investigate the experiences of museum professionals working with VR technology in museums. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, this paper seeks to explore the experiences of a range of professionals, from curators and educators to digital media specialists and IT professionals. The research seeks to identify themes related to the use of VR in museums, such as the benefits and challenges of using VR, areas of impact, and experiences of museum professionals using VR. The findings from this research will have implications for VR technology’s role in museums and how such technology can be used more effectively to engage museum visitors.

Some of the case studies we went through during our research. These museums have used AR and VR in their premises. 

V&A, London

The V&A’s virtual reality (VR) exhibition let visitors take a journey through Wonderland. Using the latest cutting-edge 360-degree video technology, visitors can step into the world of Carroll’s classic characters and explore various environments infinite times to gain full understanding of the story. 

Visitors can also interact with characters in lifelike VR scenarios, such as participating in a tea party with the Mad Hatter or playing a game of croquet with the Queen of Hearts. Additionally, guests will find themselves at the vr Wonderland’s particular scenes, like the White Rabbit’s house and the royal court of the King and Queen. From the croquet field to the Caterpillar’s garden, the 360-degree videos were shot in multiple settings to make it feel like one was actually visiting Wonderland in reality. 

This virtual reality experience allows visitors to take a peek into a world of surreal creatures, mind-bending optical illusions, and countless Easter eggs. At the same time, they follow Alice down the rabbit hole. They eventually reach a digital version of the Wonderland tea party, where they could meet The Mad Hatter and March Hare, among other Wonderland favourites. 

Accompanied by a musical score and personalised cues, visitors can explore the journey of Alice as she moves through a three-dimensional environment with interactive elements that expand on the Alice in Wonderland story. Upon reaching the White Rabbit’s house, visitors can choose their next adventure and explore any of the multiple paths, including the doorway to the Looking-Glass Land, down the Caterpillar’s Mushrooms, and even through a hidden door in the Duchess’ kitchen. 

The experience finishes with visitors being able to let their imaginations loose as they interact with the characters and explore virtual landscapes, designs, and artefacts gathered from illustrators such as John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham, and more. To view more of the exhibition, visitors can view Alice Through The Looking Glass – a 3D film installation bringing the stories of Wonderland to life with a soundscape that responds to its guests. 

The exhibition aims to explore the original Alice stories and discover how Lewis Carroll’s tales have been adapted throughout time, touching upon films, theatre, video games, fashion, music, and literature.

The Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW), Greece

It was founded in 1997 and is based in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki. It has three facilities: The Cultural Centre of the Foundation of the Hellenic World in Thessaloniki (which is currently closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic), the Virtual Museum and Archaeological Park, which is based in Kranidi, Argolis and the archaeological site of Isthmia. It also publishes educational books under its own name.

The Foundation of the Hellenic World seeks to educate visitors and promote a global understanding of Greek culture from antiquity to the present day. It employs various museum techniques, such as audio-visual documentaries, virtual reality displays and interactive educational games. It also holds lectures, workshops and other cultural initiatives throughout the year. It also holds events such as the Hellenic World Festival, an annual event held in Kranidi, Argolis and showcases the cultural wealth of Greece and Cyprus and the Hellenic World Conference. This international symposium addresses topics related to Greek history, culture and education. 

The Foundation of the Hellenic World works with various academic and educational institutions in Greece, Cyprus and the wider international community. It also has partnerships with universities and organisations across the world. It has also been active in promoting international initiatives related to the preservation of cultural heritage, such as the Safeguarding Endangered Cultural Heritage Project in the Balkans.

In addition to its educational activities, the Foundation of the Hellenic World also works with the private sector to promote Hellenic culture and products and to support the development of the local economy.

FHW also participates in the protection of cultural heritage sites in the region. In 2018, it signed an agreement with the Greek Ministry of Culture to promote preserving archaeological and cultural sites in Greece, such as the Palace of Knossos in Crete and the archaeological site at the Acropolis of Athens, among others. 

Finally, the Foundation of the Hellenic World launched ‘Ulysses: Ancient Greece Revealed,’ an interactive virtual reality platform that immerses visitors in ancient Greek culture in April 2019. It is available in the App Store and Google Play.

The Foundation of the Hellenic World also aims to create a Global museum to promote Hellenic culture. 

Vang Gogh 360 museum

The Van Gogh 360 Museum is a multi-sensorial virtual reality experience of the world-famous Dutch painter’s work. Located in Amsterdam, the museum focuses on creating an immersive, 360-degree visual experience, using advanced technologies such as 3D mapping, projection engines and 8K Ultra High-Definition (UHD) displays. Visitors can explore Van Gogh’s paintings from around the world, and delve into a deep exploration of the stories and meanings behind them, set in an environment that brings the works alive. The museum also offers interactive experiences such as painting with light, playing interactive games, robotics and more. The museum was co-created by Vincent van Gogh’s world experts, curators and the IT talents at FOTODOK. It includes over 150 of his iconic paintings, including such famous works as Starry Night, The Bedroom, and Provence Landscape, as well as a host of lesser-known pieces. Explore the museum and its daily activities, such as party games and fashion shows, or take a guided tour of the world’s first virtual 360 degree Van Gogh Museum. 

Challenges Museums Face Using AR/VR

1. Understanding the User: AR/VR applications require substantial user testing and research to succeed. While museums have the necessary resources, such as technology and personnel, to understand their users, this process can take time and effort.
2. Design Challenges: Museums must consider user experience when designing and developing AR/VR applications. This means carefully considering how users interact with the application, what information they receive, and how they engage with the art they are experiencing.
3. Cost and Time: Though technology is becoming more accessible, the cost and coordination of setting up AR/VR technology in a museum may be costly and time-consuming.
4. Maintenance: AR/VR requires regular maintenance in order to ensure the content is up-to-date and functioning properly. This can be a challenge for museums with limited resources.
5. Technology Standards: With so many different AR/VR systems and platforms, museums must ensure their content is accessible and compatible with different devices and platforms.

How Museums are using Virtual Reality to Bring History to Life

Museums have long been the go-to destination for learning about the past. However, due to the recent embrace of virtual reality (VR), museums have found new and exciting ways to bring history to life. VR has opened the door for museums to recreate experiences, tell stories, and share artefacts in ways that could not have been done before.

One of the ways in which museums are using VR is to recreate ancient sites. By utilising immersive technologies, museums can provide a true-to-life experience of historical events. For example, the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece, allows visitors to walk through a 3D reconstruction of the ancient Acropolis. This digital tour allows visitors to “explore the Parthenon, the Propylaia, and other structures as they were two thousand years ago.”

In addition to recreating ancient sites, museums also use virtual reality to introduce interactive experiences to visitors. For instance, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum has a virtual reality experience that brings viewers into the Warsaw Ghetto. This immersion allows visitors to watch Holocaust survivor testimonies and see the actual living conditions of the Jewish people at the time.

By combining virtual reality with traditional displays, museums can create dynamic visitor experiences. For example, the Smithsonian Institution has developed an app called Smithsonian X 3D, allowing viewers to explore various artefacts from their collections. Viewers can use the app to explore items from the museum’s collection and virtually assemble items from various parts.

The use of virtual reality in museums is helping to bring history to life in a previously impossible way. By introducing immersive, interactive, and imaginative experiences, museums have opened up a world of possibilities for learning about the past. As technology continues to develop, museums will continue to find new and innovative ways to share their collections with the world.

Citation:

Journals

Oyelude, A. A. (2018, June 25). Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in libraries and museums. Library Hi Tech News, 35(5), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn-04-2018-0023

Roussou, Maria. (2001). Immersive Interactive Virtual Reality in the Museum.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2861971_Immersive_Interactive_Virtual_Reality_in_the_Museum 

Liarokapis, F. (n.d.). Augmented Reality for Museum Artefact Visualization. (PDF) Augmented Reality for Museum Artefact Visualization | Fotis Liarokapis – Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/910172/Augmented_Reality_for_Museum_Artefact_Visualization 

Shehade, M., & Stylianou-Lambert, T. (2020, June 11). Virtual Reality in Museums: Exploring the Experiences of Museum Professionals. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10114031 

Zouboula, N., Fokides, E., Tsolakidis, C., & Vratsalis, C. (2008, July 16). Virtual Reality and Museum: An Educational Application for Museum Education. Virtual Reality and Museum: An Educational Application for Museum Education – Learning & Technology Library (LearnTechLib). https://www.learntechlib.org/p/45198/ 

Man, S., & Gao, Z. (2022, August 3). Digital immersive interactive experience design of museum cultural heritage based on virtual reality technology. Journal of Electronic Imaging, 32(01). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jei.32.1.011208 

Links

What are the Best Examples of Virtual Reality in Museums? – MuseumNext. https://www.museumnext.com/article/how-museums-are-using-virtual-reality/ 

Effects of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality on Visitor Experiences …. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-28231-2_45

Virtual Reality vs Augmented Reality: What’s the difference?. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/virtual-reality-vs-augmented-reality-whats-the-difference/ 

Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Film and Television …. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/sp/2022/2604408/ 

Inc., L. S. (n.d.). Learning Sites’ Virtual Worlds in Archaeology Initiative – Turku. VWAI – Foundation of the Hellenic World Homepage. http://www.learningsites.com/VWinAI/VWinAI_FHW-home.php 

AR/VR in Museums – HQSoftware. (2022, August 22). HQSoftware. https://hqsoftwarelab.com/blog/ar-vr-museums