Unlocking the Future: How AR and VR Are Revolutionising Museums?
Museums and cultural sites around the world are already embracing new technologies to create interactive, immersive experiences for their visitors. Two key technologies driving this transformation are Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Rather than being mere experiments, AR and VR are becoming essential tools that reshape how people engage with art, history, and culture.
But what makes these technologies so powerful, and how can museums use them to enhance visitor experiences? By exploring the distinct possibilities of AR and VR, we can help you determine which technology—or a combination of both—might be the right fit for your museum’s needs.
What Can AR Do for Museums?
AR enhances the real world, blending digital information with the physical environment. For museums, this opens up exciting possibilities to add layers of storytelling, deeper context, and even interactive experiences that engage visitors in new ways.
Imagine walking through an exhibit and using your smartphone to reveal extra details about a painting, or watching an ancient artefact "come to life" through 3D animations. With AR, museums can enrich the visitor experience without overwhelming them with technology.
Real-World Examples:
National Gallery, London: Through an AR app, the National Gallery brought masterpieces by Van Gogh and Seurat out into the streets of London, blending art with the everyday world. Passersby could experience famous artworks in public spaces, expanding the reach of the museum beyond its walls.
The National Museum of Singapore In the Story of the Forest installation, AR transformed historical drawings from the William Farquhar Collection into dynamic, interactive 3D animations. Visitors used their smartphones to bring these drawings to life, deepening their connection with the artwork in a playful and meaningful way.
Photograph: National Museum of Singapore
Key Benefits of AR for Museums:
Seamlessly enhances existing exhibits without overshadowing them.
Provides additional educational content that’s easily accessible on visitors’ personal devices.
Expand the museum’s reach beyond its physical location, allowing art and history to enter daily life.
What Can VR Bring to the Table?
While AR adds to the real world, VR transports visitors into entirely new environments. With VR, museums can take their audiences to faraway places, step back in time, or even offer encounters with objects that are too fragile or rare to display in person.
VR creates deeply immersive experiences, allowing visitors to engage with history, art, and science in a way that feels almost tangible. This technology has the power to evoke emotions, deepen understanding, and provide visitors with unforgettable encounters that go beyond what traditional museum settings can offer.
Real-World Examples:
British Museum, Bronze Age VR: Visitors at the British Museum can explore a 3,500-year-old roundhouse, complete with ancient tools and furnishings, all within a VR environment. The experience allows visitors to feel as though they’ve stepped back in time, engaging directly with history in an immersive and emotional way.
The Victoria & Albert Museum, Alice in Wonderland: In collaboration with HTC VIVE Arts, the Victoria & Albert Museum created Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser, a VR experience that transported audiences into the whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland. This immersive journey allowed users to explore scenes from the story, either through VR headsets or even via YouTube, making it widely accessible.
Illustration from first published edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by John Tenniel, 1866
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Key Benefits of VR for Museums:
Offers fully immersive environments that can evoke strong emotional responses.
Allows for the reconstruction of historical or distant settings, giving visitors access to worlds they wouldn’t otherwise experience.
Creates opportunities to display fragile or inaccessible objects in a virtual space, protecting them while still engaging the public.
AR and VR: Why Choose When You Can Have Both?
Museums don’t need to choose between AR and VR—many are already combining the two technologies to offer hybrid experiences. AR can be used to enhance exhibits in the museum itself, providing extra layers of information or interactivity, while VR can take visitors on deeper, immersive journeys that complement what they’ve seen in person.
Real-World Example:
Smithsonian American Art Museum: The Smithsonian offers an experience that blends both AR and VR. Visitors use AR to learn more about art pieces on display and then switch to VR to step inside one of the paintings, experiencing the artwork in an entirely new way. This dual approach creates a comprehensive and engaging connection with the art.
How to Choose the Right Technology for Your Museum
The decision between AR and VR depends on the kind of experience your museum wants to provide. AR is perfect for adding context, enhancing storytelling, and enriching the visitor's interaction with physical exhibits. On the other hand, VR excels when the goal is to immerse visitors in a different time or place or offer a unique, emotionally engaging experience that transports them beyond the walls of the museum.
In many cases, the best solution may involve both technologies. AR can deepen the experience by adding information and interactivity within the museum space, while VR can take visitors on immersive journeys that complement what they’ve seen.
At SENSEcity, we’re passionate about using AR and VR to bring history and art to life. Whether you’re looking to enhance your exhibits with AR, transport your visitors to new worlds with VR, or create a hybrid experience using both, we’re here to help. Learn more about our Historiscope and how it’s creating unforgettable experiences at heritage sites by visiting www.historiscope.co.
Contact us to see how we can help you captivate your audiences with innovative, interactive technology!