Exploring Virtual Tech Museums Immersing Yourself in the History of Technology Through VR Exhibits

Best VR experiences 2023: Explore, learn, and be entertained in virtual reality

With virtual reality well and truly in the mainstream, theres no time like the present to dive into the best VR experiences on offer. And we do mean experiences, not games. Yes, theres fun to be had soaring through space in an X-Wing or gunning down bad-guys from behind a dumpster but VR has so much more to offer besides.

There are a whole range of VR applications that, from the comfort of your own home, let you visit places, times and even whole worlds that would otherwise be out of your reach. Sometimes youre just you, while some titles put you in someone elses shoes, offering a perspective you might never have considered. VR fitness apps are becoming more popular, and you can even work in VR.

Without the need to fend off murderous bandits or face-eating xenomorphs, you can take your time to immerse yourself in the experience of your choosing. And if you havent already picked up a VR headset (theyre surprisingly affordable) check out our list of the best VR headsets here.

The only snag is there are so many VR experiences out there that it can be hard to know where to start, even if youve a specific area of interest in mind. For example, put dinosaurs and VR into the Steam Store and youre greeted by 80+ results.

Thats why weve rounded up the ten of the best VR experiences available. Some are free, others sport a reasonable price tag but all offer the chance to expand your horizons without even leaving your living room. And if you want to pick up a VR headset to check out these experiences, head to our VR headset deals page to get the best price.

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience

• Platforms: Oculus
• Price: $2.99 for each of the 4 episodes (via Oculus Store)

If anyone is looking to experience the wonders of space, this VR experience may be close to what youll get to seeing what its like aboard a space station. Shot over two years, the VR experience was filmed at the International Space Station. Its a gorgeous look at life aboard the station, told through four parts as you follow eight astronauts on a journey through some missions. Itll give viewers an intimate look at living the life on orbit.

There wont be much interaction, but the experience does dive deep into space exploration through the eyes of these astronauts. With these extreme close-ups of these workers in space together, youll feel like you are with them during the joys and dangers of their profession.

BRINK Traveller

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta (including Meta Quest)
• Price: $9.99 / 7.99 (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

BRINK Traveller takes you on a tour of twenty stunning natural spots, across thirteen locations. That may not sound like a lot when you can run Google Earth on most headsets, but BRINK Travellers locales are more than just 360 videos or shots.

Instead, you get to roam around each lookout spot, gazing down into the Grand Canyon, for example, watching the odd bird soar overhead. Should you be so inclined you can pick up a rock and pitch it into the water or take photographs. Or why not pull up a chair and just relax? Its not 100% photorealistic but its convincing enough that its almost as good as being there.

The locations are, mostly, American but the developers are slowly adding more international locations. Besides which, (virtually) taking in Californias Death Valley, Arizonas The Wave rock formation and more, youre bound to come away impressed.

Star Chart VR

• Platforms: Oculus, Steam, Google Play
• Price: $9.99

Speaking of space, this VR experience is also out of this world as it allows you to explore the solar system in a beautiful rendering of a real-time space simulation. You can take a closer look at all the planets in our galaxy whether its Saturns rings or the moons that orbit it. This is a great way to educate yourself in what the solar system has to offer and see how these constellations are formed in the night sky. Choose from different Star Chart modes to give you some choices in your star gazing activity.

Theres also tons of experiences like Moments in Time that take you throughout history in space expedition like the moon landing and the rovers exploration in Mars. No matter what you choose, youll enjoy what our solar system has to offer thanks to this one-of-kind VR experience.

National Geographic Explore VR

• Platforms: Oculus
• Price: $9.99

There are plenty of discoveries to be made in this world, and National Geographic help make this possible with their app called Explore VR. There are countless experiences to uncover and its a nice educational tool to see what this world has to offer regarding culture and exploration.

Users can explore the old ruins of Machu Picchu or even scale the icebergs in the far-off region of Antarctica. Its perfect for the whole family to travel the world without ever leaving the house. The main goal is to capture photos on these exhibitions, so the National Geographic Explore VR experience is a nice way to discover these vast locations to get to know the landscape and learn its history.

Ocean Rift

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta (including Meta Quest 2)
• Price: $9.99 / 7.99 (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

Its estimated that 80% of the oceans depths remain unexplored and while Ocean Rift is based on what we do know, it still offers some amazing encounters. Swimming around one of several sub-aquatic areas, youll get to gawp at humpback whales, play with dolphins and, should you so choose, swim with a handful of prehistoric animals.

Ocean Rift isnt the only application to offer a similarly watery experience, but whats impressive is the freedom it grants you. You can roam to your hearts content, assuming youve not chosen the shark cage area, and, occasionally, stumble on some unsettling aquatic items. Ocean Rift doesnt set out to kill you, but we still got the chills when we stumbled across an abandoned submersible.

All Kinds of Limbo XR

• Platforms: All
• Price: 6/$8

Live theater still draws in a big crowd with the likes of Broadway shows, concerts, and other types of entertainment. If you would rather see live entertainment from your own home, look no further than the performers behind All Kinds of Limbo. The musical performance is developed by artists Raffy Bushman and Nubiya Brandon alongside the NuShape Orchestra in the U.K.

Using just a VR headset on a mobile device or PC, audiences can take part in this immersive experience that brings the Caribbean culture to life in a story of a life in limbo across different genres of music. Called All Kinds of Limbo XR, this special production from the National Theater utilizes VR technology to create a place for audiences to watch these musicians perform with the tunes of the Caribbean.

Universe Sandbox

• Platforms: Steam VR
• Price: $29.99 (via Steam Store, also includes non-VR version)

Universe Sandbox happily caters to those who just want to watch the planets leisurely orbit the sun or, with the click of a button or two, watch days pass in seconds. Even without touching the extensive and sometimes silly Steam Workshop items (space whale included), just poring over solar systems (ours and a handful of others) will keep stargazers happy.

However, its the option to experiment that really elevates Universe Sandbox. You can move planets, alter their size, their composition, blow them up the Solar System is your oyster. Yes, theres nothing to stop you swapping the Sun out for a black hole and the resultant planetary chaos is really something. But you can have just as much fun making little tweaks and observing the knock-on effects.

Perspectives: Paradise

• Platforms: Steam VR
• Price: Free (via Steam Store)

Perspectives: Paradise starts with a bang and ends with a whimper which, given the subject matter is entirely appropriate. Its a virtual reality dive into the 1952 test detonation of the first hydrogen bomb and the effect it had at Enewetak/Bikini Atoll, both upon the environment and the original inhabitants.

Aside from a spectacular VR recreation of the detonation of the bomb, you get to delve into the unsettling aftermath, standing atop the sealed mound where radioactive materials were buried. On top of that, there are 360 views of the island, interviews (including with the people who live there now) and more.

The subject is treated with an appropriate level of dignity its not a fist-pumping celebration of Americas might, thanks in part to the involvement of some Finnish journalists. And its absolutely going to leave you with food for thought.

The Book of Distance

• Platforms: Steam VR, Meta
• Price: Free (via Steam Store, Meta Quest Store)

Aside from visiting remote locations, VR allows you to experience other peoples stories. The Book of Distance tells just one such story, about a Japanese man who emigrated to America. That might be an interesting tale in its own right, but what makes his story so significant is that he was one of the many, many Japanese American citizens who spent some or all of WWII in American internment camps.

What makes this such an impactful experience is that it has such a narrow, personal focus. It was produced with the involvement of Randall Okita, the mans grandson, and it lets you delve into various aspects of his life. Its presented as sort of a play, one that will absolutely hold your attention, and its the perfect way to illuminate an important but often glossed over chapter of Americas history.

Within - Cinematic VR

• Platforms: Oculus, Steam, Google Play, Apple
• Price: Free

For those in need of a cinematic experience at home, Within VR can make that happen. Get immersed in some amazing stories in different genres like documentaries, horror, music videos, animation, and so much more. Whats great is that these are viewed at no charge at all.

You can catch the best from indie filmmakers and studios from around the world. These videos are also available to download in high-resolution, so you can take it anywhere you go if you dont have an internet connection to stream it. If youre up for some video content, then youll find plenty of that through Within.

Best of all, there are no platform limitations, as the Within website proudly states that it's "available everywhere fine VR is served".

Museum VR creates new ways for visitors to explore

For instance, one VR experience that has made headlines in recent years is Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass at the Louvre Museum, a collaboration with HTC Vive Arts. Part of the Louvres Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in 2019/20, it brought to life the story of the iconic Mona Lisa.

Meanwhile, visitors in London have enjoyed VR experiences at the Natural History Museum. And museum lovers in the US can be immersed in unique content at Philadelphias Franklin Institute.

So, why are museums adding VR to their offer and what are the benefits? We take a closer look, as well as exploring some examples from around the sector.

Online engagement in the time of COVID-19

VR experiences, such as virtual tours, arent exactly new to the museum world. However, they have made a lot of headlines this year. This is due to the various COVID-19 lockdowns that took place across the world.

For museums that were forced to close as a result of the global pandemic, these virtual tours provided a way to keep visitors engaged. Plus, they had numerous benefits for the public too, from education to wellbeing.

Many museums were already providing virtual tours through Google Arts & Culture. This online platform gained much extra notoriety during the coronavirus outbreak. It allows people to view high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artefacts from anywhere in the world.

There are over 2000 museums and cultural institutions using the platform to provide virtual content. This includes the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Muse dOrsay in Paris and The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul.

Benefits of museum VR experiences

One huge benefit for museums in using VR experiences is that it allows them to bring objects, scenes and stories to life. This often makes it easier for visitors to understand them or put them in context.

For instance, this technology can be used to digitally restore famous sites such as the Colosseum in Rome. Or to transport visitors back in time, for example, to Pompeii before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It enables people to feel part of the exhibition, rather than being a passive viewer.

For those wanting to travel a little further afield, VR can also help us to explore other terrains. For example, the surface of the moon or the deepest oceans.

Furthermore, VR experiences can help museums reach new audiences, and engage with people from around the world. Here are some examples of innovative ways that museums have used this technology to enhance their visitor offer:

The Renwick Gallery, Washington D.C.

The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. provides a way of exploring its WONDER exhibition in VR. Using a free app, called WONDER 360, visitors can use their own device to view 360 3D panoramic views of the gallery, alongside video interviews with the curator and some of the artists.

The WONDER exhibition, which ran from November 2015 to July 2016, was hugely popular. It featured stunning gallery-sized installations. These were created by nine leading artists, in order to celebrate the space itself.

Thanks to VR technology, the works by Jennifer Angus, Chakaia Booker, Gabriel Dawe, Tara Donovan, Patrick Dougherty, Janet Echelman, John Grade, Maya Lin, and Leo Villareal are available to experience in a whole new way. Even though the physical exhibition at the museum has ended.

Renwick Gallery WONDER 360 is our first major experiment with VR. Were excited to keep exploring the potential of this emerging technology, said Sara Snyder, chief of the museums media and technology office, when the app was initially released.

The app captures the WONDER exhibition as a moment in time and lets you carry the beauty of that experience around in your pocket, anywhere in the world. It represents a whole new way of sharing art with the public.

The National Museum of Natural History, Paris

Since 2018, visitors to the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France, have been able to enjoy a fascinating VR experience, as part of a new permanent exhibition. The Cabinet De Ralit Virtuelle (The Cabinet of Virtual Reality) was the first permanent museum room in the country dedicated to VR technology.

Once they enter the Cabinet of Virtual Reality, guests enjoy a specially designed programme: Journey into the Heart of Evolution. This allows them to go on a unique adventure. Here, they will discover the links between species and can zoom in on different creatures to learn more.

The room is home to five VR stations, each with an HTC Vive virtual reality system. This means that five visitors can take part at the same time. This use of technology is a way for the museum to illustrate complex concepts in a new way, making them come to life in front of their visitors eyes.

There is a tactile mat on the floor so that the participants are aware of the area that they must stay within. To ensure that the experience is as immersive as possible, there is soundproofing around the room. This is to keep out the sounds of the rest of the museum. Dynamic lighting also guides visitors to the VR stations.

The National Czech and Slovak Museum, Cedar Rapids

In 2018, one museum in the US turned to the local community for help in creating a new VR experience. The National Czech and Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, used VR in its Guts & Glory: The War Train that Shaped a Nation exhibition. This ran from April December 2018.

The exhibition told the story of 60,000 Czech and Slovak soldiers who were stranded in Russia at the end of WWI. They banded together, seized the Trans-Siberian Railway, fought their way 5,000 miles to the port of Vladivostok and provided crucial support for the allies, as well as being instrumental in the formation of their new homeland: Czechoslovakia.

Students from Cedar Rapids Metro High School designed replica train cars for the exhibit. Meanwhile, Iowa BIG students worked on the VR experience with the museum. Visitors were able to don a VR headset and put themselves in the shoes of a soldier on the train.

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), Melbourne

Before closing for redevelopment in 2019, ACMI was home to a dedicated VR lounge, inside its permanent Screen Worlds exhibition. This opened in 2017, building upon the museums considerable experience in the world of VR.

As the national museum for film, TV, games digital culture and art, ACMI is fascinated by the rapid evolution of VR and the new ways practitioners are engaging audiences through this platform, said ACMI Director and CEO, Katrina Sedgwick, speaking at the time of the VR lounges opening.

Alongside our vibrant commissioning program, the VR Lounge is the latest addition to our free, permanent exhibition, Screen Worlds. We are delighted that the first showcased work is the beautiful The Turning Forest, created by VRTOV in collaboration with BBC Research and Development. It is a stunning work which will delight people young and old.

Other VR works exhibited at ACMI include Prehistoric VR by Erth Visual & Physical Inc., Sandpits playGhost, Toast and the Things Unsaidwith Google Creative Lab and Grumpy Sailor, andStuck in the Middle With You, an immersive dance experience by renowned choreographer Gideon Obarzanek and award-winning filmmaker Matthew Bate.

In 2019, Sedgwick spoke to Blooloop about the redevelopment of ACMI, and how it will continue to use new technology such as VR and AR to tell stories.

The Tate, London

One of the Tates most popular exhibitions of recent years was its Modigliani retrospective of 2017/18. Visitors to this were also able to enjoy a unique VR experience. This allowed the museum to show the artist and his life in a new way.

Modigliani VR: The Ochre Atelier was a recreation of the artists Paris studio, as it would have been when Modigliani painted there 100 years ago. Guests could enter a 3D model of the studio and put themselves in the artists shoes.

While the studio space itself still exists, it has changed much over the last century. However, using it as a template, alongside historical documents and the artists works themselves, the museum was able to create a faithful recreation. This experience was a unique way of adding extra context to the blockbuster exhibition. It helped to give visitors a feel for Modiglianis last months.

Speaking of the experience, Hilary Knight, head of digital content at Tate, said that VR can be a useful tool for museums: I think weve demonstrated that there a place for virtual reality in the gallery, as a way of helping people to connect on an emotional level understanding art through feeling, as well as learning facts.

I think there is something interesting about using VR to take people to places they couldnt otherwise access. Its also something that an increasing number of artists are exploring.

Challenges with museum VR experiences

Some of the early problems with VR, for instance, feelings of nausea, have improved greatly over the past few years as technology improves. But it is still something that museums need to bear in mind.

However, one recurring issue has taken on a new significance in the light of COVID-19: hygiene. In a post-pandemic world, visitors are more aware than ever of the spread of germs and will be unlikely to want to share hardware such as headsets without being able to trust that stringent cleaning procedures are in place.

For those museums who rely on VR headsets, rather than presenting experiences that can be accessed from peoples own mobile devices, this should be taken into consideration.

How effective are museum VR experiences?

Museum VR can enhance the visitor experience, presenting information in an engaging way. But, the overall goal needs to be clear. The technology must add something new or enhance what is already there.

Visitors will be able to tell if a museum is using VR just for the sake of it. However, when used correctly, VR technology can create something genuinely memorable and interesting.

During the global pandemic, people flocked to virtual museum and art gallery tours as a way to escape the lockdown, while staying safe in their own homes. But can VR truly replicate the emotional experience of a real-life museum visit?

Researchers from Italy and Spain conducted an experiment to measure peoples emotional response to a virtual museum setting. Half of the studys participants attended an exhibit in person. Meanwhile, the other half viewed a detailed reconstruction of the same exhibit through a VR headset. During the experience, the researchers took electroencephalographic (EEG) and electrocardiographic (ECG) measurements.

They found that there was not a huge difference between the two readings. In fact, the VR participants showed slightly more excitement. Of course, this could have been due to the technology itself being new and exciting.

See also: Museums bring history and culture to life with AR technology

Drawing a crowd with VR

When looking at how effective museum VR experiences are at driving up visitor numbers, it might be worth noting that in 2019 2020, The Louvres Leonardo da Vinci exhibition enjoyed a record-breaking number of visitors. Around 1.1 million guests attended the four-month-long exhibition, which commemorated the 500th anniversary of the artists death.

A celebration of such a well-known artist at the worlds most popular museum was always going to draw a crowd. But the record-breaking success might also be due, in part, to the draw of the museums Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass VR experience. This was a key part of the landmark exhibition.