Virtual museums are taking art to new heights.
Ever thought about taking a tour of a museum without physically going there? Sure, it might sound a bit bonkers, but the reality is that you can now take virtual tours of museums and art galleries via Virtual Reality. Curators are increasingly adopting this immersive technology to take people on three-dimensional museum tours.
Originally, VR was used only in the gaming industry. No longer is the immersive technology merely a form of video games now. The marriage of art and technology paved the way for the rise of virtual reality museum a few years ago. Today, many museums are using virtual reality to create novel experiences for art enthusiasts. Art lovers and curators around the world are already embracing the idea of VR museum.
Virtual reality museums create a next-level experience
VR has come a long way to become omnipresent in society. It has already crossed the nascent stages. This technology is reshaping the world. Museums and artists are using VR to take art to the next level. They are creating interactive and immersive experiences for their audiences.
Think about using VR headset and tools like Oculus Rift, Google Tilt Brush, and Facebook 360 to immerse users in a 3-dimensional art environment. The 3D simulated environment creates real-life, virtual reality experiences for users. The good news is that the audience is not always required to be physically present in the museum or gallery. Most of the time, they can view their favourite artworks using tools like a VR headset from anywhere in the world.
Museums didn’t used to work that way. There was a time when people were required to physically go to museums, stand in the queues at the entrances, and walk around the rooms and halls to explore the artworks. Virtual reality is now making that practice obsolete. Art lovers find it convenient to explore their favourite artworks from their sitting rooms.
During the last two years alone, museum curators have recognized the importance of VR and AR technology. Many museums have already adopted the technology for its ability to immerse their audience in art. Art curators are now using VR to take users on online tours to their museums.
And it has worked well, delivering amazing results. Not only have they seen a spike in the number of their audiences but also higher customer satisfaction.
Cases in point
Take the case of Art Basel that worked with Google for an art project in Hong Kong. They teamed up with prominent artists, including Yang Yongliang, Sun Xun, and Cao Fei, to create virtual artworks using Tilt Brush. Using the 3D drawing and painting app, the artists were able to create immersive, bite-sized GIFs.
The Franklin Institute, which is considered a pioneer in creating VR experience for its audience, is yet another good example in this context. The institute adopted VR in 2016 when the technology was just taking off the ground. They let people take VR trips to the depths of the sea and outer space, experiencing adventure in a new way.
Then came DSL Collection that embraced VR technology, letting people access their artwork in a simulated environment. The Los Angeles based Peterson Automotive Museum also successfully experimented with VR in 2017. The museum lets its audience interact with the Ford GT40, a classic American sports car, in a simulated environment.
In 2018, the National Museum of Finland used VR to send visitors back in time to 1863 where they virtually explored a painting by R. W. Ekman.
The Tate Modern in the UK organized a mesmerizing VR exhibit, letting visitors experience full engagement with a 3D model of their Paris based studio.
The Auckland War Memorial Museum took VR to the next level by allowing people to immerse in realistic experiences of the First World War. The users were virtually thrown in the war zone, with explosions, shootings, and shouting taking place and planes flying overhead.
The future of virtual museums
So, what does the future look like for the VR museum? To many people, it may seem intimidating given the technical language and adoption of modern gadgets. But virtual reality museum is not that complex. The idea is to place the user in a virtual environment. Museums can opt to make the audience experience interactive or simply deliver 360-degree video tours.
Since many museums are already successfully using VR technology and others are following suit, there is no doubt that VR is revolutionizing art. Nowadays more and more companies all over the world offer various VR development services and help museums to create virtual museum tours, interactive exhibit experiences, and bring historical scenes to life.
Many museums allow individuals to explore their artworks virtually, from anywhere in the world. Others are using VR to create immersive experiences on-site. You can opt to go with one or both of these options for your museum.
VR adds value to your service, besides making art more affordable and accessible. It also lets you cover a larger audience base. Today, museum virtual reality technology is more accessible and affordable. Wide ranges of affordable VR capable tools are now also available for people to buy.
Conclusion
Virtual museums are taking art to new heights. They are offering something valuable and unique to both the artist and the audience. In the future, we see new developments in VR and AR that are destined to change the way we see and experience art in museums and galleries.