When VR Works

VR has moved from a novelty to a useful technique, but unevenly. Some museums report great success. Some find it expensive and operationally difficult.

It’s not a debate. Like anything, VR works in some cases and not in others. So let’s just tally up the pros and cons. Today we’ll start with the positives.

When VR Works:

1. Accessing the Inaccessible:
VR can take you to places you can’t go: ancient Mecca, the bloodstream, a refugee camp.

2. Empathy and Emotional Impact:
When goggles immerse you, you shift into deeper focus, strengthening emotion and empathy (e.g., in a refugee camp).

3. Strong Spatial Storytelling:
VR is effective at conveying spatial or architectural ideas (e.g., Mecca).

4. Best Way to Learn in Specific Cases:
As a 3D medium, VR is often the most effective way to learn about complex 3D concepts (e.g., the bloodstream).

5. High Marketing and Visitor Appeal:
It has been dethroned by AI and immersive, but VR still attracts donors, the press, and visitors.

Here’s the thing:

It’s not a debate. Like anything, VR works in some cases and not in others.

Next time, the other side of the coin: when VR doesn’t work.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Virtual reality (VR). A computer-generated, 3D audiovisual environment experienced through individual head-mounted displays and sensors that track movement. This creates a sense of presence and the ability to look around, move, and interact with an enveloping digital depiction of reality.