Breakthroughs in virtual reality could soon shape the museums of the future.

Imagine standing on a Marlborough Sounds beach watching a mighty waka arrive in the 13th century, or strolling down a street as European settlers build their first general store.

Brian Goodwin is part of a new virtual reality company called ‘I Want To Experience’, currently working at Te Papa’s innovation lab Mahuki and will be visiting Marlborough Museum on November 1 as part of heritage month.

Goodwin and his team use the skills they have mastered creating content for blockbuster Hollywood films at Weta Digital to pioneer a new genre of information interchange that is only now, with the release of VR technology, becoming possible.

Marlborough Heritage Trust executive director Steve Austin says Goodwin’s visit to Marlborough heralds a new direction for history buffs.

“The presentation offers the chance to try out the virtual reality headsets,” Austin says.

“And Goodwin and the team will be creating a historical tour especially relevant to Marlborough.”

The 90-minute presentation will be held at the Marlborough Museum with limited spaces available for the VR tour.

“If we want heritage to be a part of the regional identity, and community pride, then we have to start using the relevant technology for the next generation. This is the future of museum heritage,” Austin says.

It is expected the introduction of this technology will attract a wider audience to the region’s history and culture.

“Another way to think about it is asking how we can create a heritage story about Marlborough that people can access from anywhere.

“We have extraordinary sites in Marlborough that are historically significant. We need to share that story with the world.”

 – The Marlborough Express

Source: Stuff