What is the LGBTQ+ VR Museum?
Antonia: “LGBTQ+ VR Museum” is the world’s first virtual reality museum dedicated to platforming and celebrating the stories of LGBTQIA+ people. This immersive digital space contains 3D scans of emotive real-life objects – from wedding shoes to a teddy bear – chosen by people in the LGBTQ+ community, accompanied by their story, told in their own voice. In this multi-award-winning experience, attendees step into an alternate reality, where they can explore a dedicated queer space that goes beyond the limitations of traditional exhibitions by engaging with 3D scans, audio stories, and artworks from diverse voices and communities.
How does the LGBTQ+ VR Museum aim to center and celebrate queer stories?
Antonia: Our museum provides a digital platform for marginalized voices that have been historically underrepresented. It creates a safe and inclusive space where queer individuals can share their personal narratives, experiences, and perspectives – fostering understanding, empathy, and connection among visitors. By centering these stories, we challenge the heteronormative and cisgender narratives that often dominate traditional museum spaces, offering a more inclusive and accurate representation of LGBTQ+ history and culture. Our goal is to challenge preconceived notions about the LGBTQ+ community, break down barriers, and open new possibilities for dialogue and acceptance.
What inspired you to build a virtual museum instead of a physical one?
Antonia: The decision to build a virtual museum instead of a physical one was twofold. Firstly – out of necessity! Curating a physical museum is a rare privilege that requires specialist knowledge, social connections, physical resources – such as a venue, funding, and staffing – and more. Creating a virtual museum allows us to disrupt this model and democratize the curatorial process. Secondly, we were driven by the desire to overcome barriers of accessibility and reach a global audience. By leveraging VR technology, we can break free from geographical limitations, allowing people from all over the world to engage with the museum’s exhibits. Additionally, the immersive and interactive nature of VR enhances the storytelling experience, offering a unique and impactful way to connect with the LGBTQ+ community and its rich heritage. Finally, a virtual museum can never be destroyed, damaged, or become the site of violence or a hate crime – sadly, a very real risk for any physical venue or event celebrating queer culture.
Thomas: We were very conscious that we didn’t want to build something that was necessary for high-end PCs. We understood that would exclude a large demographic that already has access to or could have access to VR, and obviously, the quest is getting more and more affordable.
We know that this is not necessarily the case everywhere in the world, but at this point, it is the best that we can do. We want to make versions that you can visit in a Web browser to grant access to the museum for more of a virtual tour instead of in VR.
We want to have all these things available, and we know that one of the unique kinds of affordances or strengths of VR is that it allows us to target more accessibility features.
It was very conscious that we chose to market for the quest as a standalone headset. The most predominant VR headset currently.
How does the VR technology used in the museum enhance the visitor’s experience?
Antonia: VR can enhance a visitor’s experience, compared to other digital formats, by creating an immersive and interactive environment. Through the use of VR headsets, attendees can fully immerse themselves in the LGBTQ+ VR Museum, feeling as though they are physically present within the curated spaces. This fosters a heightened sense of presence and emotional response to the LGBTQ+ narratives being shared, which is more likely to generate a lasting sense of empathy and human connection. It creates a sense of having connected with the stories being told, even without having met the storytellers in-person.
Thomas: VR allows everyone to be transported to this museum and have it available also in their own safe spaces. Some people might not feel comfortable going into a queer space in public, but since people can’t see what you’re seeing in your VR headset, you can feel more comfortable visiting without fear of being outed if you’re not comfortable.
We were very focused on it being a safe space. The Museum cannot be destroyed. It can’t be vandalized or anything. It exists for all of time.
Suppose we had to build a physical one. We would have to make sure always to have security protecting the space & rent to pay. Whereas here, this will exist as a file that people can always visit.
We think that is a powerful way of maintaining these stories.
Technology is really powerful in comparison to just building something physical because that will have wear and tear, whereas this museum will appear new every time you open it.
In what ways does the LGBTQ+ VR Museum disrupt the privileging of non-marginalized stories in traditional museums?
Antonia: Traditional museums predominantly centre the stories of majority groups (cisgender, heterosexual, white, male, able-bodied, upper-class, Western Europeans or Americans). Instead, using an immersive digital platform, we prioritize the stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ people, creating a more inclusive and representative space that allows for a broader understanding of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and contributions. We’ve seen really strong emotional reactions from participants – particularly queer visitors, who are shocked to see stories like their own, represented in a museum context, for the first time. That reaction really highlights the absence of these stories in traditional physical museum spaces.
Thomas: Antonia was the one that initially started the museum, and I came on board really quickly, because initially I just offered Antonio to say, well, I would love my story to be featured in the museum, and then it grew to the fact that because I’m also a VR developer, I could see that Antonio was, there’s a lot to do with building this kind of thing.
I offered my help, and before I knew it, I designed the physical space that the museum was in, and Antonia and I kind of built this experience together, but really we did it more for ourselves.
I was more inspired to say, I’ve never been to a museum where I felt seen, where I felt like I could relate, because a lot of the, yes, there might be naked men on the wall, if you’re going to a museum with Greek art, but it’s not necessarily the gay love stories that are featured apart of the Museum.In that sense, I’m privileged because I’m still a white man, and a lot of these stories are being told are curated, or at least maintained from this kind of white cis men having the enough power to have their stories maintained through history.
What types of objects and stories are featured in the LGBTQ+ VR Museum?
Antonia: The Museum houses a wide range of objects and artworks contributed by individuals from around the world. Each of the objects is accompanied with a unique and heartfelt story that offers insight into the lives of everyday queer people. One submission is a pair of wedding shoes from a woman in Wales. These were initially purchased for her as a birthday gift from her girlfriend – something they could “never afford” for a wedding they could “never have”. When gay marriage was finally legalized, the shoes were proudly worn again during the couple’s official wedding ceremony. Another object with a touching story is a church pulpit from Ghana, where homosexuality is currently outlawed. It was submitted by a gay Ghanaian man, who speaks about navigating the complex intersection of his faith and his sexuality.
What is the process from start to finish of obtaining an object and then displaying it within the museum?
Thomas: The process consists of taking around 700 to 1000 photos of an object from every angle and then using a process called photogrammetry to recreate that as a 3D object.
We stitch all these photos together and then create a 3D object. We’ve also had people also ship their items to us if they’re okay with shipping them if they’re far away. For instance, one of the statues, the marble statue, located in New York and wasn’t able to be shipped. We had to send someone there to scan it. So it can be very different.
In collaboration with the Danish Museum, we’ve been fortunate enough because it’s a national museum.
As for the audio, the first museum was also a bit different because some of them were recorded over a phone call. Some were in person, others just recorded themselves or whatever they had. I usually would be a phone.
Whereas with The Danish Museum, we’ve gone around with like a studio microphone and recorded it in a proper manner the first time around.
What are some things we can expect from the LGBTQ+ VR Museum?
Antonia: The museum is an immersive and transformative experience that showcases the rich diversity and history of the LGBTQ+ community. Through a combination of 3D scans, audio narratives, and interactive exhibits, visitors will delve into the personal stories, artworks, and artifacts that shape LGBTQ+ identities and contribute to the larger cultural landscape. In the future, you can expect to see more stories, more diverse narratives… and more accessibility features! The museum is currently D/deaf accessible (fully subtitled) and seated/wheelchair accessible (i.e. you can experience it standing and turning with your physical body, or you can experience it sitting and turn with controllers). We are also developing localized versions in other languages, centering stories from different countries – beginning with a fully Danish version of the museum, which will debut in just a few months! Stay tuned on our mailing list or social media (Twitter and Instagram) for more exciting updates.
What is one statement of advice would you have for creators that you were told or wish you were told in the beginning of your venture?
Antonia: Whenever I’m starting a new project, I start by asking myself “WHY do I want to do this? What does success look like for me? What is my intended outcome?”. This comes from a TED talk by Simon Sinek, called “Start With Why” (he also has a book by the title). Get a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve, and design around that. In this case, I was reflecting on my own experience of coming out as LGBTQ+. My family reacted very negatively (and violently), and I was forced to cut contact with many of them. I wanted to build something that would help other queer people who may be going through a similar experience. Ideally, I wanted to build something that could reduce homophobia and challenge stereotypes, while also providing comfort and solace to queer people who may not be accepted by those around them. The strongest predictor of homophobia is a lack of exposure to LGBTQ+ people and stories – human connection is the most powerful way to overcome prejudice and bigotry. How could I share queer stories and facilitate connection and empathy in a way that transcended geographic and cultural boundaries? I landed on the idea of a virtual museum because museums are a place where we platform stories that society deems appropriate, important, and worth preserving. By presenting LGBTQ+ stories in this context, it communicates that they, too, are worth preserving and sharing. I figured out the “Why” of the project, and designed the experience around that. That’s my advice for creators – be clear on your Why, and design your project accordingly.
Thomas: I think with any of this, you have to do it because you want this to exist in the world. It has to be motivated intrinsically. It has to come from a person themselves wanting this because it’s a lot of work and it’s not, it’s for the monetary game.
Camara: I know it can be tricky sometimes, but to hear that it’s been able to work out and you’re being deemed valued as to the same is amazing to hear.
Camara: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today! We look forward to seeing what is coming forward.
Both: Thank you for your kind words and for spotlighting our work! We appreciate everyone’s support and enthusiasm for the project. We look forward to sharing more exciting developments, exhibits, and opportunities with you in the future. Please follow along on our social channels (Instagram, Twitter and our mailing list), because we can’t wait to share more exciting updates soon!
Camara’s Thoughts: The LGBTQ VR Museum is the first institution to focus on the lives of people within the LGBTQA+ community. Bridging the lens of accessibility, I was able to visit the museum within the comfort of my own home using the Meta Quest 2. Access to inclusive, safe spaces where you can appreciate the art & stories of an underrepresented community within the arts. This experience brought me to wonder why previous exhibitions that I have visited about LGBTQA+ experiences only focused on “key figures” within history & events such as the attack on Stonewall. These key events & people are essential, but the LGBTQ+ VR Museum focuses on bringing a broader understanding, bringing forth stories from people around the world & the knowledge that inclusion doesn’t incorporate separation. Hence, labels are not prominent within the Museum.
Being able to interact with artifacts within a physical museum is usually unseen unless you’re trying to assert privilege by touching artifacts within Institutions, which happens more often than we would think.
The LGBTQ VR Museum encourages users to interact with the items on display. You can pick them up without worrying about damaging the item.
I could speak forever about this experience, but I highly encourage patrons of the art to visit this Institution. As my supporters know, I highly believe in the future of web3 & accessibility; and the LGBTQ VR Museum is incorporating that mission within its foundation.
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