On 17 October, Media Centre Ukraine presented VR KOLO, Ukraine’s first network of virtual reality museums. The project brought together five museum institutions from different regions into a single digital space. Now, visitors can “travel” between Chernihiv, Khortytsia, Okhtyrka, Pryluky, and Dubno in a matter of seconds using a VR headset.
VR KOLO was created as an infrastructure of the future, combining culture, education, and innovation. The project was implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation in partnership with Forward Inc. and the Museum Development Fund.
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The project offers a new way of interacting with heritage. Digitised artefacts, including those damaged during the war, come to life in VR — with authentic textures, lighting, music and voices. According to Anton Shynkaruk, head of the Digital History Centre, VR KOLO transforms the museum into a place of action where heritage becomes alive, accessible and unifying.
The network currently includes the National Architectural and Historical Reserve “Ancient Chernihiv”, the National Reserve “Khortytsia”, the Okhtyrka City Local History Museum, the Pryluky Local History Museum, and the State Historical and Cultural Reserve in Dubno. Each museum has received its own VR tour, taking into account the nature of its collections and local narratives.
The project already features over 120 digital exhibits. Each one can be studied in close detail — zooming in on the smallest details and “holding” them in VR. This transforms the museum into an interactive space where visitors learn about history through modern technology.
The project team plans to expand the network and is open to cooperation with museums, communities, educational institutions, and donors. VR KOLO’s goal is to make virtual space the norm for every Ukrainian museum, regardless of geography.
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