24 November 2017

Virtual Reality which immersed visitors into the Viking world has been named as one of the winners at this year’s York Cultural Awards.

The project, created in partnership between the Yorkshire Museum and DC Labs at the University of York, is the most realistic Virtual Reality of a Viking world ever created.

It was premiered to visitors at the Yorkshire Museum’s Viking: Rediscover the Legend exhibition which ran from May until November 2017.

The project was shortlisted in the Excellence in Media Arts category and found out last night (November 23) that it had won at the awards ceremony at York Minster.

Curators and digital experts from York Museums Trust worked with DC Labs to create various scenes depicting the Viking winter camp at Torksey. They were shown on specially designed headsets as part of the major new exhibition, which was in partnership with the British Museum.

Two other projects the Trust were involved with were also finalists.

Susan Aldworth’s The Dark Self was inspired by the artist’s research into sleep during her three year residency at the University of York. The exhibition transformed the historic space of York St Mary’s from June 7 until September 3 2017.

Forward to Victory saw the Trust work collaboratively with the York Theatre Royal to commission a bespoke, site-specific play for their Youth Theatre. It was performed on Kirkgate, the museum’s recreated Victorian street, from March 30 to April 1 2017.

The play, written by Rachel Barnett, was inspired by the museum’s First World War gallery and collection, and was brought to life by the Youth Group’s 14 – 16 year olds with the audience being very much part of the performance. The project was part of York Castle Museum’s Changing Spaces project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).