Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam will be launching the spectacular Virtual Reality (VR) trip through time entitled ‘dare to discover | a VR journey’ on 14 December 2017. The VR experience on board the East Indiaman Amsterdam transports museum visitors back to the Dutch Golden Age. This exciting journey includes a flight over the historic harbour of Amsterdam, and visitors can also experience the rapid development of the area into a busy port.
Visitors will also witness a number of unique events such as the creation of the impressive shipyard and the Zeemagazijn (storage depot for the Dutch navy) – now home to the museum – and the construction and launching of a warship. They can even be present at a farewell on the quayside, where the crew are boarding the Dutch East India Company's ship. Tickets for the VR experience can be booked online from December 2017 onwards at hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl and are also available from the ticket counter.
hustle and bustle in the seventeenth-century Amsterdam harbour
The VR Journey takes visitors to the heart of the harbour of seventeenth-century Amsterdam. They can see a variety of things going on, both up close and from a distance, and can move about in the hustle and bustle of moving ships and little rowing boats in between the ships being completed. At the start of the VR experience, the skyline of Amsterdam is still open. New land is being reclaimed, on which the shipyard and ’s Lands Zeemagazijn are being constructed. The tower – Montelbaanstoren – is also visible, along with merchants of a variety of nationalities and the arrival and dispatch of goods. Here on the quayside, a farewell is also taking place. Dutch East India Company sailors and soldiers are embarking and saying goodbye to their families. And isn't that Michiel de Ruyter, walking along with his wife?
practical information on 'dare to discover'
The VR journey takes place in one of the holds of the East Indiaman Amsterdam, fitted out with twenty comfortable swivel chairs and VR glasses. Visitors can take part in the VR Journey every 15 minutes between 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM, provided there is enough staffing available. Dare to Discover is open to adults and children aged 8 and older. Each VR session has two places available for wheelchair users. Want to be certain of a seat? Book your tickets in advance online at hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl. Any remaining tickets will be on sale on the day at the ticket counter. Admission to Dare to Discover is free with a valid museum ticket.
concept and development of VR
The concept, design, and creative management for the interior and identity of VR Journey have been taken care of by NorthernLight. The development of the VR content has been taken care of by Shosho.
the BankGiro Lottery and Het Compagnie Fonds
‘Dare to Discover | A VR Journey’ has been made possible thanks to an extra donation from the BankGiro Lottery. The BankGiro Lottery is a Dutch lottery organization supporting cultural initiatives. The lottery raises funds for its cultural partners and promotes their work. The lottery also aims to make culture accessible to a wide audience and to celebrate culture together. Almost 600,000 people in the Netherlands regularly take part in the BankGiro Lottery. Besides having the chance to win prizes, these participants help support Dutch culture in all its forms, as half of the cost of each lottery ticket funds cultural organizations and activities throughout the Netherlands, from windmills to concerts and from festivals to museums. See also bankgiroloterij.nl. The museum's own Compagnie Fonds, a foundation comprising donors supporting Het Scheepvaartmuseum, has also contributed to the development of Dare to Discover.