Louvre Abu Dhabi unveils VR time-travel experience: A journey through history

Abu Dhabi: Have you ever dreamed of travelling through time to witness the most significant historical events and milestones that shaped human civilization and laid the foundations of global cultures? This might sound like an unusual question and it is yet thanks to modern technology, dreams are now closer to reality. Louvre Abu Dhabi has launched its exceptional and innovative project, A Journey Through History, offering visitors a unique, collective virtual reality experience that takes them through time to explore pivotal moments in history and witness the highlights that have defined world cultures.

Available for 12 months in the museum’s lower gallery, this experience reflects Louvre Abu Dhabi’s commitment to promoting art and culture through innovative approaches. The 25-minute virtual reality journey uses fully wireless, full-body motion tracking technology, allowing up to ten participants to move freely at the same time, navigating vibrant digital environments without the need for screens or controllers.

25 minutes across the ages

According to the event announcement: “This experience is available for 12 months in the museum’s lower gallery, embodying Louvre Abu Dhabi’s dedication to fostering art and culture in inventive ways. The 25-minute VR journey employs wireless, full-body tracking technology, enabling ten participants to move freely and explore immersive digital worlds without screens or handheld devices.”

Visitors embark on a time-travel mission inspired by science fiction, where past and future intersect in a captivating journey through art and history. Guided by cinematic storytelling, participants travel through centuries to rediscover masterpieces from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s collection.

The experience brings to life historical worlds linked to three remarkable artifacts from the permanent collection: a portrait of Emperor Augustus from 1st-century Imperial Rome, offering a walk through his grand forum to discover the power and symbolism of Roman rule; a manuscript page from De Materia Medica in 13th-century Baghdad, transporting visitors to the House of Wisdom where scholars gathered to unlock the secrets of medicine, nature, and the cosmos; and the Four Mirrors Shield from Mughal India in the 17th–18th centuries.

Participants go beyond simply observing they move freely through expansive historical landscapes, exploring sites naturally through their own body movements, just as they would in real life. As a shared group journey rather than a solitary one, participants see and interact with each other, progressing together through a narrative that blends discovery, learning, and advanced technology.

A voyage over calm waters

The journey also takes visitors across tranquil waters alongside the Jal Mahal palace, immersing them in the grandeur of the Mughal Empire. The experience offers more than passive viewing it invites active exploration of vast virtual reconstructions of historic environments, fostering interaction and collective discovery.

Marine Botton, Senior Interpretation and Creative Content Specialist at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “A Journey Through History is an extension of our mission to highlight the shared connections between cultures and societies through innovative experiences. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of human civilizations with a global outlook, and we are proud to offer an experience where visitors engage with history not as distant observers, but as active participants. This project reflects Louvre Abu Dhabi’s commitment to using technology to develop inspiring cultural initiatives that welcome all, building bridges of connection and dialogue between cultures across time, and reviving human stories.”

 Developed in collaboration with Small Creative Studio (France), A Journey Through History is available in Arabic, English, and French, and is suitable for visitors aged eight and above. It has been designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences including individuals, families, students, technology enthusiasts, and culture explorers all sharing a single immersive journey.