THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AWARDS MUSEUM FOR INNOVATIVE APOLLO EXPLORATION EXPERIENCE
Fort Worth, TX (July 14, 2020) — The Apollo Landing Site Panorama VR Experience at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History earned the Bronze 2020 MUSE Award in the AR/VR/Mixed Reality category by the American Alliance of Museums. MUSE awards recognize outstanding achievement in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) media. These annual awards are presented to institutions that enhance guest engagement with useful and innovative digital programs and services. They also celebrate scholarship, community, innovation, creativity, education, accessibility, and inclusiveness.
The Museum transformed its largest gallery into an eight-month celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landings. The large exhibition, Launchpad: Promises Kept, connected guests to space exploration through beautiful, interactive environments, which combined artifacts, hands-on interactives, and personal informational stations. The Apollo Landing Site Panorama VR consisted of a platform immersed in a Moon-like environment that provided a social learning experience where groups could walk together in the steps of some of America’s greatest heroes. Each VR headset presented real panoramic photography from a different Apollo mission.
Museum President, Van A. Romans observed “It was wonderful seeing families having such fun putting on the VR headsets and exploring the Moon together.” Chief Scientist, Dr. Morgan Rehnberg who curated the exhibition described the views of the various landing sites, “Missions were sent to different areas of the surface of the Moon, with later missions landing near larger craters and hills as the Apollo team gained experience with precision landings.” Guests talked among themselves and with museum staff who helped them to understand what they were seeing in the 360 photographs.
Guest exploring the Apollo 11 landing site in virtual reality at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History as a part of its Launchpad exhibition, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings. The experience earned the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History a bronze award in the category of VR/AR/Mixed Reality by the American Alliance of Museums. Credit, image courtesy of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
More information about the project is available here.
About the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
The Museum was established in 1941 and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Anchored by its rich collections, the Museum is dedicated to lifelong learning. It engages guests through creative, vibrant programs and exhibits interpreting science and the history of Texas and the Southwest. For more information, visit www.fortworthmuseum.org.
