Virtual Reality in Cultural Heritage

Virtual Heritage
Virtual reality is a method used to simulate an environment that otherwise is impossible in the real
world using various computer technologies in visualization, sound and interaction. The main goal of this
method is to enhance the experience of the person using it and to send the required information in an
easy and convenient manner.
Recently virtual reality is applied in many fields, because it has great versatility depending on the
requirements; from developing a simple environment displayed on a desktop screen to a full immersive
CAVE systems with HMDs and full interaction techniques. One of the main fields using virtual reality is
cultural heritage.
Cultural heritage is a term which describes what humanity in present has acquired and preserved from
the past societies, the acquired heritage can be artifacts, buildings, books, monuments and sites, even
old traditions and folklores. This entire heritage needs to be preserved, reconstructed, represented and
educated to people and thus virtual reality is used because it is the perfect tool to achieve this.
Now many virtual heritage projects has been developed in many ways and for different purposes, virtual
online museums are spread across the internet which enables access to the information and data with
ease to the users from their home, broken artifacts can be easily reconstructed and assembled virtually,
online courses in virtual sites are given to students in fields relative to cultural heritage and many other,
as a conclusion we can now say that virtual reality is one of the essential parts in cultural heritage.