Events in the metaverse around ancient and historical sites could soon become a reality for new tourism. The Hermitage Museum, for example, has opened its doors in the metaverse. Also, many castle owners have recently developed augmented reality of their properties. Their ambitious plans to attract visitors to the metaverse could also be a good economic alternative. Indeed, virtual events would be a good way to help them pay the heavy maintenance bills of their aging properties.
The metaverse to rewrite history
For better or worse, tourism companies, educational platforms and museums could reinvent history in the metaverse. The family that owns Jai Vilas Palace, a 200-year-old palace turned museum in India, sees it as the future of their property. An NFT collection produced by local artists will soon be used to fund a metaverse experience around the palace. According to the owner, NFTs should be considered art.
“Every generation has its art and interpretation. This is a new medium and a new platform for emerging Indian artists. There should be no barriers around art creation.”
Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, owner of Jai Vilas Palace
According to her, the metaverse is the future because “a person usually visits a museum once,” but they can visit it multiple times in the metaverse. In India, museums are not the primary destination for tourists. So she works with 3.O Labs to “create immersive experiences. For example, animations that allow immersion in short historical documentaries”. It’s about opening more doors for education.
“I don’t agree with the way Maratha’s history is described. However, today there is a renewed interest, perhaps because of the glamour of film (…) Today, people are very interested in history and are rediscovering art and history. The metaverse can be the right platform to inform and educate people, to create interest, so that they can start their own journey into history, art and culture through this incredible world.”
Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, owner of Jai Vilas Palace
As the metaverse becomes a new tourism model, it can also rewrite history.
Tourism events in the virtual world
Historical experiences can also be developed in the metaverse to create surreal and impossible scenarios.
“In no way do I want to experience things that I can experience in the real world. The metaverse can recreate and preserve the past.”
Prince Heinrich Donatus of the Schaumburg-Lippe family
Historical reenactments with dummy weapons are happening all over the world. The United States, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Italy are very fond of them. There can be many such events that are conducive to learning in the metaverse.
“In the metaverse, we can upload guns and recreate wars for historical education purposes.”
Choi, co-founder of 3.O Labs
If metavers really are the future, the implementation of their rules starts now. As a result, a group of indigenous Australians, for example, is planning to create an embassy in the metaverse. Mixing the old and the new is actually an ambitious project that could be realized in the digital world.
With the expansion of blockchain technology, one can very well imagine castles and other historical sites being managed by DAOs. The restoration of these properties could thus be decided by the holders of tokens (non-fungible for example). With the COVID-19, a large number of museums, sites and historical monuments have seen their attendance drop considerably. Therefore, the metaverse could prove to be a more than viable solution for tourists to continue visiting during the pandemic. While waiting for an opening in the virtual world, the Belvedere Museum in Vienna still offers NFTs of a famous Klimt painting.
