A new, global survey conducted as part of a Scottish project has uncovered that there’s overwhelming public interest in accessing museum collections through virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) tech.

The recent survey, the largest of its kind in the world, was undertaken as part of the £5.6 million Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) project, based at the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre.

Museums in the Metaverse itself is developing an XR platform for cultural heritage collections, as well as exploring how it can transform access to museum objects held in storage. It’s estimated that around 90% of museum collections are currently held in storage.

The new survey’s findings indicated strong public enthusiasm for digital experiences, including virtual exhibitions and opportunities for greater interaction with cultural artefacts—an eagerness which has already begun to be reflected in VR arcades and virtual experiences worldwide.

In total, 79% of the survey’s respondents expressed interest in using digital technology as a whole to explore cultural collections that are currently inaccessible to the public. Meanwhile 77%—of this 52% said “definitely,” while 25% said “probably”—would be interested in using VR specifically to access collections that are unavailable.

The respondents also expressed a positive willingness to pay sentiment around virtual cultural heritage content. 38% reported being “definitely” or “probably” willing to pay for access, with 51% being “definitely” or “probably” willing to be paid for virtual experiences that they create themselves for others to enjoy.

Speaking on the telling study, Professor Murray Pittock, co-author of the report, said: “This is the largest global study on virtual museums to date, revealing not just what future audiences want but how museums can adapt to meet these demands.

“Our research reveals a clear appetite for immersive digital experiences, with people eager to interact with cultural artifacts in new and exciting ways.

“This shift in public expectations is already visible in the growing popularity of virtual reality cultural spaces globally, and our findings at Glasgow are helping chart a course for how museums can embrace this digital future.”

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Fergus Bruce, co-author and research associate in digital culture and heritage economy for MiM, also remarked: “Our research here — conducted over several months and drawn from a diverse audience sample of thousands of cultural heritage enthusiasts — demonstrates that there is a clear appetite for virtual access and engagement with collections; a willingness to pay for content created using such access (on both a one-off and subscription basis); and also an interest in being paid for citizen-curated cultural experiences.

“These are important findings for any collections or custodians looking to increase the reach, impact, and sustainability of the cultural materials they hold.”