Event Spotlight | LGBTQ+ VR Museum Open House
by Lauren Brace
Image description: A person stands in the bottom right against a dark background, wearing a gray collared shirt and VR headset. To the left, a vibrant rainbow stretches diagonally under a semi-transparent text box with the title inside.
Exploring the world’s first virtual reality museum dedicated to celebrating artifacts, artwork, and stories of LGBTQ+ people.
A flashlight, a microphone, a 3D printer, a dagger, a teddy bear—a seemingly random collection of objects. And yet, each one represents a story of resistance. At the LGBTQ+ VR (virtual reality) Museum Open House, hosted by the Digital Studies Institute, I had the opportunity to not only interact with these objects but also hear the stories associated with them. This culmination of art celebrated the power and joy of the global Queer community, thriving in a space of acceptance.
In the same physical classroom where the Open House took place, I am taking a Classic Civilization course that explores private and public spaces of the ancient world. Sitting in the same chair used in class, I was reminded of the power of virtual reality. From one spot, I’ve been able to explore aqueducts, bathhouses, and The Colosseum—and now, a 180 shift to the modern world exploring a colorful museum of Queer art. It feels as if I’m in a vital moment in history when I ask, “Are VR museums the future?”
When I put on the headset, I was immediately immersed in the virtual museum, with digital art and objects standing out in vibrant color against gray walls and flooring. In front of me rested a rainbow teddy bear, and using the hand-held controllers, I could reach out and hold the stuffed animal created with photogrammetry.* It looked so realistic that I was almost convinced I could feel how soft it was. With the press of a button, I listened to the story of the teddy bear, and how it was gifted to a Queer individual as a symbol of acceptance.
From the United Kingdom to Ghana to the United States, artists from around the world submitted their artwork to build an atmosphere of Queer joy. Co-creators Antonia Forster and Thomas Terkildsen accepted every art piece that was submitted, showcasing as many voices as possible and emphasizing their goal of inclusion. I expected wandering through an art museum by myself to be a lonely experience, but instead, I was surrounded by a chorus of voices sharing their stories of pride. I could also enjoy every exhibit at my own pace, which was a pleasant experience compared to touring museums with large groups.
At the center of the VR museum was a sculpture that immediately attracted my attention. The art piece titled Memorial To A Marriage depicts two women—the artist Patricia Cronin and her (now) wife—embracing each other on a mattress in complete relaxation and bliss. Memorial To A Marriage is known as the first monument worldwide advocating for marriage equality. The original marble statue was placed over her burial plot because Cronin “wanted to make sure that what we couldn’t have in life, we would have forever in death.” Now, Cronin’s monument is available in a virtual space which makes it accessible for those who would be unable to travel to see it.
Looking at Cronin’s art flooded me with a sense of peace. The sculpture captured such an intimate moment, and to me, it felt incredibly normal. Seeing art from around the world brought me outside of my bubble, leading me to remember that same-sex marriage is only legal in 36 countries; the fight for equality is far from over. For some artists featured in the museum, like the artist from Ghana, simply identifying as LGBTQ+ is illegal. Memorial To A Marriage demonstrates the courage it takes to speak out and how both art and tech are powerful tools for advocacy.
Another piece that caught my attention was Music Shield by trans artist Sow Ay. The black and white drawing portrays a person walking and listening to music with headphones, creating a bubble of music notes around them. Ghost-like figures attempt to haunt the individual, but they cannot penetrate the shield. Ay’s artist statement explained that music can be a tool to find escape and fight against loneliness, anxiety, depression, and gender dysphoria.
Many aspects of the museum, such as visual and audio descriptions, made the space more accessible, and the ability to move around while sitting in a chair is helpful for anyone with mobility issues. However, I’m hesitant to claim that virtual reality makes all museums more accessible due to the cost of the equipment and the motion sickness that often accompanies VR. A large percentage (anywhere from 40-70%) of users experience symptoms of motion sickness after only a few minutes. I did experience a headache after exploring the museum, but thankfully it wasn’t anything too severe.
If the downsides of cost and VR sickness didn’t exist, VR would be the perfect medium for creating unique and accessible spaces. Forster’s LGBTQ+ VR museum is a feat of creativity and activism, capturing joyous moments in time to be held forever in a virtual space. Each artist brought their own unique twist to LGBTQ+ advocacy, such as explaining the importance of pronouns with custom pronoun pins or using nostalgic Barbie toys to spark deeper conversations around gender expression. I was honored to see everyone’s experience through beautiful creations brought to life by technical and artistic ingenuity.
*Photogrammetry is a process that involves imaging an object from different angles to create a 3D model.
