Reimagining Museums as Hubs of Digital Learning

When the World of Us game was being imagined we found ourselves coming back time and time again to the same question: Can you take the experience of learning in a museum and translate it into an online space for children? But that only left us faced with a larger discussion. If you can recreate museums online, is this the way forward?

Home to history, museums have long been the guardians of knowledge. They allow the public to explore beyond borders and travel through time—sometimes over centuries. With all this culture housed in brick and mortar, the desire to expand its accessibility online is both tantalising and challenging. If you can’t see it, touch it, stare in awe at it, will the younger generations still engage with it? 

During our exploration we learned many things. Notably, we uncovered some underpinnings of traditional museums—particularly those in affluent cities—that might not always narrate an authentic truth. The journey of many artefacts to these establishments has been, at times, fraught with ethical dilemmas and a clouded history. Items that were once unknown are now being identified and better understood. And also, the introduction of modern moments in time that hold weight in the world as we know it now. 

In such instances, we pondered whether the digital realm offers a way to right these historical wrongs. Can new technology better narrate a more inclusive and truthful history, setting a new paradigm for future generations?

In this series, we’re not just looking at the replacement of physical with virtual. We’re analysing the very essence of education, representation, and the experiences we want to impart to future generations.

Before we can build something in the World of Us we have to best understand its strengths and weaknesses in the world we live in—IRL. Museum learning has only ever been imagined one way. We want to know what the future holds for these things of the past.