Bringing History to Life Through VR: The Grini Museum’s Innovative Approach

The Grini Museum, located just outside Oslo, Norway, is part of the Museene i Akershus (MIA) network, a collective of 20 regional museums. Tasked with preserving the history of Grini Prison Camp, the largest German prison camp in Norway during World War II, the museum has embraced innovation to connect this challenging history with new generations. With nearly 20,000 individuals imprisoned at Grini between 1941 and 1945, the museum tells a story of resistance, suffering, and moral dilemmas. To bridge the gap between past events and modern audiences, the museum launched “Impossible Choices,” an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience that engages visitors in meaningful ways.

Why VR? Connecting with Today’s Youth

Schoolchildren make up 60-70% of the Grini Museum’s audience, making it essential to use methods that resonate with young people. “Impossible Choices” immerses visitors in the recreated barrack rooms of Grini Prison Camp, offering six authentic stories rooted in historical events. These stories confront users with moral and ethical dilemmas, such as whether to risk escaping when it might lead to the execution of fellow prisoners, or choosing between personal safety and helping others.

Søren Aagaard Rasmussen, the museum’s site manager, highlighted the challenge of making history relevant to young audiences. “We wanted to go beyond presenting facts. Our aim was to spark critical thinking and discussions about democracy, freedom, and moral choices,” he explained. The VR experience is a core component of the museum’s educational program, designed to deepen historical empathy and encourage reflection.

Developing the VR Experience

The project began with the question: How can technology bring history to life? The museum partnered with Breach VR, a Norwegian studio specialising in immersive storytelling. Over the course of a year, the team recreated the barrack room environment in meticulous detail, ensuring historical accuracy while designing an engaging VR narrative.

“Impossible Choices” uses gaze-based controls, allowing users to interact with the virtual environment without controllers. Each participant explores three or four stories within the 12-minute playtime, with each story presented as a black-and-white flashback. The narratives cover a range of dilemmas, such as a prisoner being coerced to betray fellow inmates or another grappling with the consequences of attempting to escape.

Practical Implementation and Lessons Learned

The museum’s team identified several key steps in the development process:

• Funding: The project was supported through a combination of grants and sponsorships.
• Collaboration: Partnering with experienced VR developers ensured both technical expertise and creative storytelling.
• User Testing: Regular feedback from educators and students helped refine the experience to meet educational objectives.

However, the project was not without challenges. Accessibility was a significant concern, prompting the team to explore ways to accommodate students with disabilities. Another lesson learned was the importance of balancing immersive technology with facilitated discussions to maximise the educational impact.

Beyond VR: Active Learning and Discussion

The VR experience is just one component of a comprehensive educational program. After completing the virtual journey, students gather in the same physical barrack room recreated in VR for a facilitated discussion. Museum educators guide a one-hour session, encouraging participants to reflect on the dilemmas they encountered and connect them to contemporary issues.

Key discussion topics include:

• How do you decide what’s right or wrong in morally ambiguous situations?
• What would you have done in the prisoners’ place?
• How does history help us understand current threats to democracy?

These sessions promote critical thinking and draw parallels between the dilemmas faced at Grini and modern-day challenges to democratic values.

Measurable Impact

“Impossible Choices” has proven to be a success. Post-visit surveys indicate that 85% of students found the experience thought-provoking, and 78% reported a deeper understanding of the moral complexities of wartime decisions. Educators have praised the program for its ability to foster meaningful discussions and connect historical lessons to current events.

Scalability and Adaptability

For museums interested in adopting similar approaches, the Grini Museum’s project offers valuable insights. While VR technology can be costly, simpler alternatives like 360-degree video or augmented reality (AR) using smartphones can provide immersive experiences at a lower cost. Rasmussen emphasised, “It’s not just about the technology. The key is integrating it into a broader educational framework that promotes reflection and dialogue.”

Inspiring the Museum Community

“Impossible Choices” serves as a model for how museums can use technology to tackle complex, sensitive topics. By combining immersive storytelling with active learning, the Grini Museum has created an engaging program that bridges the gap between history and contemporary issues.

For museum professionals, this project highlights the potential of VR to transform educational experiences. With thoughtful planning, collaboration, and a commitment to fostering critical thinking, other institutions can adapt this model to their own contexts, ensuring that history remains relevant and impactful for future generations.

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Søren Aagaard Rasmussen spoke about “Impossible Choices” at the Museum XR Summit 2024.