Explore Virtual Tours & VR

Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality in Your Learning Commons

Are you looking for new resources to add to your public library collection? Digital Human Library has curated the world’s largest collection of virtual tours and virtual reality (VR) experiences that can help you achieve your goals of educating the public and enhancing access to technology – no hardware required! Public library members can access over 1800+ tours including 360° panoramas, live cameras, narrated tours, videos, and virtual reality experiences. With 14 different categories to choose from, members can experience a world of learning like never before!

VR can take a reader inside a book, provide a new perspective on an historical event, and introduce learners to new people, places, and ideas from around the world. The unique qualities of virtual reality (VR) such as immersion and interactivity make VR a highly sought after resource in today’s public library makerspaces.

Did You Know?

The virtual reality market has a projected value of 227 billion by 2029 (up 45% from 11 billion in 2023), with an estimated 171 million current users worldwide and growing. The unique qualities of virtual reality such as immersion and interactivity make virtual reality a highly sought after resource in today’s education and public library markets.

Benefits of Virtual Reality in Your Makerspace:

Brings learning to life
Creates new opportunities and accessibility for all members to explore new people, places and ideas around the world
Boosts excitement and motivation to learn
Engages members as active participants in their own learning
Improves understanding of complex ideas, concepts, and subjects
Increases knowledge retention and memory
Builds emotional intelligence, awareness and understanding
Develops cultural competencies and digital literacy skills
Improves critical thinking and problem solving skills
Makes learning fun

Digital Human Library Sample Tours

Blacktip Reef (Animals)

Blacktip Reef is a breathtaking, award-winning exhibit full of color, light and movement located in the heart of National Aquarium. This coral-filled exhibit, replicating Indo-Pacific reefs, is active with life that guests can experience from many vantage points, including a new floor-to-ceiling pop-out viewing window that allows guests to virtually come face to face with the animals.

Google Arts and Culture (Arts & Culture, Exhibits)

Discover online collections and exhibitions about the artists, locations and history of street art. Start your journey by exploring the map. To continue the experience, follow the Street Art Project link.

Scientific Drilling International (How Things Are Made, Occupations)

Welcome to the 360 degree Virtual Tour of Scientific Drilling International — Applied Technologies Center. The Applied Technologies Center is where Scientific Drilling International’s engineers, designs, develops, tests and builds electronic tools and equipment utilized by the oil & gas industry. The tour will transport you through the Applied Technologies Center, providing information and media across multiple stages of the design, manufacturing, and testing process.

Holocaust Memorial Museum Tour (Museums)

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Tour the Museum’s Online Exhibits and learn from the world’s leading online authority on the Holocaust. Information on the site is available in 16 languages.

Solar System Tour (Space)

Solar System Scope is an incredibly accurate solar system tour, allowing you to explore the solar system, the night sky and outer space in real-time. All of the objects on the tour are accurately positioned based on where they are right this very second, and the tour contains interesting facts and information about the many objects in space.

Public Library Member User Guide

Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality Explained

Curious about the difference between a virtual tour and virtual reality experience?

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Virtual Tours & Virtual Reality Resources

More and more libraries are integrating virtual tours and virtual reality experiences into their learning commons and makerspaces to enhance engagement and ignite passion for new learning. VR is transforming the way educational content is experienced by immersing youth, adults and seniors in what they’re learning — real or imagined — and by allowing library members to interact with it. Being immersed in what you’re learning motivates people to learn in new creative ways.

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