As part of my master’s thesis research, I recently visited the National Museum in my hometown of Ulan-Ude. My goal was simple but important: to observe the presence of interactive technology in museums in Buryatia and to reflect on whether interactivity can help local audiences, especially younger generations, better understand the culture, history, and religion of our region.
This question feels particularly urgent in the current political climate, where the connection of ethnic minorities in Russia to their cultural roots is often weakened or overlooked. Museums, in this context, carry a quiet but powerful responsibility. They are not just spaces of preservation but potential spaces of reconnection.
To be honest, and perhaps a bit shamefully, my expectations were quite low. I was prepared to see mostly traditional displays: objects behind glass with minimal explanation, limited contextualization, and little attempt to engage visitors beyond passive viewing.
And while some parts of the museum aligned with those expectations, one experience completely shifted my perspective.
I attended an exhibition about Buddhism in Buryatia that was, overall, very thoughtfully structured and informative. However, what truly stood out to me, and what I want to focus on in this impulse reflection, was the Kunrig Mantra VR project.
It felt like a breath of fresh air.
This project is one of the first VR experiences about Buddhism in Buryatia and among the early examples in Russia. It presents a carefully crafted 3D environment built in Unity, where visitors can slowly move through a virtual natural landscape of our nyutag – our true home. Above stretches a calm night sky. Around you stand sacred statues, each positioned with precise symbolic meaning according to Buddhist cosmology.
As you move from one figure to another, you can learn about who they are and why they are located exactly where they stand. This spatial storytelling is crucial: the mandala is not just visual decoration, it is a structured spiritual map.
Accompanying the visuals is the sound of the Kunrig mantra, softly read or chanted, which deepens the atmosphere and creates a meditative rhythm to the experience.
I want to be honest here: I am often skeptical about VR in museums. Too frequently it feels like technology used for the sake of spectacle, an additional layer that does not truly deepen understanding. But in this case, the VR environment genuinely expanded my perception of the subject. It did not distract from the content; it revealed the logic, depth, and emotional weight of the mandala in a way that static display simply could not.
Another personal detail surprised me. I usually experience strong motion sickness in VR environments. However, this project was executed with remarkable sensitivity. The calm pacing, stable movement, and atmospheric design created a comfortable experience where, for once, I did not develop my usual headache. Perhaps the quietness and grounded feeling of nyutag played a role in this.
After my visit, I read more about the project and was even more impressed. The designers worked very attentively with cultural and religious experts, including consultation with lamas, and continuously validated the accuracy of the environment during development. In projects dealing with sacred material, this level of respect is not just good practice; it is essential.
What I found particularly powerful is how the experience concludes. After immersing yourself in the virtual mandala and gaining contextual understanding, you return to the physical exhibition space where the original statues stand behind glass. But now they feel different. Familiar. Meaningful. You do not just observe them, you recognize them.
The knowledge gained through the interactive experience deepens appreciation of the physical artifacts.
For me, this project stands as a strong example of what meaningful interactivity in museums can be:
- educational without being didactic
- aesthetically sensitive
- emotionally resonant
- and genuinely engaging
It is also encouraging on a personal level. The project resonates closely with what I hope to achieve in my own master’s thesis artifactб creating experiences that do not simply display culture but help visitors feel oriented within it.
