Digital Heritage Workshops in Bradford: Bringing Cultural Heritage to Life with VR and 3D Creativity
- AVimmerse
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Our work with Bradford 2025 and the Science Museum learning programme
As part of the Reel BFD: Digital Arts Bradford Stories programme, AVimmerse partnered with the Science Museum’s learning team to help young people turn their own stories into immersive, explorable 3D worlds.
This project forms part of AVimmerse’s wider work in immersive heritage, using VR, AR, photogrammetry, and digital storytelling to engage communities and young people.
Learn more here: https://www.avimmerse.com/immersiveheritage
As part of this programme, AVimmerse delivered digital heritage workshops in Bradford to help young people bring cultural stories to life with VR and 3D creativity.
The project introduced students to 3D scanning, photogrammetry, Blender, Unity, and virtual reality, and showed them how immersive technology can help people connect with culture and place in new ways.
We worked with students from:
• Appleton Academy
• Carlton Bolling School
• Carlton Keighley
During workshops with each school, students learned how to capture objects using photogrammetry, refine their models in Blender, and assemble their own interactive virtual spaces in Unity. For many, it was their first experience using professional creative software, and the moment they realised they could design, build, and explore digital worlds of their own.
During the process, we asked students to bring in items that meant something person to them. We then scanned these items together, cleaned them up in Blender, then imported into our Unity virtual reality scene.
Empowering the Next Generation Through Digital Heritage Workshops in Bradford
This programme wasn’t just about technical skills. It was about helping young people see themselves as creators, designers, and custodians of culture.
Students:
• Reshaped scanned objects.
• Added their own colours, textures and lighting.
• Built virtual scenes with personal meaning.
• Explored their creations inside VR.
These sessions showed how digital tools can help preserve stories, celebrate identity, and promote new perspectives within the cultural sector.
A Virtual Museum Brought to Life
The project culminated in a public exhibition, where students showcased their 3D-scanned objects, digital models, and immersive virtual environments. Visitors were able to see how everyday cultural items had been transformed into interactive digital artefacts, each with its own narrative.
The exhibition highlighted:
• How young people view cultural heritage.
• How immersive tools empower new voices.
• How museums and cultural institutions can collaborate meaningfully with schools.
This work contributed to Bradford’s wider cultural programme, supporting its commitment to creativity, innovation, and community-led storytelling ahead of City of Culture 2025.
See the VR Gallery in Action
The student work formed part of a wider exhibition including photography, immersive projection and interactive games, all celebrating Bradford’s young digital creatives. You can explore a glimpse of the VR gallery experience in this short video:
Watch the VR gallery overview →
For a behind-the-scenes snapshot from the opening night, you can also view a short Instagram highlight:
View the exhibition reel →
Opportunities for Museums and Cultural Institutions
This project reflects a growing shift in the heritage and museum sector: using immersive technologies to open collections, amplify community stories, and support digital education.
The methods used in Bradford, photogrammetry, VR, 3D modelling, and game engines, enable museums to:
• Digitise and reinterpret collections.
• Co-create content with local communities.
• Design virtual exhibitions.
• Engage new audiences through interactive storytelling.
AVimmerse specialises in helping museums and cultural organisations bring these possibilities to life.
Let’s Collaborate on the Future of Digital Heritage
We work with museums, cultural institutions, schools and councils to design impactful digital heritage programmes, workshops and immersive learning pathways. If you'd like to explore a collaboration or develop a similar initiative, we’d love to hear from you.
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