Memoria [EN] No. 10 / July 2018 | Page 37

What are the educational benefits of using VR in the context of Anne Frank House and its story?

The VR tour shows pupils how cramped the hiding place was, something which is difficult to imagine walking through the empty rooms. And it shows pupils what Anne Frank’s hiding place looked like with furniture and personal belongings. It can bring them closer to Anne Frank’s life story.

The Anne Frank House develops educational programs and products based on Anne Frank’s life story, with the aim of raising young people’s awareness of the dangers of antisemitism, racism and discrimination and the importance of freedom, equal rights and and democracy.

I believe you have used the VR yourself - what are your personal impressions of using such technology and difference of experiences?

With a VR headset on, you really find yourself in another place. That’s different from wandering through a 3D environment on your computer, where there is literally a distance between you and your screen. With VR you can immerse yourself in a story.