Dare to Discover, the Virtual Reality journey that takes you back to the Dutch Golden Age, will be launched by Het Scheepvaartmuseum (the National Maritime Museum) on 14 December 2017.
On board the East Indiaman Amsterdam, Dare to Discover transports visitors back to the 17th century when Amsterdam was the world's largest port and the Netherlands was a world power. The VR journey allows visitors to witness a number of unique happenings from those days such as the construction of the Zeemagazijn - now home to Het Scheepvaartmuseum – and the building of warships on the shipyard premises. They can even join a farewell on the quayside where the crew is boarding one of the Dutch East India Company's ships. Tickets can be booked in advance at www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl or can be purchased at the museum's ticket counter.
A masterpiece by Reinier Nooms
The VR journey is based on the masterpiece by Reinier Nooms 'Gezicht op het IJ met 's Lands Zeemagazijn te Amsterdam' (View of the river IJ with 's Lands Zeemagazijn), dating from 1664. This painting depicts a number of warships on the water in front of the building that currently houses Het Scheepvaartmuseum. If you look closely during the VR Journey, you may spot a depiction of Nooms himself in a little boat. Reinier Nooms is one of the most important maritime painters of the 17th century. He owed his nickname 'Zeeman' (The Seaman) to his many sea voyages.
Practical information on Dare to Discover
The VR Journey takes place in one of the holds of the East Indiaman Amsterdam, fitted out with twenty comfortable swivel chairs and VR glasses. Dare to Discover will play every 15 minutes between 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM and is open to adults and children aged 8 and older. Each session has two places available for wheelchair users. Want to be certain of a seat? Book your tickets in advance online at www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl. Any remaining tickets will be on sale on the day at the museum's ticket counter. Admission to Dare to Discover is included in the museum ticket.
Concept and development VR
The concept for the interior design and the identity of the VR is developed by NorthernLight. Shosho is responsible for the realisation of the content of the VR.
Sponsors of Dare to Discover
'Dare to Discover | A VR Journey' has been made possible thanks to an extra donation from the BankGiro Lottery. Almost 600,000 people in the Netherlands regularly take part in the BankGiro Lottery. Half of the price of each lottery ticket goes to support various cultural initiatives, such as this VR journey. The museum's own Compagnie Fonds, a foundation comprising donors supporting Het Scheepvaartmuseum, has also contributed to the development of Dare to Discover.
