Today, VR experiences can be divided into two primary categories: active and passive. The choice between it depends largely on the target audience and the type of experience the designer wants to create.

‍Active VR experiences are interactive and dynamic, where users are hands-on with the virtual environment, making choices, manipulating objects, and engaging directly with the story or environment. In contrast, passive VR experiences focus on observation and listening, offering an immersive, cinematic journey without requiring user interaction. This makes passive experiences ideal for storytelling and educational content, particularly for users who may not be familiar with complex controls or gameplay mechanics.

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When designing VR experiences, especially for museums, it's important to consider the target market, which often includes a diverse mix of families, tourists, and students. These visitors have varying preferences, with some favoring passive storytelling and others looking for a more interactive experience. To accommodate this range of preferences, a combination of passive and active VR elements can be an effective way to engage a broader audience.

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In this blog, I’ll focus on UX and XR design for passive VR experiences, with  "Saints and Scoundrels" VR Experience at the Landesmuseum Stuttgart as focus.

‍"Saints and Scoundrels": A Walk into the Past

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The Lichtenstern Altarpiece holds significant cultural importance from the Middle Ages within the Cistercian nunnery near Heilbronn. The VR experience, titled "Saints and Scoundrels," is a 12-minute crime story that transports users back to the 15th century, focusing on the creation of the altarpiece which was commissioned by Abbess Margarete von Stein in 1465., the workshop of Master Lienhard's who was commisioned to make the relic and , the incident of stolen relic "Saint Ursula" . Who is behind this and why was the relic stolen?

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This passive VR experience has an objective to use the narratives for users to observe the conversations and craftsmanship behind the creation of the altarpiece.  Since "Saints and Scoundrels" does not rely on user interaction, the design needs to use other user sense like visuals  and auditory that keeps users engaged with the story till the end.

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UX /UI Design Focus for Passive VR Experiences
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For a successful passive VR experience like "Saints and Scoundrels", it’s crucial to ensure that the design aligns with the story arc to keep users engaged. Below is a visual representation of the story arc used in the experience:

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This arc shows how the "Saints and Scoundrels" experience unfolds, from the introduction , climax and reflection. The pacing of the story will  mantain user engagement, and from this we break it down into the design aspect:

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The story is designed for users to observe the conversations and craftsmanship behind the creation of the altarpiece. Using a story-arc framework, the experience introduces users to the historical context, builds through the rising action as they observe artisans in the woodshop and marketplace, and culminates in an emotionally impactful moment when users see the piece virtually in VR and then transition to viewing the physical altarpiece once they remove the VR headset.

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This project is part of the Museum 2.0 concept, where museums are evolving beyond traditional displays. By utilizing VR, this experience bridges the gap between the past and present in ways traditional exhibits cannot achieve.

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Experience it at Landesmuseum Stuttgart.

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