Murray High School teacher Teacher Lynley Hogan wanted to give her US History and AP World Civ students more tangible learning experiences. Since taking them across the world to visit historic sites isn’t practical, she received funding from Murray Education Foundation to bring the world to her classroom by purchasing a VR Oculus Quest 2 headset.

This student was able to use the Oculus to “visit” Anne Frank’s hideout in Amsterdam. In addition to studying WWII in US History right now, she and other Murray theater students have also recently put on a play about Anne Frank and with the oculus, she was able to enrich her understanding by virtually experiencing Anne’s everyday life in this tiny, hidden apartment under German occupation.

There are lots of 3D historical site tours that dovetail perfectly with Utah’s history curriculum. For example, a tour of Anne Frank’s hiding place during WWII, the Notre Dame (before the big burn), and much more. VR technology is a modern tool that helps bring history alive for students. These virtual visits will inspire students to create bucket lists of actual sites to match their dreams, interests, and curiosity about the world around them.