This thesis was designed to investigate the the uses of Virtual Reality technology within cultural heritage. Using a postmodern analysis, this thesis is both a document study and case study that...Show moreThis thesis was designed to investigate the the uses of Virtual Reality technology within cultural heritage. Using a postmodern analysis, this thesis is both a document study and case study that aims to inform, and help archivists and other cultural heritage specialists to contextualise themselves and their new digital environments. First, I establish why postmodernity is important to the archival profession by outlining its relevance to knowledge, technology, and the economy. I then describe Virtual Reality (VR) and the newly released and commercially available Head Mounted Display units (HMDs). This is followed by my case descriptions of Virtual Reality developers and developments, and a discussion of examples of VR’s current use in cultural heritage sites. I then move on to a discussion of archiving Virtual Reality. My thesis shows that Virtual Reality is no longer a promise, or something to work towards, but that it is presently here. The audio/visual illusion created by the currently available Virtual Reality hardware and software, has serious potential in the realm of cultural heritage learning. And this thesis argues towards an interdisciplinary method of creating cultural heritage content, with archivists, librarians, and museum curators teaming up with information technology and VR specialists to create, and store, their work. Appendix available at: https://miriammcbride93.wixsite.com/vrarchiveShow less