2025 - 26 (Ongoing)

Airships XR is an innovative multimodal immersive educational experience that brings the tragic story of the R101 airship disaster through immersive VR experiences. The project combines cutting-edge technology with heritage storytelling, featuring mixed reality experiences, a treasure hunt-style real-world game, 360° VR videos, AR cards, and a virtual gallery in HTC Viverse. These tools help explore the history and technology of the Airships to understand its relevance to world history, and as a tool for engineering education through innovative technologies.

Participants explore historically accurate recreations of the airship's engine cab, gas bags, wireless telegraph, dining quarters, and crash site, whilst answering questions and unlocking clues  in an augmented real-world game to piece together the mystery of what really happened on that fateful flight.

Airships XR is supported by Bedford Creative Arts, The Higgins Museum, HTC, the Royal College of Art and the Airships Heritage Trust. This partnership brings together technology leaders, creative innovators, cultural institutions, and heritage experts to create an experience that honours the historical significance of the R101 whilst pushing the boundaries of immersive storytelling and educational engagement.

Higgins Museum, 2025

Bedford College, 2025

London Breeze Film Festival (Riverside Studios), 2025

(Upcoming) BETT 2026 with HTC Viverse