Design and Implementation of a Virtual Reality Environment for the Frazetta Art Museum

Virtual reality is quickly becoming more and more accessible to everyone. Its introduction into the mobile market has made it spread everywhere. The COVID-19 pandemic affected museums worldwide, causing substantial declines in attendance and revenue. This paper presents a Virtual Reality (VR) project aimed at revitalizing the museum experience by virtualizing the Frazetta Art Museum. Utilizing Blender for 3D modeling, Unity as the game engine, and Oculus Quest 2 for deployment, the project enhances accessibility and engagement for a global audience. Interactive features include manipulable art frames, realistic door mechanics, an interactive whiteboard, dynamic snowfall effects, and immersive audio, all designed to provide a rich and participatory user experience. Our future extension to this project will include on integrating advanced 3D scanning, physics simulations, AI-driven virtual tour guides, and multi-user support to further enhance the virtual museum experience.