Virtual reality for heritage sites, is it worth the trouble? An initial user’s evaluation of the VR tour in a traditional Nabulsi house

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate whether virtual reality (VR) is an effective strategy to interpret and present heritage sites. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Ename Charter (2008) as a framework to evaluate whether the presented case study is an effective strategy for interpreting and presenting heritage sites. It presents and analyses the outcomes of 24 interviews conducted with onsite and offsite participants who viewed the “VR tour in a traditional Nabulsi house”. This tour was co-developed with colleagues as a prototype for a start-up idea. Findings The study results indicate that VR is an effective tool to educate, raise awareness and grant access to heritage sites virtually. The proposed case study fulfilled most of the Charter’s principles; therefore, it is worth investing in VR technology as a strategy for the interpretation and presentation of heritage sites, especially inaccessible and/or destroyed sites. Research limitations/implications The sample group is limited in size and age group. It is better to have a larger sample with a wider age range that includes children and seniors to get more reliable quantitative data. Furthermore, onsite participants used headphones along with the headset, which may have affected their experience. It would be better to use the same equipment for all users. Originality/value The study alleviates concerns about developing VR experiences for heritage sites by demonstrating its value and effectiveness in interpreting and presenting cultural heritage sites in Palestine.