Exploring theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience at Natural History Museum LA

I’m a very adventurous person but there’s one thing I’ll never do. I’ll never scuba dive. I’ve snorkeled and it was amazing but I have no intention of going any deeper. To me the ocean is a fascinating but scary place and I will stay on the surface thank you very much. Yet, I do love learning about the wondrous creatures that inhabit the sea so until now I’ve had to content myself with watching nature films and the occasional visit to an aquarium. But last week I got to try something extra special when I previewed the Blu: An Underwater VR Experience at Natural History Museum LA and explored the ocean while my feet were on solid ground.

theBlu, created by VR studio Wevr, is the first use of virtual reality at the Natural History Museum. Open for a limited run through April 28 it takes visitors on an underwater adventure all around the ocean and features interactions with sea creatures of all shapes and sizes.

Having never experienced virtual reality before I had no idea what to expect when I entered the experience. Luckily, I had a helpful museum guide who introduced me to the equipment and thoroughly explained just what would happen during my adventure. He encouraged me to move around and explore and immerse myself in the experience. As an introvert this sounded a bit like a nightmare but I resolved to pushed down my shyness and try to embrace the experience.

Before I knew it I was on the bow of a sunken ship and a great blue whale swam by. Then I was in a brightly lit coral reef filled with tropical fish, loads of jellies and sea urchins that closed when I touched them. I wandered around and around and was fascinated by my surroundings. By the time I got to the deep sea I was fully immersed and honestly, a bit frightened. It’s scary down there in the pitch dark! Luckily I had a flashlight to guide me and was soon surrounded by the most fascinating creatures. By the time it was over I had completely given in to the experience and was truly exploring the sea.

I loved theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience – it was such an adventure! It’s a wonderful experience that both kids (ages 10 and over) and adults are sure to love. Who doesn’t want to explore the ocean without having to scuba?