The VR experience
What makes VR Voyage so immersive is its seamless coordination between virtual and physical worlds. As your boat glides through the canals, a GPS-linked system syncs precisely with your headset, triggering animations when you pass a landmark.
Adding another layer of realism is the thoughtful sequencing of time. The VR experience unfolds across morning, afternoon and evening, with virtual lighting that mirrors the real world.
Narration and sound design elevate the experience. A bilingual (Dutch-English) narrator guides you through Amsterdam’s past, weaving historical insights into each animated moment. You’ll hear the likes of creaking ship decks, bustling markets, people talking, and bells ringing, which make the experience of the 17th century even more realistic.
Highlights aboard VR Voyage
- Your voyage opens with a bustling morning market at the Herengacht, set in 1670 when Amsterdam was home to around 200,000 residents. In vivid animation, you’ll see vendors in period dress selling goods, while horse-drawn carts rattle over cobblestones.
- You’ll then be immersed in the city’s canal engineering. You’ll watch animated dockworkers hoisting barrels into warehouses using pulley systems that reveal just how purpose-built the canals were for trade. Meanwhile, subtle animations illustrate how water channels managed the soggy ground beneath the city’s growing footprint.
- As the tour moves into the maritime era, you’ll see Amsterdam’s shipbuilding prowess. By the mid-17th century, the Dutch had the world’s largest fleet – around 2,600 ships. VR Voyage brings this to life with digital reconstructions of iconic vessels, including the Batavia, the Fluitschip, and 10 other historically accurate ship types, with intricate rigging and hull designs.
- Cultural landmarks are shown with accuracy. ’The Schreierstoren is presented as once being the edge of the city after which the harbour began, the Hortus Botanicus as a centre for exotic plants, and the Portuguese Synagogue, once the largest in the world, highlights Amsterdam’s history of welcoming Jewish refugees. Each of these scenes is based on detailed sources like Google Maps, old architectural drawings and records from the City Archives.
- As evening starts, you’ll see a glowing version of Amsterdam’s 8-kilometre city wall and one of its eight historic gates.
One of the most striking parts of VR Voyage is how it lets you compare the past and present in real-time. You’ll often pass the modern version of a landmark, like the Hortus Botanicus, the H’art Museum (formerly Hermitage), right before or after seeing its historical VR version. At especially scenic spots, like where the Amstel River meets the canals, you can take off your headset, enjoy the present-day view, and take some photos.
