Smithsonian Launches Immersive VR Universe Tour

The Smithsonian launched "Starstruck: An Immersive Experience," a 40-minute virtual reality astronomy tour, in Washington, D.C. in May. This experience allows visitors to explore various celestial bodies, including the Sun, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and a distant exoplanet. Solo adult tickets are priced between $29 and $35, with a current 15 percent discount. Group tickets for four or more individuals start at $18 per person, also with the 15 percent discount applied. The Smithsonian plans to expand this VR offering to Denver, Orlando, Florida, and San Antonio, Texas, later this year. Attendees undergo an onboarding process that includes setting preferences like closed captioning and signing a waiver before commencing the immersive journey. The exhibit space has previously hosted other virtual reality experiences, indicating a commitment to interactive technology. The immersive nature of the experience has elicited strong reactions from participants, with one attendee exclaiming "Oh my God!" during their tour.