Combining virtual reality and real-world archaeology to study the community of St George's, Bermuda
Virtual St. George’s, currently in development, is an interactive 3D model of St. George’s, Bermuda—the oldest living town in English America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It will use detailed historical data about residents, buildings, and landscapes to build historically accurate 3D models of the town between 1612 and 1900 to enable students, scholars, and the public to “virtually visit” this key Atlantic seaport and meet its residents. These models will bring history to life for humanists studying slavery, gender, trade, maritime culture, and architecture, and for the modern town’s half-million annual visitors. The project will teach history, computer, and digital media studies students to digitally model an historic town and its residents using a variety of software. The project will aid Bermudian preservation planning, develop new modes of 3D GIS interactivity, contribute to the field of public history, and serve as a model for similar digital projects focused on urban social history.
