A visit to the interactive adventure trail in the Stapferhaus

A museum with a Ferris wheel on its doorstep seems interesting in itself. But the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg has even more to offer - including a VR application.

A friend recommended the Stapferhaus in Lenzburg to me because of its multimedia and interactive exhibitions and also recommended a VR application in the current exhibition entitled. Home. A Borderline Experience, I wanted to see and test it with my own eyes.

Fully savour the 360° experience

Under this exciting title, the Stapferhaus uses truly original and innovative exhibition materials to illuminate the topic from all sides. The tour also appeals to all the senses. More 360° is virtually impossible and the concept is truly astonishing.

Personalised museum tour

At the beginning, you are given a bag of tokens that personalise your path through the museum. After walking through a corridor that takes up the theme of fear, you insert the first token into one of the numerous input devices. Various questions are asked on the monitor, which you have to answer as truthfully as possible using the touchscreen. The system then creates a profile, including a photo, which is later picked up again. At the end, you can even print out your own home licence with photo.

The time just flew by. Other highlights include a very amusing hall of mirrors and the lovingly furnished wooden houses, in which you can get to know various people and their attitudes to the theme of home. The exhibition on the first floor on the subject of Switzerland also offers some interesting aspects, not forgetting the Ferris wheel ride.

Into space with VR

The VR application deserves the rating "good". As already describedIt offers a flight into space. After entering the replica of a rocket, you can grab one of the 20 or so VR goggles, which are arranged in a circle hanging from the ceiling and are cleaned by an attendant - for those who are concerned about hygiene.

Visitors are also in a rocket in VR, although the graphics are quite detailed: you can at least discover something 360° all round. After the rocket takes off, the walls all around fall away and a drone flight video is shown in which the Stapferhaus Museum and the town of Lenzburg disappear further and further into the distance. The effect is funny, as you have seen the scenery in real life on the Ferris wheel beforehand. Incidentally, the take-off and flight are very gentle, so my stomach, which is rather sensitive, had nothing to complain about at all.

This is followed by a flight through the clouds and leaving the Earth's atmosphere until you find yourself in space and see planet Earth in the far distance. The whole thing is supported by a narrative - without this, the VR application would be a little too boring.

In my opinion, the integration of VR is an added value and literally gives the exhibition a 360° perspective at the end. However, a little more could have been made of it, for example in terms of interaction. But for many visitors it will be one of their first experiences with VR, so most of them will certainly be easier to impress than I was.

The exhibition can be visited until 25 March 2018. Take a look at the Flyer where you can find additional data with various interesting presentations.