Visitors to London's Natural History Museum will be able to find out what the world looks like from a Mantis shrimp’s point of view thanks to a new virtual reality experience.
While exact details are reserved for visitors to the museum, the crustacean-based showcase promises to unveil 'the secret communication of courting mantis shrimps'.
The large marine creatures are mostly found in tropical and subtropical waters and are known for their aggression, which should make for an interesting VR experience.
The 'shrimp vision' feature will be part of the museum's Colour and Vision exhibition, which opens on July 15.
"Virtual reality has an incredible power for storytelling. It transports us to extraordinary and otherwise unreachable environments, challenging the way we think about the natural world and inspiring the next generation to better understand it," said Sir Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum.
The new exhibition at the Kensington landmark marks the start of a new five-year partnership between the museum and Atlantic Productions to produce natural history VR experiences for museums around the world.
The exhibition features 350 rarely seen specimens and "explores how the intertwined history of colour and vision has shaped the beauty of the natural world".
Atlantic Productions' Alchemy VR studio specialises in creating virtual reality films and has previously worked with the museum on the award-winning David Attenborough’s First Life.
"We have first-hand experience of how VR engages museum visitors of all generations from around the world and to be pioneering new and innovative experiences alongside one of the most highly respected institutions is very exciting for us," said Anthony Geffen, CEO of Atlantic Productions and Alchemy VR.
The Colour and Vision exhibition is sponsored by LG OLED TV.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
