The 2023 winner of the Museums + Heritage Awards’ ‘Best Use of Digital’ is claimed to be the UK’s largest immersive storytelling project to date.

The StoryTrails project saw a touring experience of VR, AR and mixed reality experiences displayed in 15 different towns and cities across the UK to bring local history to life.

Funded as part of the Unboxed programme in 2022, the project reached around 1.5 million people in the UK across broadcast, digital and physical attendance. 89% of visitors gave the project at least a 4 out of 5 rating.

A technology first approach saw it present augmented reality walking trails, allowing visitors to explore hidden histories through their own phones.

Immersive films about each town were experienced on giant cyclorama screens installed in public libraries, and pop-up VR hubs appeared that re-imagined film and TV archives to share new stories about Britain’s relationship with itself and its past.

The project recruited 50 emerging creative practitioners from diverse and “non-traditional” backgrounds, who were trained to deliver the Story Trails project, providing an entry point for careers in the creative industries.

The judges noted that the Story Trails was “ambitious and far-reaching, with an important commitment to diverse artists, this winning project had both local and national impact, as well as a great legacy.”

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