Scottish Football Museum launches VR experience at Hampden Park

The exhibition, a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Football Museum, is now open to the public at Hampden Park and brings iconic football objects to life using extended reality technology.

Professor Pauline Mackay, co-director of RIG and co-founder of Infinite Muse, said: "We’re incredibly proud that our ‘Wonder’ technology will enable awe-inspiring new interactions with the nation’s football heritage as the men’s team return to the world stage.

University of Glasgow and Scottish Football Museum team up to bring virtual reality to Hampden for World Cup Pictured Demi Boyd curator of Hampden Museum with Calumn Livingston , Hampden Visitor Services Officer with Craighead Primary School pupils in Milton of Campsie Annabell Gelston (10) (left) and Roma Stevenson (9) (Image: Martin Shields)

"The story of Scottish football is extraordinary and deserves to be known far and wide.

"We’re delighted that we’ve been able to support the custodians of this heritage to tell the story in exciting new ways."

University of Glasgow and Scottish Football Museum team up to bring virtual reality to Hampden for World Cup Pictured Demi Boyd curator of Hampden Museum with Calumn Livingston , Hampden Visitor Services Officer with Craighead Primary School pupils in Milton of Campsie Annabell Gelston (10) (left) and Roma Stevenson (9) (Image: Martin Shields)

The VR exhibition is powered by the Wonder platform, developed through the UK Government’s Innovation Accelerator programme and by University of Glasgow spin-out Infinite Muse.

It uses advanced photogrammetry and digital artistry to create 3D models of football relics, which visitors can view and ‘hold’ in a VR environment.

Among the artefacts featured are the original 1874 Scottish Cup, Kenny Dalglish’s 1978 World Cup jersey, and Billy Steel’s boots from the 1940s.

University of Glasgow and Scottish Football Museum team up to bring virtual reality to Hampden for World Cup Pictured Demi Boyd curator of Hampden Museum with Calumn Livingston , Hampden Visitor Services Officer with Craighead Primary School pupils in Milton of Campsie Annabell Gelston (10) (left) and Roma Stevenson (9) (Image: Martin Shields)

Other historic items include the ‘Rosebery shirt’ worn against England in 1907, the 1898 Scottish Qualifying Cup Final match ball, and a Meissen Vase presented to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) by the German FA in 1929.

Visitors to the museum can explore the objects using VR headsets at the [un]box kiosk, part of the University’s Museums in the Metaverse project.

That project has previously featured at Glasgow Science Centre, St Giles Cathedral and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Neal Ross, chief executive at the Scottish Football Museum, said: "This has been an incredible project to work on with the team at the University of Glasgow, and it will enable us to really take the treasures of the museum to the world.

"As World Cup fever sweeps the nation and the whole world, we are so excited to be part of this groundbreaking initiative."

The exhibition is located in the museum’s Hall of Fame and is now open to the public.

Proceeds during the summer will benefit Alzheimer's UK.

The Museums in the Metaverse project aims to give global audiences access to digital replicas of museum artefacts that are otherwise difficult to view in person.