Virtual Reality and Memorials:(Re)Building and Experiencing the Past

Reflecting upon an affective and embodied methods workshop, this chapter discusses the potentials and issues that arise from using virtual reality (VR) as a memory method. We critically analyze how VR can be used to reconstruct the past (both real and imagined), and the implications of being immersed in a virtual environment. It is demonstrated that whilst VR may have promise in memory research, it is important to avoid the pitfalls of ‘solutionism’ (cf. Morozov 2013), and consider the practical and embodied nature(s) of being in a virtual environment to ensure that VR is used effectively in memory and heritage research