Most of the travelers’ only window into the far reaches of Antarctica is via pictures and documentaries. A research station in Antarctica is undoubtedly out of bounds, even to the most adventurous traveler.

A VR experience built using photogrammetry takes users into a virtual tour of a research station in Antarctica. The Antarctic Heritage Trust created this experience, an NGO committed to the history of the Antarctic, in association with the Auckland University of Technology. The VR experience gives users a partly photorealistic VR tour of the research station in the Antarctic. More than 4,000 hours were required to create this virtual reality tour.

The virtual reality experience brings out the difficulties of life and research in severe weather. Researchers in Antarctica are regularly exposed to temperatures below the freezing point. Researchers here must learn to be survivors, something that is brought out in the virtual reality experience.

Users can access the virtual tour through the Antarctica Heritage Trust smartphone app. This Virtual Experience was initially intended to help schools teach kids the history and exploration of Antarctica.