Memories of Mexico - Museums of World Culture

Memories of Mexico

Museums of World Culture

Why read about historical events when you can jump right into them? We partnered with The National Museums of World Culture to create an immersive and gamified history lesson about three eras of Mexico's past. For the museum, it was their first venture into immersive technology - a pivotal moment of collaboration that became a tool now reaching hundreds of Swedish classrooms.

Memories of Mexico highlight

Your journey begins in a sacred Mexican cave where the guardians of history preserve the memories of the past. Suddenly, a strange figure appears and steals all the memorabilia, including the guardians' memories of the past. All memories of ancient Mexico are now lost.

The Story

Envisioned and inspired by older point-and-click adventure games, in Memories of Mexico it's your mission to find all the lost memorabilia that has been scattered throughout history. During this experience you will get to explore Mexico during a few select time-periods and civilizations including the Olmec, Aztec and Maya cultures. Come face to face with exciting characters who will help you complete your mission to restore the memories of Mexico.
Screenshot from inside the WebXR experience, showing the empty pedestals that need to be collected throughout the story
Screenshot from inside the WebXR experience, showing the empty pedestals that need to be collected throughout the story

The Partnership

The National Museums of World Culture had never built a VR experience before. They brought deep expertise in Mexican cultural history, access to their collections and scholarship, and a clear educational mission: reach students who might never visit the museum. IVAR brought immersive technology and narrative design. The result: a tool that puts ancient Mexico directly into classrooms, guided by museum research and curatorial knowledge - something neither organization could have created alone.
Museum installation of Memories of Mexico at the Museum of Ethnography
Visitor using touchscreen to explore the WebXR experience
The Memories of Mexico hero image at the museum entrance
Interactive station with the WebXR experience running
Screenshot of the Malinche character in the experience
Informational hotspot interface in the 3D environment
Historical characters from the Aztec era in the experience
Collectible items interface in the gamified history lesson

End User Experience

To engage schools and classrooms effectively, we ensured our experience was accessible across multiple platforms. Designed to function seamlessly on laptops, tablets, and in VR via WebXR, the entire experience is link-based, requires no downloads, and is completely free. This approach guarantees ease of access and broad usability, facilitating widespread educational integration.
Students in a Swedish classroom using the experience as part of their history class
Students in a Swedish classroom using the experience as part of their history class

Impact

Since its launch in Sweden, the digital experience has been integrated into hundreds of upper secondary schools, benefiting students aged 12-16. It includes comprehensive materials and a lesson plan, enabling teachers to seamlessly incorporate the experience into their classrooms. All content is aligned with the Swedish school curriculum, ensuring that it supports educational objectives effectively.

"Working alongside IVAR Studios to develop 'Memories of Mexico' was a great experience. Their team's blend of technical expertise and storytelling magic together with our ideas, models and research turned our goals into a vivid, immersive reality. For us at the museum, venturing into VR was uncharted territory, and IVAR's guidance, creativity, and insights were invaluable."

Mattias Kästel

Museums of World Culture

Credits

  • Martin Edström - Director
  • Fredrik Edström - Producer
  • Jonathan Lövholm - Immersive Producer

Get in touch

Get in touch +46 (0) 733 13 05 69