Mayflower Pilgrims take anniversary voyage into virtual reality experience backed by West Lindsey council

As part of the region’s 400th anniversary programme, Leicester-based arts organisation MBD created a virtual world which immerses audiences in the story of the momentous journey and explores the contemporary parallels with the early voyagers.

Released on Satuday, July 25, via the Oculus Store, Mayflower Reflections allows audiences to put on a headset wherever they are be transported back to the 1600s.

Anna Scott, Mayflower 400 officer at West Lindsey District Council, supported the project and said. “The virtual reality experience really helps you imagine what that voyage must have been like, and relates that to how it’s still relevant for us today.”

In 15 minutes, the story combines cutting edge visuals with narrative storytelling and an original soundtrack to bring the the period to life for a contemporary audience.

As it explores the experience of those early settlers of what became the United States, viewers learn of how much has changed since the voyagers first settled on the land, and the similarities between their journey and the journey of millions of asylum seekers today.

District councillor Michael Devine said: “This project is a great idea and with so many events being postponed or cancelled this year due to coronavirus, it will allow people to learn more about the Mayflower story in an innovative way."

Mayflower Reflections will also be available as a standalone video via the MBDTV on Youtube Channel and Metro Boulot Dodo Leicester on Facebook.

It was created as part of the council’s PilgrimAGE series, led by Discover Gainsborough. In the run-up to the official anniversary in September, there will also be historical blogs, snapshots in to exhibitions as well as videos and podcasts.

For more information visit discovergainsborough.com/PilgrimAGE , or follow Discover Gainsborough on Facebook or Twitter.