The height of entertainment
Get a virtual bird’s-eye view at Tillamook Air Museum
By Chelsea Yarnell
For the TODAY
There’s a new view at the Tillamook Air Museum: a bird’s eye view.
A ladder inside the wooden building that houses the museum, known as “Hangar B,” climbs up more than 15 stories. The structure, built during World War II, was home to Naval Air Station Tillamook. It was one of two hangars used to house K-class airships, also known as blimps, during the war.
The interior catwalks that run high above the ground, 192 feet off the hangar deck to be exact, intrigue many a guest to the museum. Yet, they are off limits to the public. But, thanks to virtual reality, visitors can now experience the thrill of the climb with their feet safely on the ground.
“We’re always trying to brainstorm and get people excited to come out to the museum,” said Museum Curator Christian Gurling. “We want to develop exhibits that are both engaging, fun and entertaining.”
In two stationary kiosk stations, guests can don virtual reality googles and ascend the stairs to the top of Hangar B.
The four-minute experience begins with an introduction to the museum and scenes of the hangar floor. Then the climb begins. Turn your head, look up, look down, and enjoy 360-degree views. It’s a point of view few people have been privy to. And if you’re on the lookout, an owl swoops by near the top of the stairs.
“I have always said that museums are like living things,” Gurling said. “They're constantly changing, evolving and shifting. They have their pulse on what’s happening in the community both locally, nationally and culturally. One of those things is education through interaction. Education becomes entertaining.”
At the top of the climb, an historic photo overlays the virtual reality film showing how the K-class airships would have been stored; tying the experience to the structure’s fascinating history.
“We have this demand from people who want to access parts of the hanger, which previously were inaccessible,” Gurling said. “People look up at the hangar and see this beautiful iconic structure and inevitably see the ladders. They say, ‘Hey, can we climb up there?’ But unfortunately, for safety reasons, we can’t let people up there. With this new technology, it enables people to do so.”
A single-angle version of the filmed climb is also available for viewing on the Tillamook Air Museum’s YouTube site.
“Virtual reality opens up a whole new world and experiences for people,” Gurling said. “Maybe you would never, ever get to experience going to the top of the Eiffel Tower or Chrysler Building. Now, you can do that with virtual reality. We decided to take this new initiative and introduce this technology to people. We know it's going to be popular, not just among young people, as I know older people are going to be just as excited.”
Portland's 360 Labs filmed the footage for the virtual reality simulator by sending a staff member up one of the ladders inside Hangar B with a camera affixed to a helmet.
“[Staff/contractors] actually go up fairly regularly,” said Tillamook Air Museum Director Rita Welch. “In the last two years, I've been up three times. This is a huge structure and you have to prepare for it. The ladders themselves are actually quite solid and are really attached to the entire structure. But you feel pretty vulnerable because you can’t attach to anything.”
Gurling and Welch hope to add additional experiences to the virtual reality stations, like the experience of sitting in the seat of a F-14 Tomcat.
“We’re talking about having things that change and keep people coming out to the museum,” Gurling said. “I think that's really important. The sky is the limit in terms of this technology.”
The virtual reality experience is included in the price of admission to the museum. Tillamook County residents receive free admission to the museum the third Sunday of every month.
The Tillamook Air Museum is located at 6030 Hangar Road and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information, go to tillamookair.com or call 503-842-1130.