Mote Marine Lab adds virtual reality to its resume

Those looking to swim alongside humpback whales or head into outer space now have the chance with the addition of virtual reality pods at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. 

Now nestled in the aquarium’s exploration gallery, the pods ask users to put on a virtual reality headset and sit in an automated chair. The user is then transported to an alternate reality of their choosing. 

“It’s just an opportunity to expose our guests to a new type of technology,” said Stephannie Kettle, Mote public relations manager. “Swimming with humpbacks is not something that we can showcase here at our aquarium, so it’s the best way to see them.” 

The aquarium, which got the pods from Immotion, a United Kingdom-based company, offers nine experiences. Two of the nine feature live-shot film, while the others feature computer-generated images. 

Visitors can swim through a shipwreck in the Bahamas, fly with a dragon or ride a ghost train. Each experience lasts four to five minutes and costs $6. 

While there are nine experiences now, Evan Barniskis, assistant vice president of the aquarium, said Immotion is creating new experiences. 

“As soon as they’re developed, we will get new experiences to offer,” he said. “Just because people come now to experience the pods, if they come back in six months, there may be a whole new set of different experiences for them.”

In fact, Immotion crews recently finished filming a shark experience in the Bahamas, and plan to add two more subsea CGI experiences. Barniskis said he also hopes to work with Immotion to create a video about the aquarium in the future.  

Kettle said the aquarium is using the pods as an opportunity to experiment with interactive technology so that when the aquarium expands, it can offer more virtual experiences to its guests. 

The pods are now open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.