Environment sector | virtual tour case study
East Devon Pebblebed Heaths
Discover how an accessible 360° virtual tour opens up the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths to more people, bringing together immersive landscape views, practical walk information and inclusive navigation tools. Visitors can explore key locations, learn about the heaths’ wildlife and heritage, and get a clearer understanding of what to expect before setting out.
With British Sign Language interpretation and a range of accessibility features, the experience supports people with different needs as they plan a visit with greater confidence. For those unable to visit in person, it also offers a way to connect with this special landscape from home.
The numbers that make us proud
Scene views recorded across the tour, as visitors explore the landscape and its key locations.
Visitors have explored the tour, discovering the landscape and finding useful information for a visit.
The average time spent on the tour, giving visitors time to explore and discover more about the landscape.
The Brief
Funded by East Devon National Landscape, the virtual tour was created by the RSPB, South East Devon Wildlife, Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust, with support from The Virtual Tour Experts. Together, we set out to give more people a way to experience the heaths and the information they need to explore them with confidence.
The challenge
The tour needed to do more than showcase beautiful views. It had to help visitors understand the landscape before arriving, offer useful information about suggested walks, and open up the experience to people who might be unable or unsure about visiting in person.It also needed to share the story of a sensitive natural environment, encouraging people to appreciate the heaths while helping them explore responsibly.
The experience
Visitors can explore key locations across the Pebblebed Heaths in 360°, discover their wildlife and heritage, and find practical information to help plan a visit. Accessibility features include British Sign Language interpretation, keyboard navigation, audio support, high-contrast viewing options and guided navigation tools. The tour also provides accessibility information for suggested walks, recognising that each visitor’s needs are different. For schools, colleges and community groups, the tour offers another way to learn about the heaths’ habitats, cultural heritage and conservation work, whether or not a visit is possible.
The result
The finished tour gives people a way to discover the Pebblebed Heaths from home and prepare for an in-person visit with a clearer sense of what to expect. It brings practical access information and the landscape’s stories into one experience, supporting the partners’ wider work to welcome visitors while protecting sensitive habitats.
What we achieved
Amongst standard features and processes we implemented a range of bespoke components that makes this virtual tour stand out in true form.
World-Class 360º Images
Each scene on the tour portrays world-class high-quality 360º images that have been captured to show the vault in the best light.
Interactive Map
The interactive map shows the depth of the vault and allows users to easily navigate to any area within the vault.
Language Options
The tour offers several language options to cater to a wider audience across the globe
Accessibility Widget
Our accessibility widget follows WCAG guidelines and creates a more accessible platform to allow users to interact with the tour in a way that suits them best
Easy Navigation
Through the menu, the interactive map, or navigational hotspots users can easily navigate through the tour to explore all public areas within the vault
Information-Rich Hotspots
The tour includes several informational hotspots, including video and imagery that educates users on the various spaces and features within the vault``The Virtual Tour Experts were incredible to work with and they went above and beyond to help take our project to the next level. With innovative and leading technical expertise, we couldn't recommend them enough!``
Step Inside the Seed Vault with VR
Our VR-enabled video offers an immersive 360° journey into the Seed Vault, fully compatible with headsets. Viewers can navigate naturally, turning their heads to explore the facility’s tunnels, chambers, and secure vaults as if they were truly there.
Features include:
Natural VR Navigation: Look around freely to explore the environment on any device.
Audio Narration: A narrator talks through the spaces, giving information on each scene
Informative Pop-ups: Key points feature optional pop-ups with added context and visuals.
Future-Ready Quality: Captured in high-res 6K for longevity and evolving platforms.
Why it matters:
This VR video makes the Seed Vault accessible in a whole new way, deepening engagement, increasing educational impact, and offering a powerful tool for outreach and public awareness.
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Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Discover how we brought one of the world’s most secure Arctic facilities to life with a multilingual, award-winning, immersive virtual tour featured by global media outlets.
Unique benefits that are perfect
for environmental virtual tours
- a cutting-edge visual showpiece of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, its facilities and location.
- attracting all past and future visitors.
- a superb interactive, fast loading and responsive tour.
- accessibility features set the standard in following WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
- content management system giving staff options to add information to scenes, create and edit hotspots, add audio and videos.
- our CMS ensures the tour can be adapted year after year without additional costs.
- unique design in keeping with their strong branding.
- fully customised and generated talking heads distributed throughout the tour.
- custom interactive map and menu styles to enable users to explore by area.
- multiple change of state features throughout the tour, enabling a rich and interactive user experience.
- fast turnaround time.
- the tour has been a huge hit with users spending an average of 7 minutes and 40 seconds engaging and exploring.
The Client
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault (Norwegian: Svalbard globale frøhvelv) is a secure backup facility for the world’s crop diversity on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The Seed Vault provides long-term storage of duplicates of seeds conserved in genebanks around the world. This provides security of the world’s food supply against the loss of seeds in genebanks due to mismanagement, accident, equipment failures, funding cuts, war, sabotage, disease and natural disasters. The Seed Vault is managed under terms spelled out in a tripartite agreement among the Norwegian Government, the Crop Trust, and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen).
Visit the Svalbard Global Seed Vault website.
GLOBAL MEDIA COVERAGE:
The Virtual Tour Experts supported the campaign by securing media coverage for the virtual tour in a range of media outlets across the globe, including:
QUICK LINKS
East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Tour | The Virtual Tour Experts