The role of virtual reality technologies in the digitization of cultural heritage: Awareness and accessibility during the pandemic period

In today's world, the relationship between technology and cultural heritage is becoming increasingly profound, with virtual reality (VR) applications emerging as one of the most innovative manifestations of this interaction. This research aims to examine the impact of virtual reality on access to and awareness of cultural heritage, particularly within the context of the accelerated digital transformation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a qualitative research design, structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants of diverse ages and professions in various museum settings in Ankara. The data collected were analyzed through content analysis using QDA Miner 2024 software and categorized according to predefined themes. The findings reveal that virtual reality technologies offer significant opportunities in enhancing access to cultural heritage, facilitating digital preservation, increasing public awareness, and supporting educational processes. However, limitations such as the lack of authentic experiential engagement, infrastructural inadequacies, high implementation costs, and insufficient visual quality were identified as key barriers to the full integration of VR into the cultural domain. Participants' experiences indicate that VR functions not merely as a presentation tool, but as an immersive environment that allows users to re-experience cultural heritage. In this context, the study argues that improving VR-based applications in terms of both technical and content dimensions constitutes an important step toward cultural sustainability.